R50/53 No more parcel shelf?
#76
10-11-2006, 02:06 PM
Raw Deal From Coopersport:
Purchase yesterday on their website. Product listed at $84.99 ($104.22 out the door). Today I get this:
They will not honor the transaction for the price I paid. So I either buck up and pay more, or cancel the order due to their not realizing the change in availability. Here it their reasoning:
Consider this a warning as they apparently increase the price again at anytime and not honor your order.
Purchase yesterday on their website. Product listed at $84.99 ($104.22 out the door). Today I get this:
Hello Thomas,
Thank you for your order at Coopersport.com!
I have some good and bad news for you. As I'm sure you're aware the Euro Parcel Shelves became unexpectedly unavailable yesterday in the US. We were fortunate to have a few in stock but I'm afraid we ran out just before you placed your order.
The good news is that after a few phone calls this morning we were able to source additional units of the Parcel Shelves from a Canadian supplier. The bad news is that our costs for the Parcel Shelves in Canada are significantly higher than in the US. This tends to be case for any Canadian Sourced BMW/MINI part. The Canadian Retail cost for the Parcel Shelf is $166.58. In US funds that would work out to $145.99 USD. The difference between what you originally paid is $56.00 USD. Due to unfortunate events I feel bad for this increased cost and would like to try to offer you as much of a discount as possible. If you would still like the parcel shelf I can offer it to you for an additional $40.00 USD that I would ask you to remit via PayPal to info@coopersport.com.
Alternatively we can of course offer you a full refund of your purchase.
If you are still interested in receiving a Parcel Shelf I would be able to honor the shipping rate you paid although I would have to ship to you via Canada Post/USPS from Canada.
Please advise on how you would like us to proceed with processing your order.
We regret this discrepancy and hope you understand and accept our apologies.
Kindest regards,
Jason Chiovitti
Coopersport Canada
www.coopersport.ca
Thank you for your order at Coopersport.com!
I have some good and bad news for you. As I'm sure you're aware the Euro Parcel Shelves became unexpectedly unavailable yesterday in the US. We were fortunate to have a few in stock but I'm afraid we ran out just before you placed your order.
The good news is that after a few phone calls this morning we were able to source additional units of the Parcel Shelves from a Canadian supplier. The bad news is that our costs for the Parcel Shelves in Canada are significantly higher than in the US. This tends to be case for any Canadian Sourced BMW/MINI part. The Canadian Retail cost for the Parcel Shelf is $166.58. In US funds that would work out to $145.99 USD. The difference between what you originally paid is $56.00 USD. Due to unfortunate events I feel bad for this increased cost and would like to try to offer you as much of a discount as possible. If you would still like the parcel shelf I can offer it to you for an additional $40.00 USD that I would ask you to remit via PayPal to info@coopersport.com.
Alternatively we can of course offer you a full refund of your purchase.
If you are still interested in receiving a Parcel Shelf I would be able to honor the shipping rate you paid although I would have to ship to you via Canada Post/USPS from Canada.
Please advise on how you would like us to proceed with processing your order.
We regret this discrepancy and hope you understand and accept our apologies.
Kindest regards,
Jason Chiovitti
Coopersport Canada
www.coopersport.ca
Thank you for your email. I'm afraid that we simply cannot honor the price you paid due to the unavailability the item at that cost in the USA. I am trying to be fair and reasonable by offering the item to you at my wholesale cost as it stands now. This is not a bait and switch and is not my intention. This product unavailability caught us all off guard and I am simply trying to fulfill orders as best I can. The simple fact of the matter is that we don't have any of this product available from our old US based supplier. All orders of this product as of yesterday need to be purchased and fulfilled from a Canadian supplier and we regret the price increase but there is simply nothing we can do. We have also offered a full refund of your purchase as we know that the price may be more than some would be willing to pay for this product.
Also, as stated in our Terms & Conditions that can be viewed here...
http://www.coopersport.com/usa/help.php?section=conditions
We can not be held responsible for typographical errors, omissions, changes, or price discrepancies.
I apologize again for the item availability problem. If there's anything I can do please let me know.
Kindest regards,
Jason Chiovitti.
Also, as stated in our Terms & Conditions that can be viewed here...
http://www.coopersport.com/usa/help.php?section=conditions
We can not be held responsible for typographical errors, omissions, changes, or price discrepancies.
I apologize again for the item availability problem. If there's anything I can do please let me know.
Kindest regards,
Jason Chiovitti.
#77
10-11-2006, 02:27 PM
They are in fact breaking the law. They must honor the price you order it at, that they advertised at. Their terms and conditions address nothing about what they are trying to do to you.
I realize they're getting screwed because the sudden cut off, but they cannot pass that "screwing" along to you after you ordered the item.
I realize they're getting screwed because the sudden cut off, but they cannot pass that "screwing" along to you after you ordered the item.
