I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
How Does Rock Auto Work?
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Originally Posted by sloinker
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
When you factor in the 5% off discount code they have all the time, that usually enough to offset shipping so it's not that big of a deal. Also I've noticed that it's cheaper to ship to my work address than home address. I guess it's just cheaper shipping to a business address.
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
When you factor in the 5% off discount code they have all the time, that usually enough to offset shipping so it's not that big of a deal. Also I've noticed that it's cheaper to ship to my work address than home address. I guess it's just cheaper shipping to a business address.
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Also I've noticed that it's cheaper to ship to my work address than home address. I guess it's just cheaper shipping to a business address.
Technically, it's more to ship to residential addresses
UPS, Fedex, etc all have "residential surcharges" so yeah, you can save money by shipping to your work or other business address if that's an option for people.
Also I've noticed that it's cheaper to ship to my work address than home address. I guess it's just cheaper shipping to a business address.
Technically, it's more to ship to residential addresses
Why is everyone so bent of shape with RockAuto?
I must be the only person who gladly pays shipping to not go out in normal times and waste my time and energy on picking up stuff.
I must be the only person who gladly pays shipping to not go out in normal times and waste my time and energy on picking up stuff.
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Originally Posted by sloinker
The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
People's complaints about RA's shipping charges are more about the principle of the tactic than anything else. What they do just isn't right from the consumer's side of things. They play a game and are actually making add'l profit on shipping charges and with Amazon changing the standards to "free" shipping (yeah, yeah, I know, it's really not "free"....), people don't like how RA does it. I have no issue with paying shipping charges until I see them play their game. I'm familiar with shipping, logistics, etc too.
That said, I do suspect that part of why they do this is to split orders between their different suppliers to try and give each of them fairly equal shares. If RA favors some over others, why should those suppliers offer RA parts at the costs that they do ?
The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
People's complaints about RA's shipping charges are more about the principle of the tactic than anything else. What they do just isn't right from the consumer's side of things. They play a game and are actually making add'l profit on shipping charges and with Amazon changing the standards to "free" shipping (yeah, yeah, I know, it's really not "free"....), people don't like how RA does it. I have no issue with paying shipping charges until I see them play their game. I'm familiar with shipping, logistics, etc too.
That said, I do suspect that part of why they do this is to split orders between their different suppliers to try and give each of them fairly equal shares. If RA favors some over others, why should those suppliers offer RA parts at the costs that they do ?
Originally Posted by madRiver
Why is everyone so bent of shape with RockAuto?
I must be the only person who gladly pays shipping to not go out in normal times and waste my time and energy on picking up stuff.
Not here. Although I was going to get two sets of struts, one for each car. Both together was about $10 higher for shipping than two separate orders. So two separate orders it was. They wanted $120 each when most places wanted $160, even beat Amazon which was in the $140+ range.
Why is everyone so bent of shape with RockAuto?
I must be the only person who gladly pays shipping to not go out in normal times and waste my time and energy on picking up stuff.
Not here. Although I was going to get two sets of struts, one for each car. Both together was about $10 higher for shipping than two separate orders. So two separate orders it was. They wanted $120 each when most places wanted $160, even beat Amazon which was in the $140+ range.
Originally Posted by Bogdon
If I correctly recall, somewhere in cyber, someone said that received fake NGK spark plus via Rock Auto. To be safe, I ended up buying mine at Advance Auto with a 25% discount coupon from that venue.
" someone said" That's enough for a red flag. But, thanks for the post.
If I correctly recall, somewhere in cyber, someone said that received fake NGK spark plus via Rock Auto. To be safe, I ended up buying mine at Advance Auto with a 25% discount coupon from that venue.
" someone said" That's enough for a red flag. But, thanks for the post.
Originally Posted by sloinker
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
My NAPA which is a good one, will also pass on the shipping cost to you, if they have to go to a source outside of their normal network.
RA is an online storefront that drop ships from multiple sources. I've had parts come from a wholesaler, and a standalone shop. Their closeout parts usually come from a liquidator in Texas. That breadth of suppliers is what gives them the wide selection, and the ability to add the new lines they feature on top of every newsletter. It's easy to look up what the source is from the package's return address, which is not obscured like Amazon does (where it's often their KY operations).
For Euro car owners, places like RM European, Autohaus AZ, and the like are also strictly online storefronts; they stock no inventory and drop ship from wholesalers like SSF or WorldPac. ECS/Turner and FCP do carry inventory and operate their own warehouses. I think Pelican is still somewhere in between, and does both, but they've also been acquired by Bertram, the PE company that owns ECS and Turner, so that may change. Their operations in Los Angeles continue, but it makes little sense when most everything else has been consolidated into the Ohio base that houses ECS, their first acquisition and the umbrella company for their parts holdings.
One size does not fit all. For some things, I've found RA may turn out to be cheaper even when shipping is factored in. Calculate the total costs and weigh the options.
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
My NAPA which is a good one, will also pass on the shipping cost to you, if they have to go to a source outside of their normal network.
RA is an online storefront that drop ships from multiple sources. I've had parts come from a wholesaler, and a standalone shop. Their closeout parts usually come from a liquidator in Texas. That breadth of suppliers is what gives them the wide selection, and the ability to add the new lines they feature on top of every newsletter. It's easy to look up what the source is from the package's return address, which is not obscured like Amazon does (where it's often their KY operations).
