It would be super helpful to have a picture showing how they look on the site though.

 

While this may be true, it also helps to know what your buying.

 

There aren't that many threads showing; I'm not exactly sure what look the OP was after, but it may not be safe. Probably better off with OEM bolts rather than tuner lugs. 20% restocking seems perfectly reasonable; what was sold was the proper part, the specs were correct,it's non-defective, and now Way will have to sell it at a loss. You're kinda lucky he took them back at all.

 

I kind of re-read my posts and I felt I should clarify a little as I think that my posts came across as if I fully supported the OP. I agree that the OP got what he paid for and that he should have done more homework. I also agree that Way has a right to charge the restocking fee. My point, was more to the side of making a business decision that could have attracted more business rather than upset a customer over a simple set of studs. In this scenario, we are talking about a set of tuner studs that most likely have a rather large margin. My guess is that he will be able to resell the studs at cost, but at most, he could knock of 10% and still make a nice profit. I assure you he is not selling them anywhere near cost.

So, why am I so adamant about siding with the OP? Well, here is a customer that is now going to voice his opinion which could potentially cost Way more in revenue than a set of studs was actually worth. It was, in my opinion, a very poor business decision. Clearly he has a following and many think he can do no wrong, but there are a few threads like this on the forum and a trend is showing. There are also other vendors that don't have this problem so why the need to be like this towards a customer that is willing to possibly spend more money with you? Makes no sense to me... The customer is not always right, but in this situation it could have been handled very differently.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence/...-guaranteed-1/

 

Man I love that show.
Hello fellow Canadian.

 

You're just wrong. Way drives a MINI, not a BMW. =P But seriously... no, he probably wouldn't make a nice profit. The benefit of being a small business owner is being your own boss, not making money.

 

At some point you have to draw a line, and Way could have drawn the line farther back, as in not accepting a return at all. You can speak about goodwill all you want, but at some point it's easier for the vendor to not have to deal with people with unrealistic expectations in the first place then sell an item. So if this turns off people with similar expectations as the OP, I'd wager Way won't be too upset losing that sort of business. My .02....

 

Probably not, but for every customer that he loses, he loses revenue and the potential of their voice as advertising as well. Even if you don't like them, they still have money to spend and he should be aware of this. It is called business.

My point is that a smart business owner would know this. MBA 101...

This isn't the first time we have discussed his inability to work with a customer. Get enough of that out there and the only people supporting him will be his core zealots who say he does no wrong which sadly won't sustain him for very long. I'm a bit more cynical about him as a business owner and his business practices.

Neither here nor there for me, but I suspect this won't be the last thread we see about an unhappy customer dealing with Way.

 

I have spoken with many a vendor who would gladly pass on a customer with expectations such as have been expressed in this thread rather than take their money. It falls into the "life is short" category...

Way will be fine. Plenty of people who believe he did right in this situation will continue to use him. Those that don't are probably better off somewhere else. A small outfit can only bend so much before it breaks, and trying to please everyone at all costs isn't a viable business option for a small company. Way does not have unlimited resources; he's helped me out above and beyond back when I used to run some of the stuff he carried, and with advice. In this situation I don't get how a restocking fee is unreasonable. If he doesn't, then he could be dealing with a rash of these cosmetic type things where people order something to trial it, with full expectations of a complete refund if they don't like the product. Like it or not, there aren't enough hours in the day for a small company like Ways to run that way.

 

I doubt anyone or an extremely small number of people, except the known vendors, who drive MINIs were ever in store front, proprietorship retail. Was a time customers brought their problems to the shop for service in or out of warranty. The advent of the big box invasion changed the entire playing field and ran mom and pop out of business. Expectations didn't shift up or down, they morphed into something completely alien to the old model of retail as the likes of Walmart spread across the country in the early to late '60s. Way is operating on the old model still and doing OK by it but is in no way able to operate under the big box model and shouldn't be expected to, he doesn't have the resources.

 

Actually, it is more important at his level to try and please everyone to the best of his ability. Very much the opposite of what you are saying and he has a lot more flex than a larger corporation does. He can't really afford to shrug off potential and future sales and his worst enemy is word of mouth. A company such as Amazon can push customers off and still survive, Way doesn't have that large of a reach and thus needs all that he can get.