#78
10-11-2006, 02:32 PM
Thank you for posting my complete emails with you. I believe it explains our situation well for any that care to read. As a business we have to tread a line between keeping a customer happy and not losing money. This is why we offered you the product for what is essentially our new wholesale cost of this item and is not a case of "bait and switch" as you accused.
I apologize again for the inconvenience and your displeasure with our proposed solution. Every other vendor is simply processing refunds right now and perhaps I should have just done the same. Instead I was trying to keep customers happy with an alternative.
Regrets,
Jason.
I apologize again for the inconvenience and your displeasure with our proposed solution. Every other vendor is simply processing refunds right now and perhaps I should have just done the same. Instead I was trying to keep customers happy with an alternative.
Regrets,
Jason.
#79
10-11-2006, 02:34 PM
They are in fact breaking the law. They must honor the price you order it at, that they advertised at. Their terms and conditions address nothing about what they are trying to do to you.
I realize they're getting screwed because the sudden cut off, but they cannot pass that "screwing" along to you after you ordered the item.
I realize they're getting screwed because the sudden cut off, but they cannot pass that "screwing" along to you after you ordered the item.
Jason.
#81
10-11-2006, 02:45 PM
I've worked in auto parts for a total of eight years before I became a graphic artist. If an item was advertised at a certain price, we HAD to, by law, sell that item at that price.
If money had been exchanged as a prepayment, there was no argument, we had to provide the item no matter what it might have cost us.
If it was a subsistute (different manufacturer, not exactly what the customer ordered) item, only then could we tell the customer it was going to cost more, or give them the option of a refund. And we had to fully justify that subsitution.
If money had been exchanged as a prepayment, there was no argument, we had to provide the item no matter what it might have cost us.
If it was a subsistute (different manufacturer, not exactly what the customer ordered) item, only then could we tell the customer it was going to cost more, or give them the option of a refund. And we had to fully justify that subsitution.
#82
10-11-2006, 02:47 PM
51-16-1-186-417 Storing Part = $81.00 CDN
51-16-7-057-375 Rubber Insert = $77.00 CDN
51-45-7-072-009 Blind Plate = $5.78 CDN
07-13-1-472-727 Nut x 2 = $1.44 CDN
07-14-7-133-620 Bolt x 2= $1.36 CDN
Total of all parts is $166.58 CDN (approx. $147 USD).
We make about $20 CDN ($17.50 USD) on this item at the pricing. If we were in this too make buckets full of money we wouldn't be offering this item at all. We are simply trying to make customers happy.
I'm beginning to question that logic.
Regards,
Jason.
#83
10-11-2006, 02:48 PM
Thank you for posting my complete emails with you. I believe it explains our situation well for any that care to read. As a business we have to tread a line between keeping a customer happy and not losing money. This is why we offered you the product for what is essentially our new wholesale cost of this item and is not a case of "bait and switch" as you accused.
I apologize again for the inconvenience and your displeasure with our proposed solution. Every other vendor is simply processing refunds right now and perhaps I should have just done the same. Instead I was trying to keep customers happy with an alternative.
Regrets,
Jason.
I apologize again for the inconvenience and your displeasure with our proposed solution. Every other vendor is simply processing refunds right now and perhaps I should have just done the same. Instead I was trying to keep customers happy with an alternative.
Regrets,
Jason.
The logic would be to suck it up on orders placed yesterday and recoup on future orders.
#84
10-11-2006, 03:05 PM
How about a hands up from business that like trying to help people and lose money at the same time?
Seriously, by asking me to fulfill this item at a cost that no longer exists you're wanting me to lose money. I've not asked you to give me a profit. I have infact tried to offer you this item for my cost so that neither of us gets "screwed". I'm sorry you don't see it that way.
We have refunded your purchase in full.
Jason.
Seriously, by asking me to fulfill this item at a cost that no longer exists you're wanting me to lose money. I've not asked you to give me a profit. I have infact tried to offer you this item for my cost so that neither of us gets "screwed". I'm sorry you don't see it that way.
We have refunded your purchase in full.
Jason.
#85
10-11-2006, 03:16 PM
In my experience if you purchase something from a website that shows the item in stock and a price of X and you order it and they accept the transaction, the company is liable to fufill that order at that price (not the new y price). Now if the item is out of stock with a price of x but the new orders come in at a higher price, then the company can adjust the item price.
Bit shady if you ask me.
Bit shady if you ask me.
#86
10-11-2006, 03:31 PM
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#87
10-11-2006, 03:40 PM
Just so everyone is clear, my main beef is that the financial transaction took place and that, to me and many others, is a binding agreement. Had I placed my order and the financial transaction not taken place, and received the email about the price increase, I would have been alot more understanding.
Jason has refunded my money and I have explaiined my point of view as a consumer and that I understand where he is coming from as a business.
End result: No tray for Tommy at the 'new' price (and everyone else is out of 'em).
