New GSF website

[219]

Because the above 2 just focus on a limited range of parts for a limited range of cars.

IMO , having used both of them , they hold in stock a greater , and much more in-depth , range of parts for a much wider range of Mercedes-Benz cars , actually having manufactured reproductions of discontinued parts like body panels in many cases , for a much broader range of vehicles than the common motor factors who only do service parts plus a few 'faster moving' items .

The two specialists I mentioned do specialise only in Mercedes-Benz , unlike the factors who cover a broad range of European and 'pacific rim' vehicles , and could never compete in depth of parts stocked for each model ( try getting a complete floorpan for a W111 or W180 out of some of the factors )

 

[219]

The problem there is people are in general too thick to know what parts they need, and just take a rough guess at what might fit, everyday I get some clown who's brought the wrong parts and it's always my fault for some reason.

It's better that the vast majority of MB parts are sold through parts counters as they can ensure that people are ordering the correct parts.

I do agree , up to a point , with that .

However , if it is based on input of chassis no , as per EPC ( not ECP ) and made clear before purchase what the restocking fees for correctly supplied but wrongly ordered parts will be , they will still make money out of the 'numpty's ' , and the service will be used more by those of us who do know what we're looking for .

A telephone contact number for those unsure of what they need , which would then supply part numbers , would help ( it could be on a premium rate number which would pay for the service ) .

 

[nick mercedes]

I do agree , up to a point , with that .

However , if it is based on input of chassis no , as per EPC ( not ECP ) and made clear before purchase what the restocking fees for correctly supplied but wrongly ordered parts will be , they will still make money out of the 'numpty's ' , and the service will be used more by those of us who do know what we're looking for .

A telephone contact number for those unsure of what they need , which would then supply part numbers , would help ( it could be on a premium rate number which would pay for the service ) .

You can't charge restocking fees, you can't in theory (although a lot of people do) even withhold the shipping cost, distance selling regs are very onerous (and set to get even worse)....

And even if you have a local rate number you get people crying about the cost of phone calls, even though they want you to ring them back on mobiles (any want a £458 a quarter phone bill like mine?)

 

[EuroCarParts]

Interesting Convo!

Yes we are here to try and generate sales HOWEVER the number one reason we are on a small amount of forums is to raise brand awareness.

Lets me frank here - our business generates well over £1m a day in business, therefore even if we joined every forum on the known planet, i don't think we could generate near this. This proves that the main motive for supporting forums is to get involved, get HONEST feedback on our site and service (yes the feedback is so honest, sometimes it hurts, but how can we fix something if we don't know its broken) and to raise awareness.

In terms of pricing - Yes our pricing is very good, and made even better when we offer forums a hefty discount as a way of a 'thank you' however we do;
- Hold over £10m worth of stock at any one time,
- Operate nearly 90 'bricks and mortar' locations & employ over 3,600 members of staff.
- Invest heavily in our website.

I (speaking personally, not as Euro Car Parts) find it horrible when resellers (sometimes our own customers) are happy to sell the same part from their bedroom or small property and make tiny profit because they have no overheads. This cheapens the product and the supply chain.

I think customers are wise to this now, and this is the reason we want to keep our Brand well known.

I hope i don't offend anybody with the above, its just my personal opinion and hopefully alot of you will now understand that we are here not to sell parts, but to be involved!

Regards

Patrick

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I (speaking personally, not as Euro Car Parts) find it horrible when resellers (sometimes our own customers) are happy to sell the same part from their bedroom or small property and make tiny profit because they have no overheads. This cheapens the product and the supply chain.

I think customers are wise to this now

I've thought hard about replying to this point and, in the end, I couldn't resist my right to reply.
I see your point with the resellers, but couldn't the actual car manufacturers have the same gripe with yourselves and others like you, so it's a bit hypocritical to try and take the moral high ground.

And if someone wants to buy from yourselves and sell it on, I can't see the problem? I understand that you are losing out on even more profit, but it can hardly cheapen the product.

 

[EuroCarParts]

I've thought hard about replying to this point and, in the end, I couldn't resist my right to reply.
I see your point with the resellers, but couldn't the actual car manufacturers have the same gripe with yourselves and others like you, so it's a bit hypocritical to try and take the moral high ground.

And if someone wants to buy from yourselves and sell it on, I can't see the problem? I understand that you are losing out on even more profit, but it can hardly cheapen the product.

Fair point indeed! but i would risk a guess (might be wrong here) but i would say we sell more BMW 3 series brake pads (for arguements sake) then BMW make a year - Thus making us the bigger reseller anyhow.

As for cheapening the brand! - you would be supprised at how brand protective we and many others are. EBC are know to remove dealer facility from website who discount more than 10%, Meguiars had a famous falling out with Halfords over a 3 for 2 offer a few years ago, and even we have had to tighten our belts with some big customers who have started to sell on some of our exclusive brands.

it's not all about profit (as im sure we make more profit from selling a pallet of brake pads to a trade customer than a box of brake pads to a retail customer) it's about avoiding a pricing war aswell! :bannana:

 

[Stratman]

Question for ECP:-

Why is it necessary to 'register' before using your site?

