Dealer BS

This is the email that I sent to toyota today.

Today I am trying to spend some money with you guys. I need a bed mat for my tacoma and I decided to go with the oem one because it looks like a good one. I checked the inventory of 3 of my local dealers and all three have it so I called the nearest one to verify that they actually have one on hand and they did. On the call I found out that to get the online discount that I had to pay for it online. Which is silly. I wanted to pay cash. That's not a deal breaker though so I asked if I could pick it up today if I paid for it online. The answer was "no, i would have to pick it up on Monday because the online parts guys were not there." That's insane. So there are parts guys there but none of them can simply hand the part off to me after I pay for it online because they aren't the "online" parts guys. That is ridiculous. Something about toyota reimbursing the dealer. Im a business owner so I get that part. The dealer wants to get full mark up on accessories, no problem. However, it's absolutely ridiculous that they have to have a special parts guy to give me the part. Two out of the three dealers I called gave me the same story. The third had an "online" parts guys on hand today so they will get my business today. If you guys have different categories of parts guys why wouldn't every dealership have an online parts guy on the schedule on the weekends. I am a loyal toyota customer. Counting my 2020 I have owned 4 toyota trucks and a corolla. I expect this kind of crap out of other manufacturers. This kind of crap makes me question my loyalty to the toyota brand.

 

Cliffnotes, Entitled guy is upset he cant get instant gratification. Turns out Copernicus was wrong the Earth orbits JGoldman

 

Really???

 

In b4 the but I do understand your frustration.

 

Very odd to have two types of parts staff.

I've done walk up parts sales at my local Toyota dealer for oil, filter, spark plugs and a few other little things. And politely ask the counter person "Can you do better on the price"? I've received up to 15% off just for asking. Ironically the only service I've done there is oil changes when they had a drive up oil change service bays before COVID.

Sounds like some of your local dealerships could use lessons in customer service.

Serve your customer well and you'll have a customer for life (in a lot of cases)

 

While your email gave you a chance to vent, I doubt it'll have any appreciable effect on Toyota.

You probably should have set it aside for a few hours, then re-read it and re-wrote it in a more polite, but pointed manner.

I suspect that @GlitterGulch has it correct.

 

Its not odd at all for businesses to have staff dedicated to only the buy online pickup in store or curbside customers, especially these days. Big, busy places like Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart etc have 7 day a week staff dedicated to online purchases and the regular employees are not trained to handle internet purchases, I would imagine auto dealers are the same way but since they probably have a lot less internet business the internet staff is off on weekends.

 

I’m sorry to say this, but you’re exhibiting karenish behavior. Did you also demand to speak to all the managers available at the dealer? My friend, they have their own system. You may not agree with their system, but that’s their method of operating their business. All this commotion because you don’t want to wait till Monday? It’s just a bed mat. It’s not like you’re waiting for critical parts like transmission or engine parts. It’s a privilege that the parts are even available. I bet you wouldn’t like a customer at your business demanding unusual requests that’s out of your business operation. No one should explain this to anyone how wrong it is on so many levels.

 

Cheese and Rice dude, get a fucking grip! Maybe Jeff Bezos has one he can deliver to you in the next 20 minutes, would that do?

 

I'm not trying to get your panties in a bunch but I am a parts manager at a different manufacturer and am the only one with access to online orders. No I am not there on Saturdays.
I personally hate the online order stuff as we don't get many and yes it's not worth it to me. Most accessories have a 20 percent margin and manufacturer will offer 10 percent off and that leaves a small margin. Also 70 percent of the orders we get say I will pay when I pick up, guess what..... they never show up. Now if I have to order a fee pieces to fill that order I am stuck with it. Yup manufacturers are not like Walmart they won't just take it back.
Also I with this manufacturer have to pay a monthly fee just to have this online store through them that doesn't generate as much profit as cost for the monthly sales. Now that is said when customers come in to purchase accessories if they are spending quite a bit my people will offer them a discount and yes the stuff is paid before we order it if necessary. I also have trained them to ask if vehicle was purchased there and if yes then off them a discount. Yeah we make 10 Percent after discount and hopefully it makes the customers feel happy.
I spend thousands of dollars every year at Krogers and they never give me a discount at the register....my 2 cents

 

Just picked up a OEM bed mat in the recent 20% off online sale. The dealer was halfway across the country. Got free shipping and it took a week to my doorstep. Ordered a rifle sight a month ago from Texas. It shipped UPS and in 2 days was in Phoenix to be delivered to me next day. Re-routed to Chicago and finally showed up almost 10 days later. Semantics/logistics in the internet age defies belief sometimes.

 

Mommy!!! I want it now!!!

 

Not really sure how parts vs online parts at the dealership location works myself, but stuff happens sometimes. Maybe the person fell sick and wasn't at work today.

 

What happens if you buy the bed mat online and want to return it to the store?

You probably can't return an online purchase at the store, or parts counter, or at all.

Buy it on line for less and have it shipped. Or Buy it at the store at the in store price.

If you don't want to buy another Toyota truck or other Toyota product. Don't buy it!

 

Internet is closed today.

 

Calm down Stalin

 

Uhh it was a joke. You know...ha ha.

 

What’s rule #1 again?