WTF is up with aftermarket suppliers?

[whittaker727]

So three weeks after ordering my replacement A-arms and being told by the company with the shortest lead time (two weeks) I called to get a tracking # or ETA on when I could expect my parts. "Well, we don't have any and it's going to be two weeks before we do."
Are you serious? I pay up front for a product knowing that you said a two week delivery time and three weeks later you tell me two more weeks? I went with this supplier of three options because the other two at least told me the truth that it would be the middle of Feb before they had any product. Do they not know that the time frame in which they can make money is also the time frame in which I have to ride decent snow? Why not ramp up for supply and demand or put on more people for seasonal work? Please folks, straiten me out if I'm off course here, but right now I'm pizzed!

 

[badass1000]

you are 100% correct. alot of these aftermarket companies are freakin idiots. They only got a couple months to really sell parts. You would think they would be ready.
This happens ever year. Last year I ordered a set of pistons for my 800r in october from western power sports. they didn't get any in untill the first part of january. by the end of january they were sold out. They only make one order for the year. So they only had spi t molly pistons in stock for less then a month out of the year.
This is just one example. It happens to me several times a year. this year I ordered a mountain machines performance two wheel kit conversion through western power sports about the first of january. It was on back order with no release date. the axle showed up a few weeks later. It has now ben over a month and I still don't have any composite wheels from MMP.

 

[whittaker727]

I've heard that many many times about MMP, but I went with a "reputable" company not thinking that they would fall into the same category but much to my surprise, that is exactly what has happened. Sorry we lied to you at first, but we'll try and hold you off for another two weeks and try again

 

[Hardass]

This is all over out there, they will lie through there teeth just to get your money and then leave you hanging. You know there pay checks come before inventory. It is very wide spread since the bad economy.Get use to it. Ask for your money back and go some where else.

 

[winter brew]

First....you shouldn't be out any $$ until the product is shipped.
They should tell you if they don't have it ready to ship, an ETA and then call you if this ETA slides.
Sometimes things happen that are out of their control, but they need to let the customer know what is happening. Usually people are happy as long as they are kept in the loop.

 

[badass1000]

I am not out any money, just sick and tired of wanting to get parts and not being able to get them. Western has them on back order with no release date. meaning they could be in tomarrow or they could be in next year.
I have my own hvac business. if some one calls at 10 at night and needs their furnace fixed I do it. I check every where and get the parts they need quickly or as quickly as possible. I try to keep most common and universal parts with me so I can repair it when I arrive at the house/business or have the part in a hour or two. Can't posibly have every thing though. I had a car wash very upset this last week because they could not operate because the big heater in the wash tunnel had parts that I could not get for several days. Wash tunnel pipes. etc.. froze up. I called and looked around town for 4 hours. I knew other brands of furnaces that used the same part as this brand so I was going around different distributors seing if they had the part, if they had a old furnace, scratch and dent furnace, any thing with the part. Finally went to a place that recycles old furnaces, and a/c's and dug through a dumpster of recycling scrap wire for a hour and found the part I needed. A wireing connector/harness off a honeywell smart gas valve. If I have a big job come up I pay a couple of extra guys to help me get the job done in a timely manor. The summer is my busiest time of year. most days in the summer I work late and 6-7 days a week if needed. In the hottest times of year I usually work untill 7-11 or whenever I get done 6-7 days a week.
Moral of the story is keep your customers happy or they will go some where else. I wish some one else had a decent looking set of composite wheels I could get at a good price. Don't like the looks of the wps ones and don't want to spend the money on billet ones. wps quite selling fab craft composite wheels. Luckily I do not have to have the parts or I would have done something else. So I will just leave the setup I have on the sled on it for now untill the wheels come in. Maybee next year.

 

[catmanm7]

I feel it is better for vendors or whoever to be up front and honest with you. "No I dont have it in stock and I dont know when I can get it." Dont keep saying it shipped out, or should be here tomorrow. Leading people on a goose chase is the biggest mistake vendors can make. If they dont want to have the inventory ready and in stock, then dont sell the product. Quit lying to people just to keep there business. I am done paying from products without knowing the exact time of arrival. Pay with credit card, if they start jerking you around, call and cancel the payment and go somewhere else. Simple as that. There are a lot of people that are supplying the same products, no need to waste time with one vendor just because you HAD a good dealing with them. Whoever can provide with the quick service gets my money.

 

[whittaker727]

Try, just try to call right now....or actually Monday morning when people are open and try to order a set of a-arms for a Dragon with stock stance. Nobody, and I mean nobody (aftermarket wise) has arms available to buy if you want/need to ride this weekend.

 

[catmanm7]

That why I ride an arctic cat. j/k
Well, my response was aimed toward people who take your money knowing they dont have the product. When I couldnt get my aftermarket stuff on my sled in time to ride, then plan b was to put stock **** back on it. Have you tried to get stock arms? Used/ new, depending how bad you want to ride. If you new a good dealer... I have had them take parts off sleds that are on the floor just to get me back out on the trail. Just thinking out loud for ya. If you can make my m7 arms work, I wont need them for awhile until I finish my turbo install.... Sorry

Try, just try to call right now....or actually Monday morning when people are open and try to order a set of a-arms for a Dragon with stock stance. Nobody, and I mean nobody (aftermarket wise) has arms available to buy if you want/need to ride this weekend.

 

[snwman77]

If it makes you feel better, I ordered mo-flow vents for my cat on Mon. and they showed up today (Friday) Kick a$$!!