Jason has refunded my money and I have explaiined my point of view as a consumer and that I understand where he is coming from as a business.
End result: No tray for Tommy at the 'new' price (and everyone else is out of 'em).
#88
10-11-2006, 03:45 PM
#89
10-11-2006, 04:03 PM
Tom,
Thank you for your email and your explanation. I regret the circumstances of what happened and tried to be as fair as possible in accommodating everyone. I understand what you say about accepting payment, however, as an online business we are at a bit of a disadvantage in that we don't "personally" accept payments on a per sale basis. Everything is automated to the point that we rarely know when something is being purchased before it is actually purchased.
In this instance, we were unable to attend to the availabiity issue with this product as I was in New York State attending to warehousing business at the time.
Again, I apologize for the inconvenience with this. If you ever wish to purchase this item in the future, and I can in fact get one, I would be happy to offer you the same wholesale cost as explained before. Please feel free to contact me.
One thing to keep in mind about MINI vendors in general. Most of us are small businesses and not bringing in truckloads of money. We are in the MINI business because we love the cars and the community surrounding them. We rely on open and honest relationships with our customers and like seeing them happy whenever possible.
Kindest regards to all,
Jason.
Thank you for your email and your explanation. I regret the circumstances of what happened and tried to be as fair as possible in accommodating everyone. I understand what you say about accepting payment, however, as an online business we are at a bit of a disadvantage in that we don't "personally" accept payments on a per sale basis. Everything is automated to the point that we rarely know when something is being purchased before it is actually purchased.
In this instance, we were unable to attend to the availabiity issue with this product as I was in New York State attending to warehousing business at the time.
Again, I apologize for the inconvenience with this. If you ever wish to purchase this item in the future, and I can in fact get one, I would be happy to offer you the same wholesale cost as explained before. Please feel free to contact me.
One thing to keep in mind about MINI vendors in general. Most of us are small businesses and not bringing in truckloads of money. We are in the MINI business because we love the cars and the community surrounding them. We rely on open and honest relationships with our customers and like seeing them happy whenever possible.
Kindest regards to all,
Jason.
#91
10-11-2006, 06:23 PM
OVERDRIVE
In my mind, a company's website can't be expected to perfectly reflect the current stock levels up-to-the-second. If I order something off of a website, only to find out they ran out of stock shortly before I placed the order, then as far as I'm concerned, it's a "no harm, no foul" situation, and I wouldn't try to hold them to the old price if their cost increases significantly when the new stock becomes avaiable.
If my credit card wasn't charged immediately, then I didn't make a purchase - I simply placed an order. Sometimes things happen that legitimately prevent orders from being filled.
Now, if they still had stock left when I placed my order, and they declined my order with the intention of selling it to someone else for more money, then that's unethical. It's not illegal, assuming I hadn't paid them yet, but it's still wrong.
Scott
#92
10-11-2006, 07:12 PM
#93
10-11-2006, 07:32 PM
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#95
10-11-2006, 09:27 PM
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Was your credit card charged when you placed the order? Or would it have been charged when the item was shipped (as is the case with most web-based orders)?
In my mind, a company's website can't be expected to perfectly reflect the current stock levels up-to-the-second. If I order something off of a website, only to find out they ran out of stock shortly before I placed the order, then as far as I'm concerned, it's a "no harm, no foul" situation, and I wouldn't try to hold them to the old price if their cost increases significantly when the new stock becomes avaiable.
If my credit card wasn't charged immediately, then I didn't make a purchase - I simply placed an order. Sometimes things happen that legitimately prevent orders from being filled.
Now, if they still had stock left when I placed my order, and they declined my order with the intention of selling it to someone else for more money, then that's unethical. It's not illegal, assuming I hadn't paid them yet, but it's still wrong.
Scott
In my mind, a company's website can't be expected to perfectly reflect the current stock levels up-to-the-second. If I order something off of a website, only to find out they ran out of stock shortly before I placed the order, then as far as I'm concerned, it's a "no harm, no foul" situation, and I wouldn't try to hold them to the old price if their cost increases significantly when the new stock becomes avaiable.
If my credit card wasn't charged immediately, then I didn't make a purchase - I simply placed an order. Sometimes things happen that legitimately prevent orders from being filled.
Now, if they still had stock left when I placed my order, and they declined my order with the intention of selling it to someone else for more money, then that's unethical. It's not illegal, assuming I hadn't paid them yet, but it's still wrong.
Scott
#96
10-12-2006, 06:09 AM
#98
10-15-2006, 11:58 PM
Got lucky and found one ebay today
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=190041684591
Phew!!! But wait, is this is the correct one for LHD mini's? Sure looks like the one I have on my '05 MCS.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=190041684591
Phew!!! But wait, is this is the correct one for LHD mini's? Sure looks like the one I have on my '05 MCS.....
#100
10-16-2006, 08:50 AM
