PerformanceProducts Purschase problem

[Netspeed]

Originally posted by lagrassa
I think you will find ocasional problems with just about any order from anyone at some point in time. I ordered a part form Pelican and it was sent USPS Priority Mail at my request. Took well over a week to go two states...

Our company ships USPS Priority and it usually takes a week to go anywhere. The big thing to remember is who's defining the priority...USPS.

[Gunter]

Originally posted by dentist90
While we're talking shipping charges, why is it that a package from Pelican can be shipped to Florida free, yet free shipping to BC Canada (directly north of WA state) not available? Of course I'm not talking about brokerage or customs fees and Canadian taxes. Not complaining, just asking (I still order from Pelican... just for the stickers!) Wayne, I guess this question is for you. Is there a very different structure for international shipping?
Thanks,
Derek

Derek:
Here is what really works for me:
Pelican ships my stuff UPS to a UPS depot in Colville, WA 99114 "Hold for Pick-Up".
UPS phones me when it arrives; love UPS, has worked for years.
I drive across the border and do the customs thing myself.
I suggest you set up something like that in Blaine?
Gives you an excuse to do a drive.

[asphaltgambler]

PLEASE SEARCH/ READ MY POSTS / EXPERIENCES WITH PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HERE YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!

IF THEY ARE THE ONLY SOURCE FOR A PARTICULAR PART I WILL DO WITH OUT !!

[Quicksilver]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
USPS is pretty reliable, although there are slowdowns once and awhile. In general, I think we're the only ones out there who even offer service through USPS (which is cheap, and fast).

-Wayne

Used to help run a mail order company. (oops "Catalog Retailer")
Once we got the operations stable enough we started running numbers on anything that we could think of. There is a fun magic to the information that hides in a database.

When we got to shipping we made a shocking discovery. Even though the customer doesn't have to sign for it, USPS was far and away the most reliable way to ship. Less then 1/2 the lost packages as the #2 method.

Here is how it played out
#1 USPS
#2 Fedex
#3 Airborne
#4 UPS

-----
BTW - If Performance Products is charging your MasterCard before the package ships then they are violating FTC regulations. The FTC's site spells out fairly simply what the obligations that a mail order company must fulfill. It is very rigid.

[bigchillcar]

yeah..it helps to keep in mind that just because you don't 'see' an item in the pelican online catalog, doesn't mean they can't get it. and it's been my experience that they do match other catalog companys' prices. for all of the priceless benefit i've received from this board over the past 5 years..i'd still happily pay a few bucks more to support pelican if i must. this place provides an unequalled technical resource for our cars as well as a true online community..lots of friends i've made over the years here. so, yeah..i don't 'haggle' over a few bucks with wayne..he's gotta make a living, same as you or i do. my 2 cents..
ryan

[mpeastend]

I've bought a lot of parts online and my experience is that Pelican blows the rest of them away. Not trying to suck up to our host, but even if he isn't the cheapest sometimes, I prefer less aggravation. Pelican site has the best software for navigating...sometimes there are glitches and you can't easily find things, but overall they are MUCH better than the rest. I love the fact that they sell mostly OEM products whenever possible. If you are looking for OEM, try logging onto Stoddards without talking to a person...even with legit part numbers, the site doesn't work. I purchased a bunch of stuff from Pelican recently and forgot an item. I placed another order and figured I'd have to pay the seperate shipping on this little item I'd forgotten (as the automated order process indicated). I was too lazy to try and call a person and get it lumped together. I was surprised to find that people at Pelican surveyed the orders and consolidated them, thereby eliminating an extra shipping charge for me...I was impressed. I know that in the reality of today's cost-cutting, cutthroat business, most parts can't be stocked the way they were in the past and sometimes you have to wait...with Pelican I really didn't ever wait more than a few weeks. I had to purchase some repro 74-76 black plastic mirrors (L&R) from PerfProd back in April since Wayne doesn't have these items...no indication at time of prchase that they are out of stock. Get an email that they won't be available till end of June! Not to mention the fact that some of the repro stuff they sell hasn't exactly left me happy but there are no other options for the mirrors: left hand no longer made and right was never made. I guess my point after rambling on is that Pelican provides excellent service/products at good prices...use the rest as a last resort.

