Rock Auto - now impossible to communicate with.....

[3930dave]

I do price check RockAuto when looking for parts but seldom purchase from them because of the shipping, plus FedEx is terrible about deliveries in our area. We have had them hold packages for up to a week until they other deliveries in our area.

They are consolidating shipments, to amortize the truck-run. Better for them, worse for end-customer.

Progress ? It would be interesting to compare historical data..... rural areas might have had better transit times, when trains/horses were used !

Rgds, D.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I've used Rock Auto a lot over the years and their business model means prices are always changing and can be hit or miss. You have to take the time to combine parts from the same location to save on shipping and look at exactly what you are getting but more often than not you can save 50% or more even after shipping costs. I only buy premium parts if possible which often aren't even available from the local supplier who only offer inhouse or white box choices.

One example was brake rotors for my 3500 Dodge, I don't recall the brand, raybestos maybe but they were USA made and $65 for the front and $80 for the rears, about $60 shipping and arrived in 3 days. Local supplier wanted around $200 each for their inhouse brand of rears that were from overseas.

On the rare occasions I've had issues they have always made good either with a credit or replacement and keep the wrong or broken part, though I've usually wished I could speak to a person to explain the issue as I've had the same part arrive with the same shipping damage on the second attempt more than once but they still made good on it, time became the issue.

 

[ultrarunner]

Perhaps Fedex is not as much of a train-wreck in the USA, but up here, 2 divisions recently merged.

So.... the Rock Auto delivery that was supposed to arrive @ my home yesterday, may not make it till next week. Packages arrived @ the Fedex terminal, about 2 blocks from where I work, early yesterday morning. On truck yesterday, but didn't get delivered. Got up after just a few hours sleep today, to get on the phone this morning with Fedex. After going through multiple rounds of their nightmare phone system, to finally get a live person, had said lady tell me:

"Shipper has directed that that package can not be held @ terminal for pickup." Then told me they had to attempt 3 deliveries, before considering allowing me to pick up @ the Fedex terminal, 2 blocks from where I work....

No phone number for the terminal, so I actually just got back from driving to the terminal, to speak to a carbon-based lifeform at the counter. Nice guy, and we had a good chat, but absolutely no question.... their deliveries here are a total train-wreck recently. He's trying to get the packages held @ terminal for tomorrow, so I can drive back (to the terminal, 2 blocks from work....) and pick them up, on my "day-off".......

So after all this, long, sad, whiney story ^..... I go to call Rock to ask " What the _________ is wrong with your Shippers ?" , in slightly more polite terms.

Turns out, Rock has ditched the 800 #, and won't pick up the phone @ Corp HQ. No email contact available either.....

I started randomly punching extension #'s @ Rock HQ, got one person's vmail, but don't have all day to play this # game of Find Random Person, Who will Just Ignore the Problem Anyway..... I get it, it's 2024, and companies really don't want to hear from customers.....

It's getting so, that if I can find an auto-part in-stock @ some northern border-town, it'll be faster, and less hassle to just drive to the USA, and pick it up myself....

Can't wait.... till AI takes over totally......

Rgds, D.

It Frosts me that in the world of e-commerce the person ordering has less and less options and straight jacketed into no live person to resolve disputes.

 

[not2old]

I've used Rock Auto a lot over the years and their business model means prices are always changing and can be hit or miss. You have to take the time to combine parts from the same location to save on shipping and look at exactly what you are getting but more often than not you can save 50% or more even after shipping costs. I only buy premium parts if possible which often aren't even available from the local supplier who only offer inhouse or white box choices.

One example was brake rotors for my 3500 Dodge, I don't recall the brand, raybestos maybe but they were USA made and $65 for the front and $80 for the rears, about $60 shipping and arrived in 3 days. Local supplier wanted around $200 each for their inhouse brand of rears that were from overseas.

I've had the same experiences. I am waiting for an air spring for my Grand Cherokee this afternoon. Total cost for one that cost twice as much as the cheapest one came to $235.00. Over $800.00 at local jobber and over $1250.00 from dealer.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I've had the same experiences. I am waiting for an air spring for my Grand Cherokee this afternoon. Total cost for one that cost twice as much as the cheapest one came to $235.00. Over $800.00 at local jobber and over $1250.00 from dealer.

