Has anyone else had issues with Rock Auto's customer service or lack thereof?

I ordered a serpentine belt per the ordering criteria on their website. When the part arrived, it was approximately an inch shorter than the belt I removed.

I followed the instructions to return the part but before I could complete the return, they wanted me to pay for the return shipping. This seems wrong since I ordered the part per their instructions and website. Perhaps the manufacturer sent them a faulty part? However, I do not see return shipping as the customer's responsibility since I ordered what was supposed to be the correct part for my truck.

I attempted to reach customer service. They do not have phone customer service available. I then began exchanging courteous and professional email traffic with their online customer service. They responded twice with a 90% pre-formatted response and never once addressed my question to speak with someone over the phone or cover return shipping expenses.

This morning I found a phone number for Rock Auto's corporate headquarters. I called the number and the receptionist was less than helpful and somewhat rudely told me that they do not offer customer service from their corporate headquarters and there is no one there that can help me. I suppose the VP of Customer Relations or the CEO or COO do not care to hear a customer's concerns?

I determined that it is not necessarily worth my time and effort to spend $6-10 to return a $33 part.

I would rather not do business with a company that is unable and unwilling to address a customer's concerns.

I have purchased several parts from Rockauto over the last year. However, based on this incident, I will not be purchasing from them in the future.

Try (608) 661-1376 or https://www.google.com/amp/s/gethuma...umber/Rockauto

Yes, their customer service and return policy isn’t what it used to be. Some cost cutting vs customer service analyst screwed us over.


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Thanks, that is the number I called and the "receptionist" was less than helpful. She was actually a detriment to their business.

I have found that over 90% of online retailers require you to ship the items back to them at your cost.

They may then reimburse you for the cost but don't expect it.

I just had a shipping issue with a part I ordered for my car. I used their recommended procedures to air my complaint. Their customer service was very responsive in responding to my concerns. The part was initially mis delivered to an address in San Antonio, a far cry from where I live in westetn WA. I received the part today which was the projected delivery date all along. I emailed their customer service to advise them the part had arrived and received a response from them within five minutes. No complaints here.

AndyJ,

The slightly different serpentine belt lengths has been an issue before and I don’t know if a fool proof method of identifying which one a truck requires has ever been found...except to maybe try Ford Parts.

But even my favorite Ford parts counter, Tousley of WBL, made me eat a $20 shipping charge for a bad part so I fear your experience is just an industry standard at even the best mail order Ford parts.

Right, the only way to order a belt and expect the correct one is to get the part number off your old one so it can be cross referenced.

Thanks.

This seems to be the consensus, that it is a roll of the dice on which belt fits your truck.

The frustrating thing is that Rock Auto does not seem to acknowledge that. I would even be fine with paying the shipping and not bickering back and forth with them if they seemed to have any type of valid customer service or feedback program. All I got from their Corporate HQ (only number I could find) was that "no one here can help you, I am just the receptionist".

I will probably just eat it so I don't have an extra belt laying around. It just irritates me that this is the kind of service a company provides. I hope more people will be like me and vote with their feet. Rock Auto isn't getting anymore business from me.

I have had pretty good luck with Tousley and Lakeland, so I guess those will be my go to places from here on. I live 30 minutes from the nearest parts store and that is a chain that does not seem to carry much for diesel trucks.

When I have found myself in a pickle with an unccoperative merchant then I return the product and have them credit me what they will and then I open a "Dispute" through my credit card AND I make sure to include in writing my efforts at reaching Customer Service and the merchant response which shows they have been difficult to contact.

Corporate beancounters have decided if they place enough hurdles in a customers way that the customer finally gives up and the company profits. Some of the worst are travel companies like Expedia and Hotwire.

If you want an experience purposely designed to put you in the nuthouse, try dealing with Oakley sunglasses regarding a warranty lens replacement. It would take about a 2 page writeup to describe the whole wonderful process.

There are two different lengths of serpentine belts, depending upon whether or not you have the cold weather package. If you do a search of these forums, you will find lots of conflicting misinformation about how to tell whether or not you have the cold weather package. In my experience; none of the information that you find will be of any use whatsoever. All I can tell you for sure is that it has nothing at all to do with whether or not you have a plug for the block heater. The difference is the size of the pulley on the alternator, but if the alternator has ever been replaced, it might not have the same size pulley as it originally had.

The only solution that makes any sense to me is to buy the serpentine belt locally; that way if it doesn't fit, then you can exchange it for the other size without having to pay the postage.