Car Parts 4 Less / Euro Car Parts - Am I being unreasonable?

Car Parts 4 Less / Euro Car Parts - Am I being unreasonable?

Author
Discussion

C.A.R.

Original Poster:

3,976 posts

195 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
So I need to work on the daily shed this weekend and I have arranged for someone to come and help me tomorrow morning. I had everything I needed for replacing the rear axle on my 306 - or so I thought. It was suggested that I replace the brake flexi hoses while they are off.

Car Parts 4 Less showing both rear flexi's in stock, so I add them to an order together with a new exhaust hanger and choose express delivery. Total order only sums £20, tiny compared with what I've spent with them.

Order processes, should be with me in 2 working days, this is Tuesday, so well before the weekend.

Still no delivery today, so I log into my account and give them a ring this morning @ 9am. Unfortunately 'there has been a problem processing your order at our end'. They will dispatch for Monday, but I'm OK to request a full refund.

It dawned on me that, being the same company as Euro Car Parts who have a big depot at the end of the road I'm currently on (work) surely something could be arranged, since the parts distributed by CP4L are from this same source anyway.

Apparently, it can't be done. I can't work out why. If they're in stock at a local depot, why can't I collect from down the road later today?

Because they trade as different companies this can't happen. So I'm left trying to source some before the end of today, which shouldn't be hard.

Oh look, Euro Car Parts are showing them in stock too!

Wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable in my expectations or not? I can appreciate they trade under different names and that mistakes do happen with these online checkout things, but it wasn't my fault!

I've gone for the refund option and will now look at some of the prices closer to where I am today...

P-Jay

10,801 posts

198 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
It's usually because these types of outfits have hugely complicated and automated stock ordering and movement systems that make anything non-standard almost impossible.

The COULD change it to make it more flexible, but then it would cost more, and so would their products to end users.

dbfan

183 posts

130 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
If I ordered a part for a Seat engine and it didn't come, would they say that they would let me get the same part from my local Skoda garage without paying that garage for it? After all VAG own both firms...

Zoobeef

6,004 posts

165 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Just do the easy thing.
Get the prices from car parts for less then walk into euro car parts and ask them to match it. Job done parts in your hands.

mini1380cc

2,947 posts

178 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
If Euro are showing them in stock why don't you just buy them from there? Why does something need to be arranged?

Two outfits being owned by the same firm does not automatically mean they are interoperable. I have worked for consortium's where multiple brands were ran. Customers would expect one outfit to honour the offerings of others, its just plain ridiculous.

There was a time Boots and Halfords were owned by the same group.

"yeah mate, you really work for Boots innit, I cant see what you cant refund this hand cream mate".

C.A.R.

Original Poster:

3,976 posts

195 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
I see what you are saying and appreciate that, but this is significantly different being that it's just two different trade names selling the same stock. Parts from CP4L will come with Euro Car Parts Labels 9 times out of 10.

Anyway, the depot down the road are sound and helping me out even though they're trade only, fair play to them for sorting it!

Now let's just hope all the brake pipe unions play ball...

Garvin

5,265 posts

184 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
. . . . . . Now let's just hope all the brake pipe unions play ball...
Now you're being unreasonable hehe

C.A.R.

Original Poster:

3,976 posts

195 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
Garvin said:
Now you're being unreasonable hehe
Haha, well I've been giving them a liberal coating of WD40 for days now, is there a better penetrating oil which I could pick up and leave on there overnight?

Garvin

5,265 posts

184 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
Garvin said:
Now you're being unreasonable hehe
Haha, well I've been giving them a liberal coating of WD40 for days now, is there a better penetrating oil which I could pick up and leave on there overnight?
Get down to Halfrauds and get some PlusGas.

Jazzy Jefferson

728 posts

148 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
So I need to work on the daily shed this weekend and I have arranged for someone to come and help me tomorrow morning. I had everything I needed for replacing the rear axle on my 306 - or so I thought. It was suggested that I replace the brake flexi hoses while they are off.

Car Parts 4 Less showing both rear flexi's in stock, so I add them to an order together with a new exhaust hanger and choose express delivery. Total order only sums £20, tiny compared with what I've spent with them.

Order processes, should be with me in 2 working days, this is Tuesday, so well before the weekend.

Still no delivery today, so I log into my account and give them a ring this morning @ 9am. Unfortunately 'there has been a problem processing your order at our end'. They will dispatch for Monday, but I'm OK to request a full refund.

It dawned on me that, being the same company as Euro Car Parts who have a big depot at the end of the road I'm currently on (work) surely something could be arranged, since the parts distributed by CP4L are from this same source anyway.

Apparently, it can't be done. I can't work out why. If they're in stock at a local depot, why can't I collect from down the road later today?

Because they trade as different companies this can't happen. So I'm left trying to source some before the end of today, which shouldn't be hard.

Oh look, Euro Car Parts are showing them in stock too!

Wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable in my expectations or not? I can appreciate they trade under different names and that mistakes do happen with these online checkout things, but it wasn't my fault!

I've gone for the refund option and will now look at some of the prices closer to where I am today...
The main reason is that one is not supposed to do a mail order/phone order and then allow a collection. It's one of the easiest ways to commit card/payment fraud. Odd that they wouldn't mention it, however if they are prepared to risk it... up to them. If you cannot wait, request a full refund and pop into store and pay over the counter. Job done within seconds?

Challo

10,839 posts

162 months

Friday 21st March 2014
quotequote all
P-Jay said:
It's usually because these types of outfits have hugely complicated and automated stock ordering and movement systems that make anything non-standard almost impossible.

The COULD change it to make it more flexible, but then it would cost more, and so would their products to end users.
This. Although it seems simple to you, in real terms it could be a nightmare systemically to undertake. Plus your order is 1 in say 1000's or orders they process daily and manually amending the system just for you could cost more then the part costs. Therefore they don't do it.

Just ask for a refund, order from somewhere else.