Rock Auto

[NJRR]

I just placed an order for brake parts for my daily driver. Rock Auto was the cheapest anywhere online or local, even with shipping included. When I finished placing my order, their newsletter popped up. One tidbit, posted below, made me happy I ordered from them and I will continue to do so. They're an independent, family owned business, which I didn't know.


RockAuto Says NO! to Price Fixing

Dorman, a supplier to RockAuto for more than fifteen years, now demands all retailers sell at the same price (or higher) -- or not sell at all. The policy looks like an attempt to protect auto part chain stores and their "charge double what we paid" mark-ups, in the face of slowing sales and plunging stock prices.

RockAuto is an independent, family-owned retailer. We work hard to provide reliably low prices, on all the parts your car will ever need. Our customers depend on their vehicles to get to work, school and all the other places life takes them. We will not participate in any scheme to force consumers to pay higher prices.

Over the next few weeks, we will remove the affected Dorman parts from our catalog. Customers who purchased them in the past may obtain warranty replacements, if needed, through our Order Status & Returns page. We hope customers who need parts in the future will support us, and manufacturers who offer honest, affordable prices, by purchasing other brands.

 

[steve from staten island]

The word is called greed. Once upon a time there were only a very few chain auto parts stores. Mainly they sold tires batteries shocks and car related items. Any actual auto parts we went to a real auto parts store. Now the guys who worked in these stores, auto parts was there trade. They knew parts. It wasn't the worlds best job, put the more you knew the more you earned. Today thats all gone. Most if not all counter people in these chain stores make a little more than minimum wage and even if there employed for years and actually know auto parts still make crap wages. Rock auto? Sure i use them as i cant stand chain stores but they also did there part in closing mom and pop auto parts stores. Its the new world order. Make it cheap overseas, sell it cheaper and keep your overhead as low as possible by paying low wages.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Keep in mind yes rock auto is cheaper then most but I still shop it after taking in shipping cost if it's not a huge difference I buy locally because you get a life time warranty you pay extra because of this warranty you get most of the time it's worth it ,if it's not my car or a flip cheap cheap cheap. But if it's staying around pay a little extra and get a warranty makes more sense

 

[BeepBeepRR]

That is awesome. I have used them countless times and will continue to keep them in buisness. The local Oreillys wanted 289 for a fuel pump for an S10 i worked on. I got one shipped to my door for 50.00 this was the entire assembly. I wont use local stuff with markups like that. Dorman needs to take this into consideration. Bigger companies have fallen with decisions like this. The power of the internet is a wonderful thing. Reviews can make or break a company.

For instance. I'm a gamer and have played GTA5 for a long time. The biggest thing about PC gaming was that you can mod the game and add in real world cars and what have you. The company Take Two Interactive was planning on shutting down a modder and his program with a cease and desist letter sent to him. Once the gamers all got word of this it became a crapstorm. On the Steam website for the game. The reviews went from super positive to overwhelmingly negative in the course of a few weeks. And Take Two folded. They withdrew the cease and desist letter and let things go. With only banning the use of modded stuff in the online game. Which is reasonable. Like I said the internet is a powerful tool if you want to be heard.

 

[NJRR]

The word is called greed. Once upon a time there were only a very few chain auto parts stores. Mainly they sold tires batteries shocks and car related items. Any actual auto parts we went to a real auto parts store. Now the guys who worked in these stores, auto parts was there trade. They knew parts. It wasn't the worlds best job, put the more you knew the more you earned. Today thats all gone. Most if not all counter people in these chain stores make a little more than minimum wage and even if there employed for years and actually know auto parts still make crap wages. Rock auto? Sure i use them as i cant stand chain stores but they also did there part in closing mom and pop auto parts stores. Its the new world order. Make it cheap overseas, sell it cheaper and keep your overhead as low as possible by paying low wages.

It's not the new world order, it's called capitalism. If someone provides a service or product cheaper, better, faster, etc, the consumer will gravitate towards them. There are very few people that would pay more money JUST on principle to support a small business that offers less than a larger one. In the end, people vote with their wallets for their own best interests. It's capitalist evolution. The best thrive and survive.

 

[NJRR]

I just placed an order for brake parts for my daily driver. Rock Auto was the cheapest anywhere online or local, even with shipping included. When I finished placing my order, their newsletter popped up. One tidbit, posted below, made me happy I ordered from them and I will continue to do so. They're an independent, family owned business, which I didn't know.