 

[winter brew]

I feel it is better for vendors or whoever to be up front and honest with you. "No I dont have it in stock and I dont know when I can get it." Dont keep saying it shipped out, or should be here tomorrow. Leading people on a goose chase is the biggest mistake vendors can make. If they dont want to have the inventory ready and in stock, then dont sell the product. Quit lying to people just to keep there business. I am done paying from products without knowing the exact time of arrival. Pay with credit card, if they start jerking you around, call and cancel the payment and go somewhere else. Simple as that. There are a lot of people that are supplying the same products, no need to waste time with one vendor just because you HAD a good dealing with them. Whoever can provide with the quick service gets my money.

JFYI...no one should be charging a card until the product ships.

 

[4Z]

JFYI...no one should be charging a card until the product ships.

There are some good ones out there that are honest about inventory, don't take any money until the order can be filled and stand behind their products.
Have a few in mind.... RB is one of them

 

[Devilmanak]

I ordered from an online place, knowing that they would have to order the stuff from their supplier when I ordered it. Wasn't in a big hurry so was ok with it. Been getting some stuff from Country Cat, I email ahead of time to do an inventory check and they usually get back to me with an answer within hours. (They have had almost everything in stock that I have done a part check on.)
I found an Ebay seller than doesn't stock much, but they drop ship from Western and I get stuff in a day or two, being just a couple hours from Boise. I email them for a price and availability, it usually ships the same day. That works just fine, they don't have to stock stuff and it gets here quick for me.
The internet has made profit margins drop to almost nothing, so it is not worth it for businesses to stock parts. Say they buy 100 items, sell 70 of them in a season. They won't have made enough to pay for the items they still have on the shelves. I opened a repair shop here in McCall, and have NO interest in retailing parts. Too many parts, too many brands, too many sleds. A guy could drop a million on inventory and still not have what people want, and be stuck with a bunch of stuff.

 

[whittaker727]

Devilman~ I understand exactly what you're saying, but I ordered and was told direct from the MANUFACTURER the date was two weeks. No middle man giving me a run around (Like some remember Team 2) this is from a company that builds shocks, front arms and is heavily involved in hill climb racing. As Badass stated, in the busy season you make it happen by working long hours or hiring additional help if need be. Take 509 goggles for instance, I know Tom personally and use to ride with him every year and I still would if he road. But no, he's at the warehouse answering phones, emails and shipping product and trying as hard as he can to make sure and communicate to his customers up front what will ship when. When he can't do it alone, he hires HELP so that his customers have the shortest wait time possible barring problems with product being shipped to him at the warehouse. It's inevitable that people will run out of stock on some stuff, but be up front and tell the customer, "Sorry, I don't have that and I'm not sure when I will."

 

[whittaker727]

Yet another week gone by and still no parts

 

[INDEEP]

Whit I used a middle man (snow jw) when I was dealing with the same company. My order took two more weeks than promised but without Justin pestering them I bet it would have been a month. You would think something as simple as A arms they'd hire some seasonal help. It's not like the economy is booming and welders are tough to come by.

 

[whittaker727]

So true. I did use a middle man, or in this case a middle woman and trust me, she's been all over their azz, but they really don't seem to care. Over a month now and I think it's time for a refund. Back to square one.

 

[d&mraceengines]

well guys this isnt sled related but back in october i ordered some tooling. most of it showed up in a timely manner was missing 3 things out of the order waited a few days becuase this company in the past will send what they have and then ship the rest when they get it so after like a week i called them. they said they were having trouble getting the 3 parts i said there was no invoice for what they had sent they said thats becuase they couldnt fill the whole order and would not bill me till they could get the whole order as the whole order wouldnt do me any good with out all on it. a couple weeks later i get duplicate suff to all that i ordered but not the 3 items and this box was drop shipped from he manufacturer. i call them and tell them i got this box and didnt get he 3 parts now i have doubles and no invoice and tell them to send call tags for this second box they tell ne they will but not untill they can complete my order. i tell them i havent gotten an invoice and my card has not been chargedthey tell me they wont charge my card untill they can fill the complete order . so i try to order the 3 items from a diffrent supplier and find out the manufacterer has went bell up but some other company is trying to bail them out and keep them afloat .so the moral of the story is some suppliers still go the extra mile to try to serve the customer and dont charge ahead for services they cant finish so i have had this tooling for 4 months and no bill becuase they cant provide all i need to do the job .
im like thinking wow i have called them several times . the accounts lady is on a frist name basis with me now when i call and wont send me a bill for what they did ship now that is customer service to try to do the best they can for there customer
just thought you might appreciate this one becuase im blowin away by it .
have a great day dan

 

[elvi]

Try, just try to call right now....or actually Monday morning when people are open and try to order a set of a-arms for a Dragon with stock stance. Nobody, and I mean nobody (aftermarket wise) has arms available to buy if you want/need to ride this weekend.

If you guys need stock a arms for polaris sleds i found this guy on denver craigslist. Ordered them had them on a sled in a few days. They are really good quality.
http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/2188068736.html

 

[greeneman]

Here's one for you. Company sells a spring for the front skid shock that I wanted to try. I called and asked to order one. They said I would have to send my shock to them. I asked why would I need to do that for just a spring? They said it would not work with stocking valving, so I explained that I have been valving my own sleds for a long time and just wanted to try the spring with the valving changes I had already done.
They told me NO that they will not sell me the spring I would have to send my shocks in for them to look at.
I guess the they are making all the money they need when they can turn away a paying customer.