[dentist90]

Originally posted by Gunter
Derek:
Here is what really works for me:
Pelican ships my stuff UPS to a UPS depot in Colville, WA 99114 "Hold for Pick-Up".
UPS phones me when it arrives; love UPS, has worked for years.
I drive across the border and do the customs thing myself.
I suggest you set up something like that in Blaine?
Gives you an excuse to do a drive.

Would love to do that. Unfortunately I'm about 6hrs from Washington border. It's still cheaper to pay the shipping than take 12+ hrs and gas to Sumas or Blaine. Up here I'm kind of on my own as far as parts and service. This site has been absolutely invaluable as far as learning about my Carrera.
PS: Pretty sure I'm gonna make the Salmon Arm run this year! Hopefully see some of you down there (UP there for you I guess). I think I'll have a T-shirt made with my dentist90 and wrong trousers avatar on it as that's how everybody will know me at first.

[bigchillcar]

12+ hrs and gas to Sumas or Blaine

dentist..sounds like a great way to maintain that 'love affair' you list next to your car.. imagine..12 hours in the p-car..great tunes..

[khamul02]

I try to spread the money around. I usally compare an order price(including shipping) between Pelican, tweeks, paragon, & performance. I make a real effort to tip to scales to pelican becuase of the support I get right here!! Thus far, I have had an oddball expereince from all four listed above but these problems were always solved to my complete satisfaction. Hey, nobody's perfect.

[spikej40m]

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM W/ PERF. PRODUCTS& I DEAL W/ THEM
OFTEN--- BUT I CALL IN MY ORDERS

[dentist90]

Originally posted by bigchillcar
dentist..sounds like a great way to maintain that 'love affair' you list next to your car.. imagine..12 hours in the p-car..great tunes..

Let me clarify: Sounds great to me too. My wife on the otherhand, well... secretly I think she's getting jealous!

[bigchillcar]

what i thought..

[rnln]

daniell911,
personal experience.. While back, I used to have a small online business and dealed wioth shipping with diff. shipping companies. From California to Canada takes proximately 7-10 working days is normal, with USPS Express. Sometimes it can take up to 5 weeks.

[Rick V]

Originally posted by dentist90
Let me clarify: Sounds great to me too. My wife on the otherhand, well... secretly I think she's getting jealous!

My wife used to smile when she refered to my car as the other woman..............I have noticed the smile has gone away. It also doesn't help the fact that the car har recieved the name Lanna and that is how I refer to her. You know, Lanna and I had a great ride today etc.

[75Carrera]

Quote from Wayne: "Plus, if you give us a ring, we can match the other catalog guys' prices. Pelican Parts - Why shop anywhere else?"

Am I reading this right, Wayne? Pelican will match prices being offered by other catalog sellers? Performance, Vertec and others? Now that's a biggie! Pelican certainly is the prefered source by most of us I'm sure, would offer include their discounts as well? Why ever shop elsewhere?

[CHILI]

Originally posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts
As much as I don't like our competition - receiving chargebacks is a very negative experience. For the sake of everyone involved, I would try a few more (painful) phone calls to their customer service line. I'm just so anti-chargeback.

-Wayne

Yes, me too. I used to be the one who responded (e-commerce company). Even though you have a legitimate complaint, many who dispute don't. The problem is the merchant can get hit with higher cc processing fees as well as suspended funds (for covering future chargebacks). It can even go as far as blacklisted; known as "match file." Then no banks or cc processing companies will deal with you. It can be a complete racket. Ask me how I know.

Worst case scenerio, they can't find any tracking info and refund the money. Then as others said go to our host. Maybe they can match the price. And ship it, too!

[david.avery]

Performance is a known "drop-shipper", acting as a facade behind lots of the products they sell. They pass the order to the fulfillment depts. of the respective products they sell, then lose control.

This is not an excuse for them, they need to step up. I would threaten a chargeback just to get their attention, who in turn will get the attention of someone at Lloyd's.