RockAuto Says NO! to Price FixingView attachment 494865

Dorman, a supplier to RockAuto for more than fifteen years, now demands all retailers sell at the same price (or higher) -- or not sell at all. The policy looks like an attempt to protect auto part chain stores and their "charge double what we paid" mark-ups, in the face of slowing sales and plunging stock prices.

RockAuto is an independent, family-owned retailer. We work hard to provide reliably low prices, on all the parts your car will ever need. Our customers depend on their vehicles to get to work, school and all the other places life takes them. We will not participate in any scheme to force consumers to pay higher prices.

Over the next few weeks, we will remove the affected Dorman parts from our catalog. Customers who purchased them in the past may obtain warranty replacements, if needed, through our Order Status & Returns page. We hope customers who need parts in the future will support us, and manufacturers who offer honest, affordable prices, by purchasing other brands.

Just to clarify, I did a little more research on them. They are not a free-standing store that started selling online. They are strictly an online seller, so their claim of being "an independent, family-owned retailer" is a little misleading. They were still the best resource for the parts I needed with the most choices at the best price.

 

[GrabberOrange69]

I am a Rock Auto fan.

First I was exhausted years ago arguing with moron counter people over "what I needed". My favorite was trying to get a colder range spark plug for an aluminum head. The clown didn't understand what "colder plug meant" and was hell bent on "needing the year and model" of my car. So the big chains are of no use. unless I want to wax my car. And the few that know what they are doing charge 50-100% more than the Rock, as pointed out by others here.

Don't know what the answer is, but I have yet to be disappointed at Rock Auto, so I will keep buying there.

 

[steve from staten island]

It's not the new world order, it's called capitalism. If someone provides a service or product cheaper, better, faster, etc, the consumer will gravitate towards them. There are very few people that would pay more money JUST on principle to support a small business that offers less than a larger one. In the end, people vote with their wallets for their own best interests. It's capitalist evolution. The best thrive and survive.

You say "Capitalism" it may be so. I say its the standard of living declining in this country, not whose the president or any politics, just plain old fashioned greed. Cheaply made imported goods have driven this country to the condition it is economy wise and in this case its cheap imported auto parts sold by cheap auto chain stores and internet auto sites like Rock auto.

 

[roadrunnerh]

IMHO Dorman products are really hit or miss. "Made in China" exclusively, with shitty quality control a lot of the time.

 

[beanhead]

Never bought from them before (my good friend/US Marine/muscle car guy) works at my local O'Kragens..that said it's really nice to see a retailer standing up for their customers. As long as rock auto pays dorman what dorman charges rock auto, dorman has no business telling rock auto what to charge the end consumer.

 

[HT413]

Far as I'm concerned, rock auto's direct competition is all the mindless big box stores and their minimum wage counter people. and I hope they put them all out of business.

The little guys offer something that imho will survive - knowledgeable counter people.

 

[73HEMI_RR_GTX]

What I like about Rock Auto is they list parts by multiple manufactures with prices so you can decide what brand you're willing to pay for.
Also most all parts are made in a foreign country.
Even the staple part manufactures (Bendix,Autolite,AC/Delco,Raybestos and Goodyear) are not made in USA.
But I do give the local parts houses a shot.for my business.

 

[BBishere2]

What they are alleging Dorman is doing is price fixing, which is illegal. Dorman knows better - I read this as they've found a cheaper supplier and are dropping the Dorman line.

I do not do business with Rock Auto nor will I ever. Their commercials insult those of us that are in the parts business or were in the business. They claim to have all the parts your car will ever need, which is false, i.e., a lie.

I have about 20 years experience in parts, having owned my own NAPA store several years ago and working for both Ford & Chevrolet. I finished in the top 1% of parts managers in the nation for Ford one year and placed 3rd in the counterman olympics one year for NAPA. I also was among the 1st parts people to be ASE Certified in both Automobile and Light Truck, and Medium to Heavy Duty Truck in the nation.

While they portray counter people as lazy and ignorant, yes, there are some out there, I, along with my employees were not.
i trained my employees and utilized the expertise of our factory reps to educate our staff.

