Author Topic: Rick's new catalog  (Read 36721 times)

Bjv69ss

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #30 on: November 12, 2007, 11:43:42 PM »
I thought I would share this email with you...I wrote to ricks and basicly said WHAT"S UP!  They responded this time with this email.  It is as follows:

Hey Joe,
Some of those prices were due to a normal price increase. Originally,
that part was $8.95 in our 2006 catalog...in our old computer system
before the buyout the price was $12.95. Cost went up drastically on that
item. But, you are right some have been seriously adjusted wrong. Chris
and I are working on the pricing right now to get things inline as they
used to be before the buyout and price changing.
We are still the still the same knowledgeable folks down here you have
dealt with forever. I think you and I have dealt on several things in
the past.
We are working with Eckler's to get the pricing corrected and get them
on the same page as the Camaro industry rather than the Corvette
industry.

Thanks for your time and your business,

Kelley
First Generation


I don't know about you guys but I'm feeling a little better about Rick's... and you?
1969 Fathom Green
SS 350 Coupe 
71 Impala Sport Coupe

68Zproject

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1868
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #31 on: November 13, 2007, 01:33:27 AM »
I don't think all of us would waste our time to discuss this topic, if we didn't feel or hope something could be done to change it.  Hopefully we have been heard and things can get back to where they should be.  However, the potential loss of business is something they'll have to deal with.
68Z28

Bjv69ss

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #32 on: November 13, 2007, 01:44:50 AM »
I agree.  It's probably time to stop discussing and wait and see what happens.
1969 Fathom Green
SS 350 Coupe 
71 Impala Sport Coupe

camaro502z

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 4
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #33 on: November 13, 2007, 01:52:48 PM »
Joe, you're correct, I was looking at a different part number.  Rick's catalog was two years old and the vendor price changed during this period.  I looked at the vendor cost and it is much higher than the retail cost previously indicated in the old Rick's catalog.  This is the reason for the retail price increase.  Rick's offers numerous technically correct parts for customers building technically correct Camaros for shows as well as resale.  I agree with you in the fact that many other companies offer Camaro parts at lower prices, but being in the resale business, I understand that all parts are not the same quality.  I spend countless hours during the day talking to shops who install parts and I know first hand about inferior parts.  Please keep this in mind when you make your purchases and if I can help you in any way please call me at 800-456-1957 ext 444.

offrapel

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 8
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #34 on: November 14, 2007, 04:57:43 AM »
I'm not trying to start a flame war here.

I live in Seattle, and have ordered from Ricks for years.  It always bothered me that when I input my zip code, then entered parts, the shipping was very expensive.  And I understand that, it's a long way.

But, I just ordered a couple things a few weeks ago, and the shipping was very quick, and a much cheeper.  I got the parts right away and the shipping charges were < 20% of the total price of the parts.  It usually costs me an additional 30 - 50% for shipping.

Examples:
Before Ecklers - $157 worth of brake components cost $62 to ship.
After Ecklers - $105 worth of brake parts cost $17 to ship.

And, they came in a few days, not 5-6 business days like before.

Yes, I know that they wern't the exact parts, and this wasn't a scientific experiment where the same parts were ordered before and after. 

But I'm very happy with Ricks, they have the most correct parts, and best technical support of any place I have ordered from.

Just my 2 cents.  By the way, I work in the marine industry and have no affiliation with Ricks or Ecklers.

Dave

Bjv69ss

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #35 on: November 14, 2007, 11:09:04 AM »
Maybe they are waking up! 
1969 Fathom Green
SS 350 Coupe 
71 Impala Sport Coupe

69LM1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 50
    • View Profile
    • http://www.69lm1.com
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #36 on: November 18, 2007, 10:20:47 PM »
I just bought some floor pans from Belair Bob, Bob shipped the same day, and packaged them well. Thumbs Up! I plan on using him again, also it helps that he is an active member at camaros.net, so I would imagine that he wants to keep his reputation intact.

Rich
Rich Pern
2012 Mustang Boss 302
69 COPO Camaro "Tin Soldier"
70 Z28 COPO
69 Camaro 307. Orig car from High School

Bjv69ss

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #37 on: November 18, 2007, 10:28:57 PM »
I never knew they did camaro stuff
1969 Fathom Green
SS 350 Coupe 
71 Impala Sport Coupe

texasappraiser

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 23
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #38 on: November 19, 2007, 04:03:36 AM »
You all know that Rick's was bought by Eckler's? They also charge for sameday shipping, $3.95. Rick's use to ship everthing the same day for free. Ground Up Restorations is a good source also. Muscle Car City in MI is OK also.

Figures - Eckler's SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hotrod68

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 520
  • almost finished
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #39 on: November 19, 2007, 05:12:45 AM »
I just bought some stuff from Rick's because they were the only ones who had what I needed--they charged me $18 shipping for 3 pounds of box and small parts. That's road-agent robbery. It doesn't cost $18 to ship a 3 lb box from GA to NC by ground--I know; I do S&R at a Chevy dealership. The same box would have left our place UPS with about $5 shipping on it. We don't charge for pullling, boxing and paperwork--we just ship the part. For my part, it's bad business for a company to rip its customers off like that--perhaps it pays for the pretty catalog. I guess if you need it badly enough you'll pay what it takes. I sure have! 
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior

Bjv69ss

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 287
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #40 on: November 19, 2007, 11:12:15 AM »
What I don't understand is WHY is it that Rick's is the only supplier that has some of the stuff we need.  Someone is producing the parts.  They can't be making them soley for Rick's...can they?
1969 Fathom Green
SS 350 Coupe 
71 Impala Sport Coupe

Steve68

  • CRG Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 521
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #41 on: November 19, 2007, 03:13:47 PM »
hotrod

Why don't you do us all a favor and call them and ask why their costs for shipping seem so high?  Armed with your knowledge of shipping costs you are probably one of the best folks here to investigate it for us and to know if their answers are just smoke.

Steve

Buddy

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #42 on: November 19, 2007, 08:51:27 PM »
Does Belair Bob have a website?

Thx

hotrod68

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 520
  • almost finished
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #43 on: November 20, 2007, 05:02:48 AM »
Bj--it's because of the volume of parts that Rick's and the bigger suppliers handle. The repro parts are all made by the same manufacturers and all the vendors have access to them--it's simply a question of profitability for the smaller guys as to whether they'll offer them or not. The resto business is a cutthroat market, and most of the smaller companies will only carry what they can expect to sell and not have a lot of seldom-sold, dead-inventory parts tied up in overhead. It's really that simple. It's all about profit vs profit margin.   And Steve, as a part of retail, I know why Rick's shipping is so outrageous--they automatically tack a minimum shipping & handling charge onto orders. It might be a $5 4lb part or a $15 1 lb part, but yer still gonna pay a base fee. The dirty little secret is when you see "shipping & handling" on the bill. 'Shipping' means what they pay a carrier to actually ship the order. 'Handling' is the gotcha. That means the company charges over and above the cost of the part and the actual shipping charges for their employees to pull a part from a shelf, box it up, invoice it, and set it out for the UPS man to pick up. It's a lot like government--chuckle--the bigger you get, the more arrogant you seem to become, and you forget what got you there when you were a little guy. Rick's has become bloated and arrogant in my opinion, for what that's worth.     
HotRod'68  1968 SS350 coupe undergoing frame-off resto/rod. 386/350/4.11s
Butternut Yellow    black standard interior

68Zproject

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1868
    • View Profile
Re: Rick's new catalog
« Reply #44 on: November 20, 2007, 05:56:42 AM »
68Z28

 

anything