Wanna know why Amazon, Ebay and others exist?

[deer30084]

Went to my dealer April 22, 2021 to get a fuel filter for my 2015 F3. Didn't have one. He ordered it and charged me and said it will be here next Tues. Went there "next Tues." and they didn't have it yet. Went the following week on a Friday. No fuel filter. Told it was back ordered. Called dealer yesterday 24 Aug 2021. Dealer said they won't be in until Sep 22, 202l and offered me a refund. I took it. HELLO E-bay! I tried to support my local dealer and all I did was waste time, gas and got a headache. It was only $18 and change. He'll survive.

[Mikey]

Is your dealer getting his parts on Ebay??? What are you trying to say??? If you are trying to say you should have gone to ebay, your right!!!!

[deer30084]

Is your dealer getting his parts on Ebay??? What are you trying to say??? If you are trying to say you should have gone to ebay, your right!!!!

I find it hard to believe my post is difficult to understand.

[JayBros]

You could have gone to a local auto parts store and gotten it faster and at less expense than from a dealership.

[Navydad]

I, like you, try to support local business as much as possible. We just saved $300 on a washer and dryer combo by buying local instead of a big box store and the local place has an actual repairman if needed. However there are some things such as Spyder and Moto Guzzi items that I order online. Spyder dealership is 40 miles away and Guzzi dealer is 100. I will call and ask if they have filters, gaskets etc. and if they have them in stock I'll have them send it to me. If not in stock I won't do the "we can order that for you" crap. I can order it myself and get it quicker.

[BajaRon]

I've have genuine BRP fuel filters in stock. Can ship it out today. $20.75 delivered.

Did you get a BRP fuel filter for $18 and change? Be careful. The Spyder/Ryker use a high pressure fuel delivery system which includes the fuel filter. You need a filter that will take the pressure. I have seen fuel filters listed for the Spyder/Ryker that will not stand up to the pressure used in these machines.

[deer30084]

You are right and about that "we can order it for ..." I guess in this case, I could have let "my fingers do the walking" as they used to say and called the dealer first to see if he had the filter before I went there. I frequently tell my wife I can buy what I need from the comfort of my computer chair and have it delivered to the door in a couple days rather than shop from store to store. There's not much I need immediately that I can't wait a few days for. But I do believe in giving my local businesses my business to support them. I'll go back to the dealer when I need to. I was just pointing out why people turn to alternatives for stuff they need.

[ARtraveler]

Many dealers are now stocking minimum to no parts. The Covid slowdown has not helped with the overnight or next day delivery many dealers were counting on to get parts and save on inventory money.

Common items are available from Amazon for sure. I always try local, but Amazon wins out a lot. And I get free delivery (no prime) and within a week or less. I have NEVER had to wait for anything ordered on Amazon. Have not used the local WalMart since March of 2020 when Covid came on. And the cost is even lower in most cases.

[Bangorbob]

I understood exactly what you were saying. When I go to a store and they tell me "I can order for you", my reply is: I can order it myself-I came to your store to see if you carried it. I agree that sometimes we pay a little more online, but I receive it fast most of the time.

[RICZ]

Whenever I can, I order from this forum's sponsors. I have never been disappointed - prices are fair, knowledge is excellent, service and delivery is very fast. I will order from eBay as a last resort for an item that is not available from the sponsors or locally. I will never use Amazon, their prices can be way higher than most other sources. Example: I looked up split exhaust clams on Amazon, in order to take a photo to my local, independent auto parts store. Amazon's price is $18 plus shipping as I don't have prime. My store had them priced at $4.95. Go figure.

[2dogs]

I've have genuine BRP fuel filters in stock. Can ship it out today. $20.75 delivered.

Did you get a BRP fuel filter for $18 and change? Be careful. The Spyder/Ryker use a high pressure fuel delivery system which includes the fuel filter. You need a filter that will take the pressure. I have seen fuel filters listed for the Spyder/Ryker that will not stand up to the pressure used in these machines.

As I understand you need special high-pressure hose clamps also when you install a new fuel filter. Not the usual small radiator-style hose clamps. And speaking of Amazon and other mail order deliveries by UPS and USPS, we are on our 4th lost package. The previous 3 messed-up deliveries have already been replaced or refunded. This last one was an expensive one and it may not end up as well as the last 3. We'll see in the coming weeks how they resolve it.

