Ordered some 5100 shocks per the advice of our great and powerful Razzi and everything went great. Shocks came in last week and I've been waiting on a day that wasn't freezing to install them. Well that day was yesterday! Got all my tools out and got ready when I discovered my impact set didn't have an 18mm in it and I don't have the strength in just my left hand (right hand is currently out of order) to do it with a ratchet so work halted for the day. Last night I bought the socket from Lowes (nice one too, all fancy like!) and I got everything torn apart and got the first shock installed and it just didn't look right... I called up Razzi and he said to send him a pic so I did. He said he wasn't 100% so ask Matt so I did that. Before I could even add anything else to my message to Matt he replied HELL NO to the picture and that was that. I called up 4wheelparts and they told me they sent me the wrong shocks by mistake.

My choices were to send the shocks back and as soon as they receive them and they are processed they will send me the correct ones or I can pay for the correct ones and send the wrong ones back when I have time for a refund. Being as I am about to scrap some metal and have a bit of cash in the bank I went with the "hurry up and get my **** to me" route. As a kind gesture he gave me "Free shipping" which all orders over $75 get regardless of which I surpassed.

I didn't call expecting anything other than the correct parts but to be treated as if it were my mistake or that I should be put-out further just so they could cover themselves seems a little rude. I never got a true apology from the guy who didn't seem to care at all or any sort or offer for faster shipping to make up for the time my truck will be down. Maybe I'm over reacting, or maybe I'm just an idiot, who knows.

 

Amazon.com...I rarely buy anything anywhere else...maybe summitracing...and of course riffraff!! You would think they would at least rush them out to you especially since they aren't out any money..I will add them to my list.

 

Try Hardpartsfast on ebay- $74.91 ea on Bilsteins, free shipping, 99.8 positive feedback. Nice folks, too!

 

Sorry to hear, you will be happy when the correct 5100's are in and you forget all this drama.

 

I feel for ya Apoc! I went through basically the same thing with them on my Ranchos. Three of the four adjusters froze up within the first month (in July, so salt/cold had no impact). Called 4Wheel parts to try to exchange for the Bilsteins (expecting and offering to pay any difference in price), and I must have talked to the same clown you did! First he said their policy is only exchange part for part, no switching products. Then he pulled the "send yours back, and we'll ship your new ones when we get yours"!!! REALLY?! I believe customer service is really a thing of the past!

 

Customer service is gone. It is now on the consumer to assure it is correct.

Ordered brake pads and received 3 of 4 for Wife's Toyota through Amazon, was a dealer near LL. Planned on doing the brake job that Friday, so I call them and talk to shmuck 1 and he says the manager will call in the morning. Guess what shmuck 2 never called. Called them myself and had them overnight to me they also sent a return label for the others. Was almost as if they were trying to pull a fast one.

 

Yeah, I feel for you Apoc. I have had similar experiences with them. We have an actual store here, and all the Jeep guys around here swear by them. So I ordered all my suspension and tires and stuff from them. I had to make 2 return trips because the sales guy "screwed up" my order. And no apologies...in Atlanta traffic the shop takes me approx an hour and half to get to (At least 2-3 hours round trip of my own time). Like I said, everyone around here swears by them. I just swear at them. I will never go back. There are always alternatives, and they don't get my business anymore. I hate to spread negative reviews (I have always felt positive reviews carry more weight)... but after reading your post, I felt I would chime in.

 

You can rant at 4wheel parts if it makes you feel better but the reality is that the policy you describe is standard operating procedure for pretty much every mail order company on earth including amazon. No company is going to send out hundreds of dollars worth of product before they either get the old ones back or you pay for replacements and get a refund for the returned ones. Companies would get robbed blind if they didn't operate this way.

 

My issue with 4 Wheel Parts is their return policy on defective parts. Some vendors will send you a return label. With these guys they make you pay freight and UPS freight charges have gotten out of control on a heavy item. Almost not worth sending back. Anyways I had complained and they made it right with a gift card.

 

I agree with the part about being robbed blind. Would be very easy for the bad apples to ruin it for the rest of us, although we know Apoc is one of the good ones.

My experience w/ Amazon has been great. They have my credit card on file (as I assume many online retailers do if you have recently purchased there) and know that if I don't return the old parts they can charge me again. So whenever I have had a defective/wrong part sent they were quick to send out a new one and also email me a return label no questions ask. They then give you something like 90 days or some absurd time period to return the old item. But then again, Amazon really stands apart w/ customer service when it comes to online vendors.

 

Now for the record, I have never dealt with their 800 number...so I don't know what that is all about. I have a local store, where I deal with the in-house guys directly. But, honestly, this is all about customer service. I hear what you are saying pirate... but to me look at the situation. They screwed up Apoc's order. So to me, they should not be charging Apoc twice. They should be issuing an RMA, putting a prepaid shipping label in a box with the correct shocks and sending it overnight (and charging him for the correct part). Then Apoc can box up the old ones and take them to UPS or FedEx at no charge to him.

I have seen this tons of times, this is not something that no "retailer on earth would do". Even if the customer is at fault (ie orders the wrong part, etc) I think you can still follow this process and include a "restocking fee" or something. But like guys said earlier... Customer Service is rare now. You treat everyone with equal respect, whether they are ordering $50 or $5,000 worth of product. And yes, I have returned stuff to Amazon - and they send you a prepaid label AND you can either return to UPS or just have UPS pick it up at your house. And as soon as UPS scans it...Amazon refunds your money. No horsing around. Customer Service.

 

I actually have a part I need to return to Amazon as we speak so I just got off the Amazon site. I want to call them but gave up after spending 10 minutes looking for a phone number. If you have it could you post a link to the page it is on ? Thanks.

Looks like Amazon changed their return policy from the last time you ordered.
Here is how they do it now

 

Refund times are spelled out here

 

If you go to your order history, find the order of the said part you wish to return (you should be able to see a line by line, itemized list of what you ordered.) Next to that item click the return item link... it will ask you a few questions of why you are returning it. Then it will create a pre-paid shipping label.

 

Hmmmmm, looks like I have to wait up to 2 days to find out if they are going to sent the correct item, and then 3 more days for a refund. Be nice if I could call somebody in customer service to find out the status today but I still can't find their phone number.