For Euro car owners, places like RM European, Autohaus AZ, and the like are also strictly online storefronts; they stock no inventory and drop ship from wholesalers like SSF or WorldPac. ECS/Turner and FCP do carry inventory and operate their own warehouses. I think Pelican is still somewhere in between, and does both, but they've also been acquired by Bertram, the PE company that owns ECS and Turner, so that may change. Their operations in Los Angeles continue, but it makes little sense when most everything else has been consolidated into the Ohio base that houses ECS, their first acquisition and the umbrella company for their parts holdings.
One size does not fit all. For some things, I've found RA may turn out to be cheaper even when shipping is factored in. Calculate the total costs and weigh the options.
Originally Posted by Carmudgeon
Originally Posted by sloinker
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
My NAPA which is a good one, will also pass on the shipping cost to you, if they have to go to a source outside of their normal network.
RA is an online storefront that drop ships from multiple sources. I've had parts come from a wholesaler, and a standalone shop. Their closeout parts usually come from a liquidator in Texas. That breadth of suppliers is what gives them the wide selection, and the ability to add the new lines they feature on top of every newsletter. It's easy to look up what the source is from the package's return address, which is not obscured like Amazon does (where it's often their KY operations).
For Euro car owners, places like RM European, Autohaus AZ, and the like are also strictly online storefronts; they stock no inventory and drop ship from wholesalers like SSF or WorldPac. ECS/Turner and FCP do carry inventory and operate their own warehouses. I think Pelican is still somewhere in between, and does both, but they've also been acquired by Bertram, the PE company that owns ECS and Turner, so that may change. Their operations in Los Angeles continue, but it makes little sense when most everything else has been consolidated into the Ohio base that houses ECS, their first acquisition and the umbrella company for their parts holdings.
One size does not fit all. For some things, I've found RA may turn out to be cheaper even when shipping is factored in. Calculate the total costs and weigh the options.
I'm boycotting ECS right now. They have baited and switched me twice now. Shown a picture of the part I ordered and substituted a cheaper part I could have procured from China via ebay for less money. Soooo bye bye ECS. They didn't even apologize when I returned both items on their dime.
Originally Posted by sloinker
I believe that RA actually uses dozens of warehouses. I think RA is great and utilize them extensively, if for nothing more than part numbers to price compare. Shop around and do what serves you best. RA gets my business more often than not. The world is a better place because of them. The snivelers that whine about shipping charges should just stick to their local NAPA.
My NAPA which is a good one, will also pass on the shipping cost to you, if they have to go to a source outside of their normal network.
RA is an online storefront that drop ships from multiple sources. I've had parts come from a wholesaler, and a standalone shop. Their closeout parts usually come from a liquidator in Texas. That breadth of suppliers is what gives them the wide selection, and the ability to add the new lines they feature on top of every newsletter. It's easy to look up what the source is from the package's return address, which is not obscured like Amazon does (where it's often their KY operations).
For Euro car owners, places like RM European, Autohaus AZ, and the like are also strictly online storefronts; they stock no inventory and drop ship from wholesalers like SSF or WorldPac. ECS/Turner and FCP do carry inventory and operate their own warehouses. I think Pelican is still somewhere in between, and does both, but they've also been acquired by Bertram, the PE company that owns ECS and Turner, so that may change. Their operations in Los Angeles continue, but it makes little sense when most everything else has been consolidated into the Ohio base that houses ECS, their first acquisition and the umbrella company for their parts holdings.
One size does not fit all. For some things, I've found RA may turn out to be cheaper even when shipping is factored in. Calculate the total costs and weigh the options.
I'm boycotting ECS right now. They have baited and switched me twice now. Shown a picture of the part I ordered and substituted a cheaper part I could have procured from China via ebay for less money. Soooo bye bye ECS. They didn't even apologize when I returned both items on their dime.
Originally Posted by sloinker
I'm boycotting ECS right now. They have baited and switched me twice now. Shown a picture of the part I ordered and substituted a cheaper part I could have procured from China via ebay for less money. Soooo bye bye ECS. They didn't even apologize when I returned both items on their dime.
ECS has had well-known issues in the past, but seemed to clean up its act. Maybe they're slipping again. I've ordered from them a few times and have not had a problem, but other options are often preferable.
I'm boycotting ECS right now. They have baited and switched me twice now. Shown a picture of the part I ordered and substituted a cheaper part I could have procured from China via ebay for less money. Soooo bye bye ECS. They didn't even apologize when I returned both items on their dime.
ECS has had well-known issues in the past, but seemed to clean up its act. Maybe they're slipping again. I've ordered from them a few times and have not had a problem, but other options are often preferable.
They sound like the amazon of the car parts world, without prime 2 day service at an added charge.
I've ordered many things from rockauto. I have seen cardon tie rod ends with the number label over the duralast label which is autozone. I also bought a rack and pinion that was from a chevy dealership. Just warehousing.
I can't answer that one but I've ordered parts 35 times, judging by the number of Rock Auto tool box magnets they send with the order, and I've never been disappointed. For Canadians, they are one of the best places to order from and they don't freak-out shipping to Canada.( noticed you're a fellow Hoser).
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