Rock Auto basically relies on their customers to look up parts and order them - meaning the bulk of their employees are warehouse clerks and stock help. There is far more to the auto parts arena than that, believe me. So they have a few employees to answer the phone, doing the same job they make fun of in their commercials. I for one am not impressed.

I'll deal face to face with our local parts operations and will call them out if they think they can pull one over on the dummy at the counter - gone so far to go back down the aisles, pick up a part off the shelf, bring it up to the counter and ask them if they want me to bill it out too - after they said they didn't have that part in stock.

 

[threewood]

I use Rock Auto all the time, I also use local Napa, AZ and Oreilleys when I need it right away and I will pay the premium. I had a RA alternator grenade in my car, completely came apart. For a warranty return I would be without my car for at least a week. Bought one from AZ with warranty. Any replacement with AZ will take me an hour without worry.

I really like RAs website and pricing. Their shipping is a pain in the butt and crapshoot as to how many warehouses and charges they stick you with.

 

[Mr Gorsky]

.....I do not do business with Rock Auto nor will I ever. Their commercials insult those of us that are in the parts business or were in the business. They claim to have all the parts your car will ever need, which is false, i.e., a lie.....

Rock Auto basically relies on their customers to look up parts and order them - meaning the bulk of their employees are warehouse clerks and stock help. There is far more to the auto parts arena than that, believe me.....

Most parts stores will hold a single line of parts to suit your car...ie: one Raybestos shoe to suit a '72 Dodge. Rock Auto hold Bosch, Raybestos, Wagner, Bendix, Friction Master, etc. Yeah there is some cheap crap among their stock lines, but you pick what you want....not just accept the only option your local parts store pushes across the counter.

Been shopping there a while, quite happy with their service. Still, they could do with a few Mopar magnets!!:

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I was fixing my neighbors Dodge Dakota 4x4 and had to do rear wheel cylinders. I went to all 3 of the local parts stores and all of them gave me "what the computer says I needed". Turns out I ended up having to get the guy to google the part number at the local oreillys. The wheel cylinder part number was actually an older mopar I think dart wheel cylinder. It was the original rear end and the parts they kept giving me had bolt alignment issues. Same parts 3 stores. The old days are gone but then again so are a lot of peoples work ethics. If it ain't in the puter they just don't have a clue about part numbers... And not worth their time.

 

[HT413]

What they are alleging Dorman is doing is price fixing, which is illegal.

This isn't really illegal. Many suppliers have prescribed prices. Heck, look at Wise potato chips - they print their own prices right on the bags.

Dorman is taking a stand against Rock auto's undercutting some of their preferred vendors. That's what has RA's panties in a bunch.

 

[Bladecutter]

Most parts stores will hold a single line of parts to suit your car...ie: one Raybestos shoe to suit a '72 Dodge. Rock Auto hold Bosch, Raybestos, Wagner, Bendix, Friction Master, etc. Yeah there is some cheap crap among their stock lines, but you pick what you want....not just accept the only option your local parts store pushes across the counter.

Been shopping there a while, quite happy with their service. Still, they could do with a few Mopar magnets!!:

View attachment 495159​

Dassault Falcon 50......one sweet bird

 

[BBishere2]

This isn't really illegal. Many suppliers have prescribed prices. Heck, look at Wise potato chips - they print their own prices right on the bags.

Dorman is taking a stand against Rock auto's undercutting some of their preferred vendors. That's what has RA's panties in a bunch.

All of the manufacturers have a 'suggested retail price' along with about 6-10 other price sheets that the stores use to build a price matrix of what to charge the customer - which is not illegal - what is illegal is when a manufacturer tells the stores what they will charge for their parts to the customer. Most of the stores have computerized inventory control and so those price sheets come up on the screen - most of the stores have built a matrix of percentages to charge for their various product lines and parts. Usually put customers in groups - retail walk-in, fleet, garage, master-intaller, farm, etc., depending on their purchase levels or discounts/rebates from the manufacturers.

 

[flypaper]

i despise the local auto parts junk crap stores
when i go there i only have the choice of the cheapest junk part available on their shelf
as being the only one in stock.
so i shop Rock Auto for a better quality part at a better price and
i will even search amazon for that matter if the part is really pricey
i don't put cheap crap junk parts on my daily and will pay
more for a quality part and rock auto give me the choice of quality
where my local store makes my choice for me.
i would happily go to a store if they ever carried what I'm after
all they do is waste my time for the most part.