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Let me first preface this by saying that I have been a loyal customer to one particular auto-parts store for almost five years now. Back then it was Checker, now it is O'Reilly's. The staff itself has changed over the years, but I've found that tone and temperament of the staff has stayed the same.

Anyway, I've always loved these guys (and weirdly enough, I think they love me ... the assistant GM actually asked me to come work there once! ... strange) ...

In any case, I've become a regular during the evening shift, always buying parts for one of my two cars. I am on a first name basis with just about everyone who clocks in for second shift, and on rare occasions they even cut me some slack on pricing if I'm really struggling with a project and making some extraneous expenditures.

This is the first time I've never been completely satisfied (and even ANGRY)at the associates there.

I recently made an 'emergency' purchase of electrical fan components for my car, since my old-fashioned mechanical fan clutch was giving out... I told the associate who I was buying this setup from (not a newbie, by any means, he was someone who'd helped me out before, and from whom I'd purchased parts from before), that I was going to, quote "try it out" and see if it worked... I originally came in for a 14-inch fan, but all they had in stock was a 16-inch... The associate seemed very agreeable to my plan of a 'provisional 'install...

... and of course I didn't end up liking this setup, it wasn't cooling very well, so I un-installed all of it, came back during the daytime, and another associate then told me that returns on electrical components are strictly prohibited ... say what??

I made it pretty clear to the guy who sold it to me that I intended to 'try it out' to 'see if it worked' ... otherwise I would 'be back for the mechanical fan clutch' ... it SURE would have been nice to know THEN that I couldn't return it ... It would have definitely influenced my purchasing decision.

So now I'm stuck with a practically brand new fan, thermostat, and relay that I will not end up using. I'm tempted to contact the manager of the store with whom I am so cordial and lay down what happened...

I mean c'mon, I've spent literally thousands and thousands of dollars at this store-- I've been a customer for five freakin' years and they've bent over backwards for me on countless occasions -- I just refuse to believe that a place that provides such incredible customer service could make such a bad slipup!

Depending on how this situation ends up being resolved I imagine I may still shop at O'Reilly's ... but now with much more trepidation... I always felt like the associates were 'in my corner' ... but now I'm not so sure anymore...

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Guest

Lol ur a ***

Guest

I just tried to return a electrical relay unopened. They said policy is no returns on it.

They will give me a credit. Even though I did not open it this is rediculous. Turns out he could not process the return as a gift card so I did get my money back in cash as I paid for it.

Lesson learned: I will drive farther to another auto store for anything I need. Reason I went here is because other auto place closed at 9 pm and O'reillys was still open.

Guest

Dude when did orileys become a try it if i like it ill buy it store go to walmart

Guest

Cloverman, they must have 24 hour O'Reillys where you are (which would be nice) ... since you know, the manager wasn't exactly available at 4 AM when I wrote this.

Also, incidentally, if you'd taken the time to read my followup comment, I DID contact the manager the next day, and found out it was the same 'associate' who was being a hardass about the return policy.

***.

"me"

Spoken by someone who's probably never DD'd a classic car. I know my vehicle backwards and forwards; I even put some trained mechanics to shame in my thorough knowledge of it. I have a brain (and a college degree to prove it too) do you?

The stock setup had a mechanical fan clutch and was never meant to be electrical. This fact made such an install a bit 'dicey' from the get-go -- this is why I told my sales associate that I was going to 'try it out' ... since I knew it stood a 50/50 shot of not working properly... and if that were going to be the case I'd need a proper fan clutch replacement (which, for a car of my vintage, takes a day or two to come in).

Now, what O'Reillys would do with the returned part is frankly none of my business. Don't get me wrong, the return policy makes tons of sense ... but what DOESN'T make sense is that an associate would let a customer leave the store with the impression that he/she could return an item when he/she clearly cannot.

This part of the return policy is not explicitly stated on the receipt, nor is it anywhere in the store, or on their website. It then falls to an associate to make this clear!

I made it clear I was going to 'try it out' and that I 'would be back' if it didn't work. This associate either did not know about this return policy regarding electrical items, or ignored it which is upsetting.

I think both of you are misunderstanding my grievance. The return policy makes lots of sense (now that it's been explained to me), it's the customer service that's got me dissatisfied. The sales associate (who I'm keeping unnamed) was either trying to deceive me, or had no clue, and neither case is acceptable.

This is then compounded by the fact that the new manager is an *** who isn't apologetic whatsoever, and would rather blame his associates or blame corporate instead of taking on a bit of accountability like he's supposed to!

It's clear he has no intention of giving anyone the time of day.

Whatever, I've already sold the thermostat. Now if I can unload this fan I can put this all behind me... If it makes any difference, my new mechanical fan that I got works flawlessly (just like everything I've ever bought from O'Reillys) ... I'd be hard pressed to say I'm not tempted to give all of my future business to Advance, but this new manager, this incident aside, is downright terrible.

Guest

Ok, what is oreilly's suppost to do with the product when you return it? cant sell it as new. If you dont know if it will work take it to a shop and have somebody with enough brains to do it.

Guest

The fact that you're coming here to complain instead of contacting the manager is of absolute shock to me. If you know the GM why haven't you spoke with him already?

O'Reilly will usually return anything. You're an ***.

Guest

Matt, I agree with you. This is the type of situation in which everyone loses; you have not been taken cared of, the associate was not validated by the new manager, and the company will lose the loyalty of a customer.

This new manager had the perfect opportunity to show the importance of customer service and team work. He could have made an exception based on the understanding between a loyal customer and a loyal trust worthy associate. The impact this would have made in you and his team would have been good for business in general. Again we fail to capitalize on an opportunity to build something posittive and productive.

I keep hoping that leadership, in this business that I love, will realize that it's all about our people. This means customers and associates should both be respected and cared for.....only that combination can put money in the register.

Guest

I appreciate your feedback, but actually it was the other way around.

The evening guy who was 'bending' policy was an associate, the 'day crew guy' who was sticking to the official policy was the general manager for the store himself... which I didn't know until I called the store again to talk about this situation.

I'm only annoyed because I feel a bit jilted by this associate now and the manager (who is new) is being a hardass about the return policy ... which I can't blame him for completely. I just would have been nice to have a manager who stood behind his associates a tiny bit more. He didn't even apologize until I basically prompted him to.

Guest

In the future always try to deal with the same individuals. Why if you are on a first name basis with the evening crew, getting discounts and good service from them, would you go and try to return something "installed" to the day crew? Yes I realize that you made it clear that you would "try it out", but that was an understanding between you and an individual not a company.

I was in the business for a while, from sales associate to regional sales manager, I know what you're dealing with. But the nature of the business has changed a bit on policy and how far it can bend. You have the associate who can use his "judgement" to make a call or an exception, mostly managers, but also those who have a good number of loyal customers. Then you have the associate who has no authority what so ever to bend policy, newer and task oriented associate, his job is to do what he's told. Both of these associates know the policy and both respect it, but one knows when to bend it for the customer and has that authorization.

This is true in all sorts of business and even in other matters in life. This is why our court system still has judges and jurys, more experience and points of view benefit an outcome. I hope you go back to your regular guy and he handles it, takes care of you. I also hope you get back into this forum and take care of them.

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