Sorry, we are not Auto Infantry and we have no deals directly nor indirectly with them. I can only control what goes on at our shop. I wish those folks involved with the Auto Infantry transactions the best of luck.

For every forum vendor horror story you can bring to light I'm sure I can find several eBay horror stories, but what does that prove? Purchasing goods on the internet comes at a risk period regardless of where you are making your purchase. As a vendor we realize that our customers are taking a great risk by purchasing products from us when they are hundreds and sometimes even thousands of miles away and we are grateful for their willingness to have faith in our establishment. We also realize that we will not always have the lowest price on the products in question. These two reasons are why I believe prospective buyers should emphasize purchasing products based more on the reputations of the shops they are purchasing from with less of an emphasis on the price, of course this is within reason. I realize everyone is out for the best deal, but when everything is said and done wouldn't you just like to have the item you spent all your time price-shopping in the first place?

I'd also like to add that by purchasing through a forum vendor you are receiving the same type of payment protection that you would if you purchased your product through eBay. PayPal isn't as scam proof as you make it seem. An internet search will show you several examples of both buyers and sellers being scammed through PayPal and eBay with no recourse, unless of course they utilized their credit card for the transaction.

Edit: I apologize in advice if my spelling, grammar or sentences are incomprehensible. It has been a long day/week.

 

I'd also like to state that I DON'T speak for ALL vendors on this forum. I am a vendor but my views are only related to that of Z1 Performance/ Z1 Auto.

 

Yea I can understand that but some where along the line of dropping $20k in mods you start thinking about the best deal and the best deal is allways with less overhead. Not there fault but on the other hand its not my fault and I will not pay for the extra overhead. SPecially in the economy we have atm.

 

Sounds like you don't deal with the right people in the first place and that is 50% of the battle.

Garbage in, garbage out as has been said

If you look at the guys out there (and there are several of us) that consistently get good reviews, none of what you have dealt with in previous transactions is even in the realm of reasonable posibilities.

I have nothing against ebay - hell we have an ebay store that has done well for us over the years. Educated customers who operate with a sense of reality are the best ones to deal with. I don't mind customers asking us to match a price, or beat a price, or bringing up an ebay ad to do so. It's part of the business, so it's not a big deal. If we can, we will...and if we can't, we don't. At the same time, the wealth of knowledge some vendors bring to the table is sometimes worth an extra cost. Whether it's being able to call or pm that vendor on a weekend and actually get a meaningful response, or whether it's just asking for an honest opinion and getting it without the usual salesmanship that can accompany it.

My dad taught me an important lesson in retail a long time ago - the lowest price and the best deal have nothing to do with one another.

 

why even mention the economy? you know the auto parts biz is actually getting a surge in increased business lately? if the economy was a consideration, why are you even buying optional car parts? why do you feel the need to justify your jew-bone going wild when you saved X amount of dollars on a part?

you crack me up. everyone price shops, we get it. I like supporting my local auto shops when I can and when it makes sense, same with the forum vendors. in a scenario like yours where I would be buying the exact same product and I was saving over 100$? probably would have went with eBay too. I have a dollar threshold that I will pay to support companies I like, but I can't let them bend me over either.

 

Sorry was not tring to imply that you are involved in AI in any way and your right there are ways to protect your purchase in any aspect nor is this thread an attack on your shop. I never even named any vendor names in nor there quotes. Simply tring to get members to lift the EBAY blinders and open there minds. I found my authentic Nismo V3 nose on EBAY. Local shop got a new Nismo that was in an accident, they posted the bumper on ebay and I locted it and contacted the seller for a local pick-up. Ended up getting the V3 nose for 225$. Basically this entire thread is about members and there anti EBAY rants.

 

NP, I have no beef with you as I have never bought from your shop thus have no actual experiance to share.

 

Wowsers I could save 100$ a month if I shopped at wal-mart for my groceries, but instead, I opt to go to more expensive places because I disagree with their business practices and the effects they have on the local economy.

 

Diff strokes for diff folks, I shop at Walmart and will stop there on he way home so I can save a fortune on cat products for my pet. Rather support them than PetLand where they bend you over on the way in and on the way out.

 

man I called that one haha.

 

I work at a broker dealer and investments are feeling the hardest hit during this economy "in my opinion except union workers". Therefor I will try to save what I can where I can. With the 125$ I saved I bought a powder coated belly pan from a vendor here. Where one vendor lost another gained and thus the reason for competition.

 

Must of been my Jew-Bone, course ur girl still likes it better.

 

sounds like you couldn't afford her to me. : P

 

All this over $45-$80 difference?
I would personally eat that amount and purchase from a reputable forum vendor, without question.
I could not trust ebay vendors to provide any sort of after sales support, or assistance should the item arrive damaged or you find it to be defective. Not to mention the possibility of the item being a china knock-off..

You mentioned something about borders and how a forum vendor would not assist you because they were in a different state?... Well I have a friend, here in toronto, who purchased a very nice set of volks from a reputable forum vendor, located in the US (1600km south, across the border). Long story short -One rim arrived damaged, and after short discussions with the company, he was compensated for the cost of repair. All they asked was for documented/detailed pics.

Now I know its not apples to apples, but do you think any ebay company would provide that level of support?
What if your seats arrived damaged and they gave you little to no support.. would you have paid the extra $45-$80, for the piece of mind?

Edit: I would pay the extra amount, for the piece of mind... experience has taught me that much.

 

Yea thats why shes still with you but she knows where to get her JEW-BONE. After all why leave a sucker when she can get paid and eat where she wants.

 

If your package arrives damaged it is the same on EBAY as it is with a vendor. Check prior to signing and refuse delivery or your in for a heaad ache.

Same happened to me here with KCG, the damn UPS dropped the hatch off and did not want a sig. I took pics with clock and date stamped of the entire opening process. In the end I just kept the hatch and accepted the dmg. Would of rathered to get it on EBAY where I could put up a dispute.

 

you say sucker, I say someone supporting businesses that deserve the support. the extra bucks I throw out isn't impacting me in the slightest - it is in fact, giving me better customer service and more piece of mind. **** happens, and I'm glad I have vendors and relationships with local shops to back me up when it does.

 

I'm sorry but that is just incorrect. That is how Seibon (and some others) work...it's certainly not how everyone works, or even how the majority of firms work. Your experiences to date have as much to do with what parts you have bought as they do with who you bought them from.

We ship body parts all day long..and not just for 350Z's. But we are very selective about who's parts we offer. Doesn't matter if we're sending it from here or drop shipping it from the manufacturer. If it's not a manufacturer and/or supplier that I know will stand behind us 1000% to resolve any potential issue that can come up, I don't see the point in selling it in the first place. If a manufacturer won't even stand behind their own product, why should I? What's more, when a manufacturer starts a downward spiral of consistent issues, or generally can't get their ish together, we simply bail and drop the line altogether. I've done it more times than I can count. That is what we narrowly focus our efforts and don't just offer every part that we potentially have access to. We sell what we know, and we sell what we trust.

Like I said, garbage in, garbage out.

 

Agreed on what Z1 is saying! This why some people won't even offer let's say Seibon parts for example. Hopefully more vendors step and defend themselves like Z1 even tho they don't have too.

 

thanks

I don't look at it like we're defending ourselves. More like helping our customer base know why somethings are the way they are. We try to avoid painting things with a broad brush