It was a December '07 issue of Muscle Car Review, and although that has nothing at all to do with 914's or Porsche in general, there's an article in it that does apply to our 'World. Seems lately there's been a lot of posts from members alike that are having issues buying/selling merchandise both on the 'bay and here on 914World.com and other various online selling sites. So this article is titled "Mail-Order & Online Buying Tips: How Not to Get Burned Getting Parts Long Distance." I thought about just listing the highlights of the article, but like I said, I've got nothing but time; and the article itself is good reading. So here's the article as word for word as I can make it, as written by the author, Drew Hardin.
The horror stories are all too common, like this one from former magazine writer (and now YearOne staff member) Brad Ocock: "I once bought what looked to be a perfect radiator from an auction site. The tanks weren't dented, the fins were all straight and I didn't see any evidence of leaks in the photos posted on the site. When the radiator arrived, the lower tank was crushed. The seller didn't bother to box the radiator and instead wrapped it in a single sheet of clear plastic. Even if it's insured, as mine was, most shipping companies won't cover poor packaging. The radiator was unusable, and the seller said it was my problem."
Then again, Ocock has found some jewels at a distance, too, like the '62 Chevy Suburban he spotted on the Web. He flew across several states and drove it home- over a distance of 1,000 miles- feeling secure that the close-knit online community that posted the truck wouldn't mess with a fellow member.
To a growing number of hobbyists, the lures of convenience, great prices and a seemingly endless selection of cool stuff make buying online or through mail order tough to resist, despite the risks of fraud or downright stupididty that can come with long-distance shopping. How do you protect yourself from getting burned? We asked some experts in the business for tips on buying right.
The Professionals
Mail-order shopping is nothing new; it's been around since the first Sears catalogs of the late 1800's. One of the pioneers of the automotive-oriented mail-order business is JC Whitney, which got its start back in 1915 as Israel Warshawsky's scrap yard on the south side of Chicago. Today, Whitney is a retail behemoth that sends out in excess of 30 million catalogs every year and processes thousands of parts orders every day through its rural Illinois distribution center.
Of course, mail order has changed a lot, thanks in large part to the Internet and retail call centers that are open 24/7. Literally any time of the day or night you can browse online (or old-fashioned print) catalogs and order parts without ever having to leave your house or talk to anyone if you don't want to.
Then again, a lack of communication can cause problems, especially if you're unsure about what part you need. "That's why we don't offer any online buying," said Rick Schmidt, vice president and CEO of National Parts Depot (NPD). "We don't want to compromise our service due to all the scenarios that can take place when a hobbyist orders parts that can have complex application issues."
Ocock mixes online and phone shopping: "I'll use a company's site to select parts and compare prices with other sites, then I'll call the order line to place my order. If the salesman is good, I usually end up spending more than I planned because they'll get me with the 'upsell' items I didn't think about or didn't know I needed. Like if you've decided to buy a carpet kit, but maybed you didn't think about ordering the jute sound deadener."
Most retailers that offer online shopping do have tech-support departments to help customers with their product choices. We say "most" because some don't, and it pays to find out just how knowledgeable a company's support staff is before you sink a lot of money into its products.
JC Whitney's years in the remote retail business have resulted in some innovative tech-support approaches. In addition to the usual tech help at call centers, it also has a unique feature for online shoppers. If you're parked on a Web page in Whitney's site for an extended period of time, a product specialist will open a real-time chat window and ask if you need help finding or choosing a particular part on that page.
Few companies can boast of having nothing but enthusiasts taking orders. Even a company as focused as Classic Industries, which deals only in GM restoration and performance equipment, has people with varying degrees of expertise on the phones. "Not everyone is an expert on every vehicle, but we do our best," explained Mark Vogt, Classic Industries' general manager. "If they can't answer your question, we have a tech department that can. They have unlimited resources at hand. If they can't answer it, we'll get an answer somehow, even if we have to call a vendor or manufacturer directly."
When we asked these guys how to best use an online retailer, YearOne's Ocock offered this advice: "Whether you're buying off the web or over the phone, do your research. The automotive hobby is one of the largest small-communities in the world. Talk to people at any show or cruise and you'll find somebody who has dealt with the company you're thinking about buying from."
NPD's Schmidt agreed. "Find a good forum dedicated to the car you own, start a thread and you'll find out in five minutes which companies are trustworthy, fast and reliable, and which companies to avoid. The Internet forums are a powerful place to get quick feedback."
