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Not so great vendor experience…so far

neilvonarb

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
78
Loc.
Kansas City
Hey, forum. If anyone comes across this post, I’d like to get a sanity-check to find out if my expectations are off on a recent transaction and customer service experience with one of the very popular bronco parts vendors.

I recently purchased $2500 of parts from this vendor, part of which was a hydroboost brake system kit. Like most of you I’m sure, I think it’s pretty fun to do all the reading and research, figure out what you need, put an order together and then slap some of that hard-earned money down. One of three boxes that my parts came in literally sounded like someone grabbed a bunch of loose parts/nuts/bolts and threw them in a box. After opening that box….it looked like someone grabbed a bunch of loose parts/nuts/bolts and threw them in it. For the most part, I guess this would’ve been okay, but one of the parts was a $250 billet aluminum master cylinder that came out of the bag (I guess) it was in and whose cap came off, and the other part was a two-piece power steering to bracket that’s made from 1/4” steel and has a 100 sharp edges and corners. These parts, along with others, bounced around inside the box for their 1500 mile journey to my house.

I thought the most disappointing part was going to be the fact that someone thought it was okay to ship something like this, but it turns out this vendors response so far is becoming more disappointing. I reached out to the vendor as soon as they opened the next day. I thought, maybe, the response would be something like - man, we’re sorry…that doesn’t sound right…we’ll figure out what happened and make it right. What I got was - ummm, send us pics and we’ll look at it…the master cylinder is pretty tough, so it should be ok. We can send a new cap if it’s scratched.

It “appears” that the only damage is light nicks/scratches on the master cylinder and cap, but I have no idea what else could’ve been damaged or could be wrong and don’t really think I should have to spend the time investigating it or figuring it out as I’m installing it. Oh, and the cap screws are missing from the package.

So far, the entire experience has been frustrating and disappointing. When I purchase these kinds of parts for this kind of money, I don’t expect them to show up like this and don’t think I should think it’s ok when they do. I think the right thing to do - and would think the vendor would think the same - is to just send me a replacement master cylinder. We’re not talking about Walmart or Amazon who could care less about your experience since there are a billion other people in line to buy something. Am I dealing with a bad customer service rep? Is this just how it is or should be? Are my expectations way off?

I’d appreciate your thoughts, even if you say you think I’m being a Karen (sorry, Karens).
 
Last edited:

JB Fab

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
1,240
Question: Was it shipped from the Bronco vendor or was it drop-shipped from the manufacturer/distributor?
 
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neilvonarb

neilvonarb

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
78
Loc.
Kansas City
JB Fab, it was packed and shipped directly from the vendor. I’m guessing someone goes around the warehouse, grabs the parts and packs them up.
 

Seventee

Contributor
Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
997
Loc.
In the sticks of MT
If something is damaged or missing, a replacement should be on it's way. If not, then I am not sure why there would need to be a resolution to a problem that doesn't exist. It is good that you brought up their less-than-stellar packaging so hopefully they can prevent this from happening again.

If the nicks and scratches are not acceptable to you, why not send them the requested photos? It seems that would've been appropriate when making first contact in order to show them what happened.
 
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neilvonarb

neilvonarb

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
78
Loc.
Kansas City
Seventee, I did send them pics of everything and I’m waiting to hear back. I basically told them I thought they should replace the whole thing. So even though i know they haven’t responded yet with a resolution, I posted here to figure out, based on the situation, if that’s a reasonable expectation or if I’m off.
 

Teal68

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
2,566
Loc.
Inlet Beach
Post the pics you sent please so we have all info, and can give educated feedback. Hopeful they do you right.
 

Qumanchew

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Jr. Member
Joined
May 16, 2018
Messages
218
Loc.
Kutztown PA
Personally, I don't even need to see the pics on this one to form an opinion. You're not off base. If I pay extra for a part that is "billet", which usually means it's finished and ready for install it should come packaged so it can't get scratched. In this day and age it's very easy to package small parts correctly. There is no excuse for parts bouncing around in a big box. Now if the outer box gets destroyed in shipping it's on the shipper, but that goes without saying.
 

TNcowboy

Full Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
220
Have to agree that if the parts were packed as described it is negligence on the part of the vendor. Packages often get abused by shippers so if the vendor doesn't protect the parts with adequate packing protocols they are asking for issues....and negative feedback.
 

armynavy17

Contributor
Full Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
361
I've always been impressed with the customer service I've received by the majority of the bronco venders on here. Hopefully they get back to you with an acceptable response/resolution. Mistakes do happen, sometimes they happen more than it seems they should, but it's usually an exception, not a rule from our venders. If they have a presence on here, reach out to them via PM and work it from more than one angle.

Props to keeping the venders name out of your post.
 

Eastwood

Jr. Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
136
I shipped out parcels daily for years and occasionally our box got destroyed by the shipping company and they would pick up everything and throw it in new box to send it on it's way. If I had a customer call with your issue, I would have responded pretty much the same way. I want pics of the parts and packaging to determined the damage and see if it's our packaging or not. However, I always sent out a replacement part free of charge and used the pics to try to get reimbursed from the shipping company.
 

BGBronco

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N A S H V I L L E
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Jun 23, 2017
Messages
1,543
Loc.
Tennessee
I've always been impressed with the customer service I've received by the majority of the bronco venders on here. Hopefully they get back to you with an acceptable response/resolution. Mistakes do happen, sometimes they happen more than it seems they should, but it's usually an exception, not a rule from our venders. If they have a presence on here, reach out to them via PM and work it from more than one angle.

Props to keeping the venders name out of your post.
too late for that last comment ....
 

Shimmy

Contributor
1977 Bronco
Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Messages
595
Loc.
Maple Valley
I recently bought a hydroboost kit from a vendor and can relate to the misc bolts/hardware thrown in. There was a packing list included, but the descriptions are so vague that unless i was an expert (I'm new to EBs) on these parts, I wouldn't know if I got everything. I'd say about 75% of the parts match up to PNs on the invoice, but the misc brackets, hoses, and hardware have me hoping all is there when i go to install. Luckily all my main components were packed well.
 

Rustytruck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
10,875
I am of the belief that when you pick up a properly packed package and shake it it makes no noise if it does its packed wrong. Packages above about 25 lbs are destructive to themselves meaning the weight of items inside try to destroy themselves from the inside. As of the covid generation a lot of companies have less than stellar workers with little skill and desire to do the job properly this there is less will by managers to confront poor workers that you cant replace this includes the major small package shipping companies.
where I work this has become a real problem in both in coming and out going shipments. when there are problems everyone now passes the buck and burries their head in the sand.
 
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neilvonarb

neilvonarb

Contributor
Jr. Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2020
Messages
78
Loc.
Kansas City
To be clear, JB Fab is not the vendor. I was just addressing him/his post (not sure how to link the persons post in a reply).

Thanks for all of the thoughts/comments/other points of view. It turns out I just had a bad customer service rep. A supervisor called me back today and responded more like I thought they should in this situation. He was very apologetic and acknowledged that it was their mistake and assured me that that is not how it should have been shipped. They will be sending a full replacement packaged correctly. Like a couple of you I think were getting at - there shouldn’t be degrees of damage that make this kind of part either acceptable or not. I’m glad the vendor saw it the same way.

Rustytruck hit the nail on the head. A company is only as strong as its weakest link, and, unfortunately sometimes, the weakest link is the last one in the chain responsible for the customers’ experience. I get it, mistakes and employees who don’t give a shit happen, but it’s good to see vendors not make their customers pay for it.

Thanks again for all the feedback.
 
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