I've never personally felt they were manipulating shipping for additional profit, but maybe. I think the system tries to be awesome and comes up short.
Rock Auto changes shipping location to increase freight
- Thread starter raaizin
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It's truly not easy to come up with unbelievable process flows. Example, I returned a cd to amazon. I listened to a single mp3 from amazon music, and was instantly charged for the cd that I had returned. That's good thinking on their part. I cannot return a cd, have it in my library, and now listen to it. But, I think they should have removed the cd from the library. Overall, it's fair.
My own team last Dec. has over 2 mil. of hardware unaccounted for and we got our wrists slapped. 2 mil. may be a drop in the bucket in the big picture, but you can't have 5 guys losing 2 mil. of stuff
You get raked over the proverbial coals because you complain about stuff being expensive AND you ask outrageous prices for junk vehicles like a certain Toyota with way too many miles.
Just one person's opinion. The person I sold it to didn't think it was junk or had an outrageous price.
I have ordered from them for a decade and have managed never to have any items shipping from two different locations. I simply juggle and postpone a purchase if it came to that as usually it isn't that important to have that one part anyway.
- Joined
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I am ordering today and will provide a specific example to refute the subject here. Take 5% off with coupon to negate 5/6 of the sales tax.
I am getting wiper blades for my wife's GM. Because she has Valeo arms, they have pinch tabs, and I only use (from experience) the OE blades.
20945799 and 5800 -- used to get from a Chevy dealer in VA on eBay for about $17 each. They are $17 and $19 on rock, with the shorter pass side more. Go figure.
Then, I'm getting 2 rear wipers. They are $7.xx on amazon. $4.79 at rock.
Would it make sense to pay $10.99 shipping on the above? Well, maybe not on the front wipers. But the rears already save $3 each, or $6. That can go towards the $10.99, although today, I think the wipers are no longer $17 on eBay, so let it slide, maybe add $2.50 shipping to each.
Now here comes the boom.
Add this, 3 gal, Toyota pink coolant @ $13.74 each, same $10.99 shipping. There is no pink coolant available anywhere for that cheap.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7668684&cc=1432014&pt=11393&jsn=1647
edit p.s. post pandemic, the wipers are now $24 on eBay, so the $10.99 shipping is totally justified and the coolant is free shipping
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3030884540...7IcdjcuOY+7VUgnbrB1V1fYzPLIp|tkp:BFBM3IyM8o5i
I am getting wiper blades for my wife's GM. Because she has Valeo arms, they have pinch tabs, and I only use (from experience) the OE blades.
20945799 and 5800 -- used to get from a Chevy dealer in VA on eBay for about $17 each. They are $17 and $19 on rock, with the shorter pass side more. Go figure.
Then, I'm getting 2 rear wipers. They are $7.xx on amazon. $4.79 at rock.
Would it make sense to pay $10.99 shipping on the above? Well, maybe not on the front wipers. But the rears already save $3 each, or $6. That can go towards the $10.99, although today, I think the wipers are no longer $17 on eBay, so let it slide, maybe add $2.50 shipping to each.
Now here comes the boom.
Add this, 3 gal, Toyota pink coolant @ $13.74 each, same $10.99 shipping. There is no pink coolant available anywhere for that cheap.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=7668684&cc=1432014&pt=11393&jsn=1647
edit p.s. post pandemic, the wipers are now $24 on eBay, so the $10.99 shipping is totally justified and the coolant is free shipping
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3030884540...7IcdjcuOY+7VUgnbrB1V1fYzPLIp|tkp:BFBM3IyM8o5i
Unlike many here, I can't say I have ever had a negative experience with RockAuto. I have had only two issues in the multiple times I have bought parts from them, both were obviously FedEx's fault and RockAuto sent me a new part no questions asked. One was a new Luk flywheel for my Jeep when I replaced the clutch. How FedEx managed to damage a flywheel I'll never know.
With that said, for many of their items the shipping cost simply prices them out of consideration, even for what seems like good deals on oil filters and other maintenance items.
With that said, for many of their items the shipping cost simply prices them out of consideration, even for what seems like good deals on oil filters and other maintenance items.
Actually I was thinking last night the one thing that annoys me about RA is the fluctuating prices ala Amazon.
Look at parts one day, they're $1 (example). Return tomorrow, they're ~$1.30. Give it another day or two and they're back to $1. It's always an increase and seems to always be on parts I've just viewed (but how would I know on parts I didn't?) and always returns to initial pricing within a day or two.
I don't think I've ever tried clearing cookies to see if it's just targeting me/my account/my IP but it feels that way.
I didn't believe RA did this until I started a thread here about it and other users opened my eyes.
Look at parts one day, they're $1 (example). Return tomorrow, they're ~$1.30. Give it another day or two and they're back to $1. It's always an increase and seems to always be on parts I've just viewed (but how would I know on parts I didn't?) and always returns to initial pricing within a day or two.
I don't think I've ever tried clearing cookies to see if it's just targeting me/my account/my IP but it feels that way.
I didn't believe RA did this until I started a thread here about it and other users opened my eyes.
That was my experience here as well, adding 3 gallons of coolant didn't change shipping. The cost on the coolant was already VERY competitive so it was kind of a no-brainer.
I know you already saw this thread because you replied within:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/rock-auto-positive-experience.369077/
yup amazon has an algorithm that measures the popularity (how many views) that webpage receives. Some are set up to be more "sensitive" to that than others.. I've seen it in action too. I laugh when Amazon jacked up the price on those windshield washer tablets to something like $50 from around $10! Over time they come back down to reality.
And what rockauto does too is jack up the prices on their website over the weekend. They must think that people who are working on their cars over the weekend, need a part, can't go to the store (car is up on jack stands, can't drive) so they raise the prices to a captive audience.. On monday I've seen the prices come back down!
