Parts-buying ethics.

As some of you know, I live in Las Vegas, but I am in Grand Rapids, MI for the summer.

I have a Sonic. Sonics have notorious issues with OEM sway bar end links. Mine are bad.

There's a shop near GR that specializes in Sonic performance parts. They sell beefy, greasable end links.

I went in to the store today and bought some end links. I have a pal with a repair business here in town, and he's going to throw them in for me, because I have essentially no tools with me.

So anyhow... I buy the links and pay with debit card. They didn't give me a receipt, but they told me they would email it.

A little while after I left, I got they email. They didn't charge me shipping, but they also didn't charge me sales tax. Well, that's not right, but the invoice does indicate a "ship to" address in Nevada, so okay whatever.

BUT THEN... when I got back to where I'm staying, I got another email from them saying the parts were shipped and a tracking number.

So... it appears somebody there wasn't communicating with co-workers.

I thought I'd do the right thing and send them a "hey, I think this is an issue" email.

Haven't heard back yet.

I don't want anything for nothing. Problem is, I need the parts I have in hand, so I don't want to return them. I also can't/won't return the 2nd set of items shipped to my home, because I'm not there, and won't be there until September.

I'll let you know what their reply is to my email, but in the meantime... what?

Some clustercusses just aren't your fault. Make sure someone human there knows the problem. It's up to them to fix it if they want to bother. Given the timing, they might be totally fine knowing a fan and honest guy is getting them. Worst case, send them back in 3 months.

Return the parts shipped when you get home?

Have them pay for the return shipping and ship it when you return home.

Maybe they just processed it as a mail-order to save you money? Or maybe they don't deal with walk-in customers often, so that's the only way they can process orders?

petegossett wrote: Maybe they just processed it as a mail-order to save you money? Or maybe they don't deal with walk-in customers often, so that's the *only way they can* process orders?

I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case, and they just marked the part shipped so it gets appropriately taken out of their inventory in their accounting system. Certainly wouldn't hurt to call, but I bet this is what happened.

Must be zzp. Right hand doesn't know left hand.

If they shipped UPS you can have them recall a package back. I think it costs $65 for them? But you gotta act fast.

If that's the case.

Take parts with you when you return to GR and get a credit for stuff you need?

Have you checked your card to be sure you did not get charged twice?

I'm not sure how this might help you... but many years ago (lets say... 8yrs) I bought a super sweet lightweight CF HANS device on sale from one of the large online retailers. Two days later I received it. I also got an email that my HANS device was on back-order and they would notify me when it was available. I ignored that because... already got device.

Two weeks later - I got another super sweet HANS delivered to the house. So, I called them and said "Hey, there was a screw up". They were kind of rude and told me to ship it back and everything would be OK. I said sure - but they wouldn't pay the shipping. So I put it on a shelf unopened and it sat there for a month. Then, I got an invoice for $1200 for the item. So I called again and re-told the story and said I am not paying shipping for your mistake, and I'm not paying for the item because I had already paid for the only one I ordered and I already got it. I spoke with the manager. I spoke with someone else. A pick-up was scheduled. It never came. I called back maybe a week later and said I had about two hours into trying to unberkeley a mistake I didn't make and then spend another bit of time telling the story again. Again, promises, no resolution.

Two years ago I found it in the original unopened box on the shelf while cleaning out all of my old E36 parts to put on CL. I gave it to a good friend whom had just got his racing license, didn't have the budget for all the gear he needed and was damn happy to have it. All he had to do was pay to have it re-certified due to age. My conscience is clear, someone else is pleased and I got a few karma points on the chance there is a next go-round. All win as far as I'm concerned. Stupidity and ignorance on their part, not theft on mine.

Some companies are remarkably bad at dealing with their own shipping mistakes, as Huck so clearly showed.

Fwiw, OP, you are under no legal obligation to return items you didn't order. And you didn't order a second set. Federal Trade Commission's Words on the Subject

Personally, if a box was there at home when I got back, I'd offer to send it back to them, all they need to do is provide me a return shipping label and I'll go drop it off.

petegossett wrote: Maybe they just processed it as a mail-order to save you money?

That was my first thought, sounds like a way to evade sales tax.

Ranger50 wrote: Must be zzp. Right hand doesn't know left hand.

Must be. ;)

I heard back. They just told me to refuse the package or mark it "Return to Sender".

I told them that probably won't work in September when I get back.

I will be keeping an eye on the credit card bill.

I would definitely not pay return shipping. Put the parts you have on the car, and IF there is a second set when you get home see if they want it back, if not give it to a friend or sell on eBay.

Some years back I ordered a Lisle bearing packer from a national tool seller, prolly $10 iirc. Package arrived and there were seven of 'em, no E36 M3. Only one on invoice and billing. Advice was split between returning and berkeley 'em it's their mistake. Actually surprised at the people who said berkeley 'em.

I didn't wanna upset the balance of the universe so returning the excess was the right thing to do. Awkward phone call to customer service, they seemed like they didn't know what to do at first but it all worked out in the end. Had to wonder if the bearing packer packer might get in trouble though.

I see what you did there.

A few years ago I came home to a big Silikroil box on the porch. A week or so before that I had filled out an online form to get a small can as a sample but the box was way too big for that. Opened it up and it was a whole case of the big cans. After looking at the shipping label it did not have my address on it so I was very confused. The next day I get a call from Kano asking if I had the box. I was tempted to say no but I didn't and they had UPS pick it up the next day. The lady on the phone did say that I could have one of the cans for my trouble.

UPDATE:
The fellow who actually handed me the parts emailed me to ask me what was happening to my mail while I was gone.

None of his business, that's what.

I told him if it was still in my mailbox when I got back, I would send it to him. In September.

For $45 worth of parts, they should just admit they made a mistake and eat it.

I'm not helping any more.