They also will have dealer and OEM parts that they buy NOS however the list is ever changing. I bought a Ford automatic transmission turbine speed sensor new in the Motorcraft bag for about $6 a few years back and a Ford AC evaporator for a Contour for $15. I never priced the evaporator but the turbine sensor was about $140 from the dealer and not available aftermarket. It was just a fluke they had those particular parts when I needed them though.

 

[CliffordK]

I've done well with Rock Auto. I think I contacted them once about their website organization. Probably something about cross referencing parts. I got a response back, but they didn't bother to really understand the issue. I'm not finding it now, but I'll hunt some more.

Fedex? Lately both Fedex and UPS have been pretty good about leaving my items where I can find them. On the other hand, USPS rarely leaves me packages, nor even tries delivery, and I'm frequently heading to their branch office to pick up my packages.

I tried to contact Fedex once to get a delivery delayed, I think. They threw me into a web page that I think was using credit info. Anyway, they asked me a series of questions about myself, some of which had no right answer. I.E. Asking about a previous residence that didn't include places I had lived, or asking about family members that weren't close relatives. I'm pretty sure I gave up on their online system.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've done well with Rock Auto. I think I contacted them once about their website organization. Probably something about cross referencing parts. I got a response back, but they didn't bother to really understand the issue. I'm not finding it now, but I'll hunt some more.

Fedex? Lately both Fedex and UPS have been pretty good about leaving my items where I can find them. On the other hand, USPS rarely leaves me packages, nor even tries delivery, and I'm frequently heading to their branch office to pick up my packages.

I tried to contact Fedex once to get a delivery delayed, I think. They threw me into a web page that I think was using credit info. Anyway, they asked me a series of questions about myself, some of which had no right answer. I.E. Asking about a previous residence that didn't include places I had lived, or asking about family members that weren't close relatives. I'm pretty sure I gave up on their online system.

I don't do well with the address questions.

Typical addresses shown to choose from of previous residences but it's often property I own or even manage but never a residence of mine and that trips up the algorithm.

 

[kozal01]

They have always been this way.

 

[Oaktree]

Where I live the price is a little over $30 minimum for shipping. I'll combine as many items as I can into one box. Generally anything that is light weight and not bulky ships with other parts for free.

Dunno about anyone else, but it never fails that if I need multiple items they will ALWAYS ship from at least 2 separate warehouses, which jacks up the shipping costs considerably.
I'll use them sometimes, but you don't really save a lot compared to buying locally.

I find Rock Auto's website easy to use and to find exactly what part I am looking for.

Agree their website is very well designed if you're looking for a specific part for a specific vehicle. Non vehicle-specific parts (trailer lights, fluids, etc.) or oddball stuff like the Dorman line of clips, etc. not so much.

As far as the Fedex gripes, must depend on your local hub. All 3 services (USPS, UPS & Fedex) are all pretty good here.

 

[CliffordK]

They are consolidating shipments, to amortize the truck-run. Better for them, worse for end-customer.

Progress ? It would be interesting to compare historical data..... rural areas might have had better transit times, when trains/horses were used !

Rgds, D.

Dunno about anyone else, but it never fails that if I need multiple items they will ALWAYS ship from at least 2 separate warehouses, which jacks up the shipping costs considerably.
I'll use them sometimes, but you don't really save a lot compared to buying locally.

Agree their website is very well designed if you're looking for a specific part for a specific vehicle. Non vehicle-specific parts (trailer lights, fluids, etc.) or oddball stuff like the Dorman line of clips, etc. not so much.

Shipping has been my biggest gripe with them. Inevitably I'll have 3 or 4 or more shipping locations. I often change my order or throw items out of the cart because of shipping costs.

So, consolidation of shipments may well benefit customers... I hope.

Either that, or I'll have such esoteric orders that it won't help.

For many things, I find them to be considerably cheaper than purchasing locally. Plus I have a rule to never go on a wild goose chase hunting for obscure items.