Date:         Sat, 26 Jan 2002 10:52:43 -0500
Reply-To:     Gary Stearns <gstearns@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Stearns <gstearns@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Vendor bashing in general- I second!
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Yeah, come on guys, lighten up.  Most of the vendors that we use are small
businesses selling parts at a discount. One way that they trim their and our
cost is that they don't have a 1,00,000 sq. ft. warehouse stocking every
part for every VW made since 1949.  Possible inconvenience is what we give
up.  If you need it tomorrow, go to the dealer and bend over.

Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brent Christensen" <sbsyncro@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2002 12:38 AM
Subject: Vendor bashing in general


> About once a year I chime in with this same sentiment, but it seems like
it
> may be the season...
>
> <rant>
>
> When ordering from a "discount" parts place that does business over the
web
> and specializes in very niche-oriented products (like vanagon parts) you
> have to plan for and expect that your need for instant gratification will
> not be fulfilled.  If you want that, order the NY Times Bestseller from
> www.amazon.com for cryin' out loud, or go to your local dealer - they can
> usually get the part within a few days.
>
> Case in point:  recently, my Syncro started acting up, and I diagnosed a
> problem with the O2 sensor.  Dealer had the part for $175 (or something
like
> that), and the "generic" unit stocked by a list vendor was $39.95.  I
> ordered the $39.95 unit from the list vendor and then went back to my
> business, expecting the unit to show up within the next couple of weeks.
> (This is the key element - I was not in a big hurry and could "afford" the
> discount vendor's lead time).
>
> All of a sudden, I got a great opportunity to go out of town.  Not wanting
> to risk it with a bad O2 sensor, I decided that I better change it first.
> Did I get pissed off at the list vendor because after 5 days my sensor had
> not arrived yet?  No, of course not.  I had saved over $120 in exchange
for
> being flexible.  (see www.priceline.com)   Instead, I made a *choice* -
> either not go on my trip, or pay my local mechanic to install a unit that
he
> had in stock.    Looking at the options, I chose the latter.  Did I resent
> the list vendor?  No, because I made a *choice* based on variables that I
> knew about *in advance*.  Now I have an extra O2 sensor, but I had a great
> road trip.  :-)
>
> It just really bugs me when I hear about other great Vanagon owners (and
of
> course, we are all great!) getting ticked off becasue so-and-so list
vendor
> did not ship their widget that same day, or it didn't arrive within
> such-and-such time, or one of the items was back-ordered, etc.   Hey
folks -
> this is the price you "pay" in exchange for the convenience and the
> discounted price.  If you can keep that in mind while you hit the "submit"
> button, you will all sleep easier and spare the rest of the list from this
> sort of diatribe.  Keep in mind that these vendors are small,
> entrepreneurial, and lack some of the sophisticated systems for tracking
> inventory, accounting, and shipping that the big guys have.  Adjust your
> expectations accordingly.  And respect the fact that they are often times
> providing a valuable service, but not for altruistic reasons - they are in
> business to make money.  (what a concept!)
>
> All that being said, I think it is our collective responsibility to alert
> each other to genuinely deceptive or predatory practices (I can think of a
> couple vendors of VW parts that fall into this category), incompetent
> mechanics, etc.  Outright misrepresentation deserves to be dealt with in
> very strict and harsh ways.   The trick lies in finding the balance
between
> frivolous attacks and genuine warnings.  If you have a business issue with
a
> vendor, dont use the list as a bully pulpit - deal with it on your own.
If
> the vendor refuses to be reasonable, then escalate to someone on the list
> whom you trust and ask their opinion of the situation.  You may be
surprised
> to hear that the misunderstanding can be cleared up quickly by an
> unemotional third party...
>
> If you made it this far, thanks for listening.  :-)
>
> </rant>
>
> Brent Christensen
> '89 GL Syncro Westy "Klaus"
> Santa Barbara, CA
> brent@vanagon.com
> sbsyncro@hotmail.com
> sbsyncro@cox.net