I work part time for a bicycle shop (we have 5 very successful stores). The owner has us make decisions based on the individual situation rather than a blanket policy. Sure, we have a restocking fee policy, but it is rarely enforced and only there to keep people from buying and trying then return. As I said above, I have taken back a marred helmet (can't sell or return it) only to have the customer turn around and buy 2 bikes. If I would have rejected her return, there is a possibility that she could have taken her business elsewhere for the bike purchases. Sometimes cutting the BS of restocking fees and understand the customer frustration can bring you a repeat customer (the best type of customer) as well as new ones from their friends. This isn't just about Way, but any small business. All of this said, we are only hearing one side of the story and I am sure that Way has his own version. Still, was it worth having a customer come on to a forum and bash your business? Whether you like it or not, someone will most likely see this thread and decide that he is not worth the potential hassle. Lost revenue (even potential) is food off your dinner table.

 

Very true....
But one must also account for the fact MINI folks tend to be a bit OCD about theirs cars....and NOTHING WILL EVERVMAKE THEM HAPPY......
Sometimes it is best to not even try to make some folks happy....it is impossible. To be too flexible means to be taken advantage of. Nobody knows what factors went into the choices both the op and wmw made.....but at some point wmw decided it was worth enforcing the 20% restocking fee to end the relationship.....
It happens...folks can say no. You buy an aftermarket part, do no expect it to look stock...which is what the op wanted. And as said before, the studs are sold WITHOUT LUGNUTS...so if the OP had used a different style, the out come could have been different.

 

Again, people seem to be skipping the "case by case" comment I have made. People are OCD about their bikes, computers, cars, houses etc..., MINIs don't have a lock on that one. Trust me, come to the bike shop for a day. People are also self entitled *** hats, but you still have to make the leap to do your best for them. You just put a wall up and say screw you, that mentality will eventually become your company motto and customers will bail.

This is the problem with American customer service nowadays. We have become complacent, so much so that it doesn't even phase us any longer and we jump to defend it even when it is horrible!

You know, I got the best service I had ever had in a restaurant recently. I was so happy with how I was treated I asked the kid to call over his manager. I did so acting as if something was wrong and the guy looked like I kicked him but got his manager anyway. I could see the manager clenching up as she walked over to the table. I started to make it sound like I was displeased and then told her how awesome my service was and how much of a pleasure this kid was. I left the kid a 50% tip for all of his efforts!

The manager and I talked and she told me that they never get compliments, only complaints. In return for that, she gave me a free appetizer coupon. The kid was new and it was his first job. The manager just told me that she hoped he would continue that same effort, but when people don't take notice, she said they simply stop trying. "What is the point in going overboard if your effort goes unseen". Sounded like a fair point to me....

Never settle for crappy service.

Before I get jumped, I am not saying that Way has crappy service, it was just a rant. I am saying in this instance, he could have done a little better.

 

Just got off WMW FB page and all I could see were positive responses from a lot of happy customers. There's two sides to every coin. Case in point. An F56 owner asked if they had aftermarket exhausts. WMW said not yet but come by and see if we can build you one. Say what you want but those who offer that kind of customer support are fast becoming a vanishing breed. Wish WMW had a branch shop close to KC.

 

You're missing the point...Way has more flex, but less resources. A big company can eat a loss and make it up elsewhere, Way doesn't have that luxury. His reach goes across the country....We have reached a level of entitlement that frankly is mind-numbing--the consumer made a mistake, and we want the vendor to pay for it. No where was the part found to be defective, or anything other than what it was described as. Like I said, Way wasn't obligated to take the part back, but he did, and a 20% restocking fee is fair.

I have no problems with the vendor, or how he handled this. If you do, simply don't use him. Way has been at this a while, has built a great reputation, and isn't going anywhere. It's a labor of love to him; he is not getting filthy rich off of his business, and quite frankly hasn't ripped off customers as many other vendors have--either with horrid support, or exorbitant prices. He's more than reasonable to reasonable people. The reviews substantiate that. Way has been in it from the start, he's a respected vendor, and although you might not agree with how this was handled, I believe the majority of us are completely fine with it...