 

[nick mercedes]

I (speaking personally, not as Euro Car Parts) find it horrible when resellers (sometimes our own customers) are happy to sell the same part from their bedroom or small property and make tiny profit because they have no overheads. This cheapens the product and the supply chain.

So only the big boys should be allowed to trade?

Nice attitude.

I assume Mr Eurocarparts who ever he was didn't start out with a distribution centre and 3600 employees?

Scared of the competition?

 

[nick mercedes]

Question for ECP:-

Why is it necessary to 'register' before using your site?

Same reason as everyone else, so they can spam you.

 

[nick mercedes]

And if someone wants to buy from yourselves and sell it on, I can't see the problem? I understand that you are losing out on even more profit, but it can hardly cheapen the product.

Ironic give euros sold genuine MB parts they'd brought off MB dealers for years...

 

[219]

You can't charge restocking fees, you can't in theory (although a lot of people do) even withhold the shipping cost, distance selling regs are very onerous (and set to get even worse)....

And even if you have a local rate number you get people crying about the cost of phone calls, even though they want you to ring them back on mobiles (any want a £458 a quarter phone bill like mine?)

Sometimes , I'm sure you will agree , the law is an ass .

I know there are 'get-outs' - such as the packaging having not been opened ..... etc .... etc , and most people will have opened the package before they discover it is not what they wanted - hence refunding anything comes down to goodwill .

Surely , if the customer agrees to restocking charges before they place the order , they have waived any rights otherwise and it will be binding ? Seems fair and decent to me ......

 

[Charles Morgan]

Derek - under the distance selling regs you have to refund if the goods are returned. There are no get outs at all, and no, you cannot impose charges other than that they bear the return postage and opening a parcel is not a ground to fail to refund. Nor can you carve out rights, even by agreement - the customer's rights continue to exist in their entirety.

 

[219]

I would agree that 'opening a parcel' is one thing , but breaking the seal on a component - such that it can no longer be considered 'new' or 'unused' is quite another .

The retailer can hardly sell a product which has obviously been ripped open by a previous customer as 'new' ; the product is clearly devalued to an extent , so a partial refund is a gesture of goodwill rather than a 'right' .

If I order a part form my main dealer which has to be ordered in for me , it is made clear that this is non-refundable .

If a customer orders a part and is supplied correctly with what he ordered , why should the supplier 'take the hit' for the customer's error ?

It should be easy enough to state ' no refunds - unless parts defective or not what was ordered ' - if the supplier then chooses to refund out of goodwill , this is not a statutory right .

I know the law is set up to protect customers from dodgy dealers , but sometimes it can make it next to impossible to be in business .

Charles - if you sold wine by mail order ( I don't know if you do ? ) - would you refund a customer who had opened a bottle and sent it back because the customer decided he did not like 'the nose' ?

Fine , if a case had been opened but the bottles were untouched ( and therefore could still be sold as new ) , but there is a difference .....

 

[Charles Morgan]

Derek - I don't sell wine, but the customer must take reasonable care. However, they are allowed to inspect goods, and opening packaging is allowed, and resale ability for the business is irrelevant unless the customer has failed in their duty to take reasonable care. The wine example is one where you would be entitled to seek compensation for the customer not taking reasonable care (if the wine was not faulty).

The guide to the DSRs here here

I do sell goods that are covered buy the DSRs and they do not make life easy, but I understand why they are there.

 

[nick mercedes]

Sometimes , I'm sure you will agree , the law is an ass .

I know there are 'get-outs' - such as the packaging having not been opened ..... etc .... etc , and most people will have opened the package before they discover it is not what they wanted - hence refunding anything comes down to goodwill .

Surely , if the customer agrees to restocking charges before they place the order , they have waived any rights otherwise and it will be binding ? Seems fair and decent to me ......

There aren't any get outs, other than only selling to the trade, that said it's a law that is often ignored, quite rightly so.

 

[EuroCarParts]

Same reason as everyone else, so they can spam you.

Hey guys

I think you are confusing our website with GSFs....

You can do the whole process (enter reg, find parts, place an order) without even creating an account or login..... That's ideal isn't it?

We prefer if you do use the register option (you can track your order and reveive updates) but we built the site knowing there are some people who don't want these features!

 

[BTB 500]

Well I tried GSF for the first time yesterday and have to say I was impressed. I used their eBay shop, selected free standard delivery and the part (a heater blower for our old Audi A4) arrived this afternoon ... within the one hour window given on the email I got first thing today.

I did check the ECP website first - cheapest fan there was £98.40, vs £44.95 from GSF.

But today I ordered a replacement pollen filter from ECP