a little disappointed with rockauto

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Rockauto has always been good to me. It was just a numbers game before something happened to me.

My front driver KYB strut is blown, no biggie. Has lifetime warranty i was going to use Rockauto to get a replacement. My replacement came in today, pretty excited to see the box. I opened it up, see the KYB red/white box. Noticed it had a old fedex clear label on the side without a shipping label. Noticed the box was pretty beaten up and taped together.

Open the box to see a used strut. Normally they are shipped under compression with those thick plastic straps, none to be found. Clearly installation markings. I compressed the strut and it look about 2 minutes to fully return to normal height.

I quickly went on the site and did a warranty exchange. I dont want to chance it. It looked like a return item that should not be sold as NEW. (BTW parts people, where do those go?)

Am i allowed to demand a new replacement? Did they give me a new/ used one because i was doing a warranty replacement? Overall i'm just a little disappointed in rockauto but honestly their prices and shipping times works for me unless its same day type of stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
Am i allowed to demand a new replacement? Did they give me a new/ used one because i was doing a warranty replacement? Overall i'm just a little disappointed in rockauto but honestly their prices and shipping times works for me unless its same day type of stuff.
I would call or email Rock Auto and ask one of their reps. BITOG as far as I know doesn't have a Rock Auto authorized rep to give you Company policy on return of merchandise.
 
My brother basically rebuilt his 94' Chevy Silverado K2500 and almost all parts came from a Rock Auto. There were a few that were used parts he had to send back for new replacements.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
My brother basically rebuilt his 94' Chevy Silverado K2500 and almost all parts came from a Rock Auto. There were a few that were used parts he had to send back for new replacements.


This was my first one personally. I've heard and read stories on here and other forums.

I called corp headquarters and no one wanted to help me because they have no CS department via phone....


I've been to part stores like AZ/AAP where they bring out the part open the box and it was obviously a used part and i rejected and they brought out another one. Or it was the last one and i walked away. I understand people these days are shady and will try to return used parts as new but the store shouldn't just repackage it and roll it out.

Online CS gave me a label and i'm mailing this thing first thing in the morning. Sadly it might not make it here on time for my planned saturday install. If thats the case another week on my blown strut.
 
Mistakes happen, but it is simply ILLEGAL for a retailer to send you a used part when you purchased a "NEW" one. The fact that it sounds like they've done this to several people would make me weary of using their parts at all...it's simply inexcusable.
 
I just received a RockAuto package today. I ordered an upper radiator hose.

It came looking used. The little security wire they put through one end was missing and the ends look like someone cut them off with a box cutter to get rid of the clamp marks. The label was also all messed up as if someone moved it and you can see where the label used to be and it runs clear off the end of the hose.

I immediately filed a return and asked for a replacement to be shipped.
 
As an online storefront, no one directly employed by RockAuto ever lays eyes on their shipments, much less put their hands on them.

The vendor it came from probably just picked whatever was on their shelf, packaged it up, applied a RA-generated label and sent it on its way.

Returned items in less than factory new condition get put back into stock with many retailers, including Amazon. How often that happens will depend on company policy, and whatever care is given by the employees to ensure that it adheres to the standards that are in place to be considered saleable.

I once ordered a set of new springs from a dealer, which were special order fulfilled by the OEM's parts network.

They came beat up, and though never installed, were chipped, showing bare metal spots and looked like they had been put into a tumbler with some rocks.

I promptly shipped them back, and later received a pristine replacement set FedExed from the other side of the world. Also came with a set of extra spring pads, which is what that warehouse used as packing material, inside a properly-sized box.

The delay and hassle sucks, but the important thing is that RA, or whomever, makes it right in the end.
 
People order new parts, put the old one in the box, and return it under "no questions asked" return policies. The returned item can end up being re-shipped to another retail customer.

A somewhat damaged carton isn't always an indicator to the retailer that there is a problem with the part, especially with palletized freight where corners and bottom cartons are sometimes deformed in normal handling.

Contact RockAuto, they will make it right. Ironically, it's their policy to "make it right" that attracts the fraudsters in the first place.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
People order new parts, put the old one in the box, and return it under "no questions asked" return policies. The returned item can end up being re-shipped to another retail customer.


I still say it's inexcusable for any retailer to put the item back on the shelf without properly inspecting it. I say this as somebody who sells things online for a living - I would NEVER do that!
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
Am i allowed to demand a new replacement? Did they give me a new/ used one because i was doing a warranty replacement? Overall i'm just a little disappointed in rockauto but honestly their prices and shipping times works for me unless its same day type of stuff.
I would call or email Rock Auto and ask one of their reps. BITOG as far as I know doesn't have a Rock Auto authorized rep to give you Company policy on return of merchandise.


Calling them is a daunting task, and a pet peeve of mine with them. Have they recently made calling them easier? Emailing can be a slow process. I noticed in the past few years their CS is getting worse.
 
Time for people to get back into relationships with their local auto parts stores and slow down this glut of online parts "stores" that cause all these problems.At least in person you see the item before walking out the door,and know who you will be dealing with for a warranty return.
 
A similar situation happened to me at Oreilly with an alternator. Stuff happens.

Return it and they'll make it right for you.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Time for people to get back into relationships with their local auto parts stores

I hope you aren't talking about Autozone, Advance, O'Reily, etc. Nothing local about those idiots. People behind the counter worked at Walmart last week. They know nothing, they care nothing. Chances are they won't have what you need in stock. Prices are often insulting.

One day I knew the starter on my Jeep was dying. I didn't have anything else to drive or anyone to drive me at the time. I was able to get it started one last time, and I let it idle until I could find a new starter. First I looked online, Autozone, 2 Advance Auto's, and one Napa in my town. All said they had one in stock online. Went down there to get it, I finally got one on the third try at Autozone. Nobody else had one in stock even though they said they did online. Not like a Jeep 4.0 starter is a rare thing...

I haven't seen a "local" auto parts store in years. Not a sustainable business model today.
 
It is almost if not entirely impossible to call RA on the phone now...

They don't have a customer service number any longer.
 
Originally Posted By: copcarguy
It is almost if not entirely impossible to call RA on the phone now...

They don't have a customer service number any longer.

That sounds right. When last I tried to contact RA about an order, only method I could find was canned response drop down menu choices. Also appeared to be a canned reply. There was no option for human contact. Doesn't mean I wouldn't order a part from RA in the future if significantly lower priced than other options, however I don't care for the RA no human contact customer service business model.
 
Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Mistakes happen, but it is simply ILLEGAL for a retailer to send you a used part when you purchased a "NEW" one. The fact that it sounds like they've done this to several people would make me weary of using their parts at all...it's simply inexcusable.


I went through that with Newegg. Bought parts to build a computer. Was shipped a used, damaged motherboard. Replaced with another used, but defective/returned motherboard. On the 3rd one they got it right.
 
My very first order with Rockauto was bad. I received the wrong part in the right box.

They were helpful to correct the mistake despite me being in Canada. I have ordered over 20 times since without a problem.
 
Every shock/strut I bought through Rock Auto never lasted. Rear Motorcraft shocks for my Mustang looked used when I bought them but wasn't sure. They were leaking in 5000 kms. It would have cost me more to ship them back than what I paid for them. Wasn't too impressed.
 
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