Sometimes it's simply not the vendors fault, this one falls into that category. It is completely unfair from my perspective to bash Way on this, when his policy has been stated clearly, and this is such a minor complaint to begin with, we are making a mountain out of a molehill.

I'm done here, we're going to have to agree to disagree.

 

Okay, I am clearly not understanding what you are saying as you just changed your stance. First you say he can't flex now he can.

We can probably argue this back and forth all day long. You are entitled to think that he did great and does great things and that is fine. I agree that he did nothing wrong either. My only point was that he could have done a little better and this thread wouldn't have even existed.

So we agree to disagree.

 

+1 for Way.

Aftermarket studs for MINIs (almost) always stick out. The OP should have done more research on the product and the look he was going for before buying them and blaming Way.

Poor form.

 

daflake, exactly how far do you think Way should have bent over backwards for this guy? At some point your back breaks.

It's nice that you can go above and beyond in your job. I don't believe Way has the wiggle room you are allowed and personally I feel his ample use of time w/ customers is a clear example that he cares and is willing to give the best customer service possible. It's just not "possible" for him to eat his shorts for this guy. =/

Like I said before, you can't make everyone like you and Way will be fine. But you're totally right that customer service is an art that is all but lost.

 

What's the thread pattern? Assuming I can find some wobble nuts to fit it I'm going to need a set.

 

He can has room to "flex" in that he's his own boss, he can do anything he wants. But he doesn't have the resources to write things off left and right. A large company can absorb a ton of loss before it affects their bottom line. Way doesn't have that luxury. He's a vendor in a niche market, they're aren't that many of them for the MINI, he does a good job, and because of that has a large following, and MOST of his customers understand that yes, he needs to charge stocking fees to stay financially viable. He's not Zappos, where if you don't like the shoes, you can overnight them back for free. You simply cannot expect him to do that, it's asking too much for such a small market.

He provides a service that isn't lucrative, but would be sorely missed if he wasn't around. I'm guessing you've never spoken to him on the phone or in person, as I doubt we'd be going 'round on this if you have. You should call him sometime with a question....

 

daflake is 100% correct, if Way would not have charged the restocking fee then there would be no thread, and the OP's disapointment would have been with the product.

Is that worth 8 bucks?

 

Is $8 worth complaining about a good vendor? The op didn't know anything about the product he was buying and he paid 8 bucks for it, better than being stuck with the entire cost. I think 8 of the posters in this thread will chip a dollar in to stop the petty complaints.

 

and anyone who supports way isn't necessarily doing them any favors bumping this thread over and over

 

Okay, it has been hashed out, but let me repaint the scenario.

Customer returns items and Way let's it slide but loses shipping and possibly 10% off of a marred product. The customer is now happy. Way sells the marred product for 10% off and possibly (still have my reservations as the margin on items like that is usually huge, like 50%, which means he still makes profit. That would also cover shipping costs as well) takes a small loss. Customer comes on NAM praising Way drawing more people to him and decides to buy more merchandise from him later which would eventually cover whatever loss may have occurred.

Instead, Way does what he did and we have a thread with an unhappy customer and basically a negative review and advertisement.

How much are you wiling to pay for negative advertising?

@cct1, again, this is not something you do all the time, It depends on the circumstances and condition of the product. I remember reading a thread of a guy that wanted to return a FMIC that he cut up trying to fit. He was pissed that the vendor wouldn't take it back. In that case, I support the vendor as he made a major modification to an expensive item. In this case, we are talking about some studs that are marred which would probably be hidden from sight anyway. It is clear that you have little understanding of how businesses work, even Zappos will pass a loss back on to the customer eventually. Way is small, but like every other business, he has margins that he can deal within and still come out on top. Being petty over 20 bucks has gotten him a lot of negative advertisement. That, is priceless....

BTW, I have seen vendors come and go. I doubt he would be sorely missed for long. Way does provide a lot of great information, but he isn't the end all when it comes to MINIs. There are a lot of people out there who don't openly participate on these forums who have great information and provide great service as well.