"Know what you want," advised Vogt. "I get complaints from people who claim they didn't order a part they got. But the computer doesn't put the order in for no reason. Review your order before you send it. Make sure you typed the part numbers properly, and review the quantity of what you ordered. Do you need a pair of something or just one? The biggest problem I have is with customers who placed an order online, didn't realize it and then called the order in," Vogt continued. "If you're typing in your credit card number, you're on the way to placing an order. Or there are the people who ordered something twice online because they didn't get the response they wanted when they hit the 'send' button. Be a little patient. Don't hit 'send' three times. And if it's an important part that you need for Saturday's show, don't order it online. Call it in so we can make sure it's here."
Be certain that you're ordering from a site that offers secure tansactions to keep your credit card information safe. Look for an "s" after "http" in the web address or the Verisign symbol on the page. Also, check the company's return policies, Ocock suggested. "Mistakes do happen. A company can have the best prices and the widest selection, but if they make returns a huge hassle, price and selection don't matter much."
Are there parts that shouldn't be ordered online or through the mail? Glass is rough to ship. So is sheetmetal. "at all of our locations we pitch a lot of sheetmetal over the counter," said Schmidt, referring to his company's four retail stores across the country. "We suggest they come to one of our locations and actually unwrap the part, inspect it for quality and make sure it will fit what they need. They'll have some time invested in the trip, but they'll save on the truck freight. Plus, with large metal panels, there's always the potential for damage when they're freighted."
The Hobbyists
Dealing with a professional retailer is fairly safe. It's their business, and they wouldn't be in business for very long if they did it badly. Dealing with the public, whether through online auction sites or web-based classified ads, is another matter entirely. Problems can run the gamut from honest mistakes and outright misrepresentation to not sending a part after accepting funds and, as Ocock found out, packing a part so poorly that it's damaged en route.
According to Classic Industries' Vogt, rule number one when buying from private parties online is to "make sure you know what you're buying. A picture shot at the right angle won't show a collapsed quarter-panel. A picture's worth a thousand words, but sometimes that's not enough. Do your homework. Ask for additional photos. If the seller doesn't want to give them to you, maybe there's a reason."
Sellers on auction sites don't necessarily have the same return policies as professional retailers, but you still have some recourse should the deal go bad, Vogt said. If you're using PayPal on eBay- and everyone should, he believes- the site will reverse charges on a disputed item. And then there's the matter of feedback. "Most people are extremely honest on eBay, because they're trying to build a relationship, gain positive feedback," Vogt added. "Some buyers and sellers won't do business with you if you have any negative feedback. And if you screw up more than a few times, eBay will shut down your account. That's why the positive feedback is so important."
Online classified sites, such as Craigslist, don't have the same feedback system as online auction sites, but in some ways these sites are easier to work with, said Ocock. "You're usually only perusing local ads, just like in your city's newspaper classifieds. This means you can go look at the parts, strike a deal in person and get your stuff home that night."
Ocock also recommended buying from fellow enthusiasts on your favorite Web sites. That's how he got his Suburban, through a posting on the Hokey Ass Message Board, otherwise known as H.A.M.B. on The Jalopy Journal.
"The H.A.M.B. is a close-knit community with over 33,000 registered members," he explained. "If you run into fellow 'H.A.M.B.ers,' even if you've never met before, there's always a sense of a friendship when you meet. In short, I felt comfortable buying a cheap 45-year-old truck based on seeing pictures posted on a web site. I flew out with my 10-year-old son and drove it 1,000 miles back home, knowing I wouldn't get screwed. I suspect there are other web sites with members that are as trustworthy, but you really need to be an active member and buy from other active members for that kind of peace of mind."
Our last word comes from Vogt about a scam he's seen regarding eBay: "I get two or three emails a day from people asking me to reverify my eBay account or PayPal account. Never respond to those or you could be giving up your account info for others to use. If eBay wants to get a hold of you, they'll do it through your internal account. Even if the email has an eBay.com address, don't fall for it. That's just someone who's established that email account."
-MCR
End Article.
Okay, so this doesn't cover EVERY situation when it comes to online/mail order buying, but I think there's still a lot of good advice here for buyers and sellers alike.
And on the poor packaging note, I'd just like to take this opportunity to remind everybody here that if you're planning to ship something freight truck, don't be afraid to ask me how to package it if you're unsure. I work for a trucking company and can give you a lot of useful tips on preparing a truck ship item for the rigors of transport.
Anyway, got other things to do... like my wife.
So without further delay, let the debating begin!
