AutoZone - online marketing I find offensive

[MaximumMini]

I'm finally done using the Internet then getting baited by Autozone.
It seems EVERY TIME they post a price for a part I need, it's significantly more once I've taken the bait and visited their website.
Anyone else experience this with AutoZone? Most of the others seem to have the same price for a specific part that the Google search came up with in the general search.

Seems to be an AutoZone tactic compared to most others....or is it just MY brower?
I ignore all AutoZone results now whenever I search for auto parts.
ymmv.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Never been a fan of Autozone. Don't click on it?

 

[mclasser]

Common Google click bait.

 

[fat biker]

Seems like most of my local internet searches land me at O´Reilly which is an easy walk from home.
The local Autozone is quite a bit further, I rarely shop or buy there.
I have a real parts house just one long block from home. Great Service, Knowledgeable folks, Superior prices.
Rockauto is a great source, complicated by multiple warehouses/shipping costs.

Life is Good.

 

[Zee09]

Yup especially oil but I never buy from those places.

 

[DCDG]

brick and mortar part stores are evil with their prices, but where else to source parts same day? that's why they get away with it. they'll sell you $500 worth of rotors and throw in a set of pads lol

 

[Kira]

The only "online ordering" I ever did FROM ANY of the big retailers (Advance, Auto Zone, O'Reilly's, etc.) was to order a battery from an Advance Auto Parts and that was to secure a sale price.

Ha-ha...even then I went to the shop -a known good one- to inspect the battery's existance (bin check) and verify date of manufacture.
The employees were helpful and understood my caution completely.
NOTE: My battery, a G59, is "odd enough" a size to warrant double checking.

From my perspective, more and more innocent mistakes and 'bait 'n switch' kind of stuff are occurring.

 

[cptbarkey]

Typically I always buy online with AutoZone, shipping so I can use rewards $$. I generally avoid talking to someone at parts stores, its almost always unpleasant and a waste of my time.

The entire internet is baited as you describe, temu and others add further trash to muddy prices.

 

[PF52]

Typically I always buy online with AutoZone, shipping so I can use rewards $$. I generally avoid talking to someone at parts stores, its almost always unpleasant and a waste of my time.

I usually order online, and pick up in store. Earns me airline points.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The only "online ordering" I ever

LOL.

Last week I ordered a rad, oil cooler, AC condenser, 2 gallons of coolant and some odds and ends from RA, and $350 in odds and ends from an online Nissan dealer. All delivered perfectly except the AC condenser. I sent it back and they have already replaced it, the new one looks good - won't really know until installed.

Total bill was around $700. Buying locally would have been at least double, plus the time to go get it.

 

[ATex7239]

NAPA is the worst offender for me.

 

[SC Maintenance]

NAPA is the worst offender for me.

I agree with this. I used to get there texts for 25% off, but every time I tried to use it everything was either exempt from the discount for some reason or still oppressively expensive. Does anyone still buy from them at retail? I assume 99.9% of there business is the local shops?

Of course I still wonder why the others still maintain expensive retail space when most of there business is to shops as well?

 

[Finklejag]

Get into the zone, vatozone.

 

[2dogs]

Walmart for oil. Rock auto for everything else. Rarely walk into the local chain stores.

 

[DCDG]

They’ll violate you with your clothes on

 

[RooflessVW]

I'm finally done using the Internet then getting baited by Autozone.
It seems EVERY TIME they post a price for a part I need, it's significantly more once I've taken the bait and visited their website.
Anyone else experience this with AutoZone? Most of the others seem to have the same price for a specific part that the Google search came up with in the general search.

Seems to be an AutoZone tactic compared to most others....or is it just MY brower?
I ignore all AutoZone results now whenever I search for auto parts.
ymmv.

If you're using Google, it's because Google includes coupon codes that you may not be eligible for in the prices they advertise. This is not unique to AutoZone or auto parts, but really any website with a coupon code on their front page.

If you navigate to the AutoZone website directly you avoid this.

 

[dogememe]

Don't use a third party website to determine price, availability, or compatible of an auto part from a particular retailer (or really any other thing in life) - use the company's website directly.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm finally done using the Internet then getting baited by Autozone.
It seems EVERY TIME they post a price for a part I need, it's significantly more once I've taken the bait and visited their website.

Are you referring to a Google search where it shows an item and a price, and when you click on it, it's always a higher price?

If so it's not just Autozone.

 

[MaximumMini]

Yup especially oil but I never buy from those places.

Ya know, I bought a Reman Brake booster off RockAuto last year for future use. A few months later I needed and it turned out it had a bad (leaking) diaphragm. Too late to return or even ask. $70 bucks flushed. But worse than the $$$ hit was the remove and reinstall time and effort.

I ended up going to O'Reilly's and bought one for $129.00 It's been working since.
I dislike the high local prices, but on hard to remove and install parts it might be worth it locally because I think they make sure their vendors are more solid. I suspect a lot of vendors / rebuilders use RockAuto as a good way to unload worthless junk to unsuspecting customers.

My advice to myself since is ALWAYS (without fail) use or inspect and test ANYTHING bought from RA immediately upon arrival.

 

[MaximumMini]

Are you referring to a Google search where it shows an item and a price, and when you click on it, it's always a higher price?

If so it's not just Autozone.

I'm sure you're right.
It just seems in my searchs it's ALWAYS AutoZone that does it flagrantly.