[ARtraveler]

Whenever I can, I order from this forum's sponsors. I have never been disappointed - prices are fair, knowledge is excellent, service and delivery is very fast. I will order from eBay as a last resort for an item that is not available from the sponsors or locally. I will never use Amazon, their prices can be way higher than most other sources. Example: I looked up split exhaust clams on Amazon, in order to take a photo to my local, independent auto parts store. Amazon's price is $18 plus shipping as I don't have prime. My store had them priced at $4.95. Go figure.

Note: Amazon Shipping: Most items you order will tell you if they incluide free shipping. Prime not required. Many times it has to do with "minimum" orders. In most cases $20 or more. In two years, I only had to pay shipping on one item and that amounted to less than $10. At checkout, there are a few options. They are always trying to sell "Prime," but I have never signed up. In all cases there is a "free" shipping option. You do NOT get next day delivery all the time, but most items are a week or less in transit. And sometimes, I get "prime" shipping anyway...at no extra charge. It's up to the supplier. I have found most items to be "less" than most retailers advertise. I have even bought a couple "big ticket" guitars for less than the big boys sell them for...and that included free shipping (a big item on guitars).

[RICZ]

ARtraveler...I hear ya loud and clear and I agree. BUT like those who don't like Starbucks, or Walmart, I don't like Amazon, just on principle. The example I gave did not offer free shipping, and I know many items do.
Maybe I am overly sensitive because I had a retail business that on line buyers stole sales from me and I was discounting steeply. So I stand by my word, that I like to do what I can to keep the ma and pa brick and mortar stores going, especially this forum's sponsors.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Many dealers are now stocking minimum to no parts in stock. The Covid slowdown has not helped with the overnight or next day delivery many dealers were counting on to get parts and save on inventory money.

Common items are available from Amazon for sure. I always try local, but Amazon wins out a lot. And I get free delivery (no prime) and within a week or less. I have NEVER had to wait for anything ordered on Amazon. Have not used the local WalMart since March of 2020 when Covid came on. And the cost is even lower in most cases.

It's not just Spyder's though ..... try getting almost any part for an Auto or Truck at a dealership .... They stopped stocking even common parts decades ago when the vehicle maker stopped fronting the parts to the dealers ....jmho .... Mike

[ARtraveler]

ARtraveler...I hear ya loud and clear and I agree. BUT like those who don't like Starbucks, or Walmart, I don't like Amazon, just on principle. The example I gave did not offer free shipping, and I know many items do.
Maybe I am overly sensitive because I had a retail business that on line buyers stole sales from me and I was discounting steeply. So I stand by my word, that I like to do what I can to keep the ma and pa brick and mortar stores going, especially this forum's sponsors.

I hear ya! We recently bought a new freezer. Our choices were Home Depot or the mom & pop appliance store. Mom & Pop won. Even though the same make and model freezer was $90 more than HD was offering. We also felt we were getting better service and the people were more knowledgeable about the product...and...they have a repairman on staff.

[Schreckftw]

Here is the rub with that and free shipping....There is no such thing! No carrier says hey I will take all your shipments for free. Its being paid by someone. That someone is the little guy or you. Amazon and Walmart.com are market places. This means a lot of small business sell products on those platforms. When it says free shipping either they are building it back in the price or that small business is taking a hit on what they sell.

Even with that I still buy online. I want to buy local but its hard. Like many say they just end up ordering it and you can do that yourself.

[2dogs]

Inventories in local stores are shrinking rapidly. Covid, inflation, and government handouts have all taken their toll on the American marketplace. And it isn't going to get better anytime soon.

[BajaRon]

Here is the rub with that and free shipping....There is no such thing! No carrier says hey I will take all your shipments for free. Its being paid by someone. That someone is the little guy or you. Amazon and Walmart.com are market places. This means a lot of small business sell products on those platforms. When it says free shipping either they are building it back in the price or that small business is taking a hit on what they sell.

Even with that I still buy online. I want to buy local but its hard. Like many say they just end up ordering it and you can do that yourself.

There are so many things in this life that people 'Know' that are not true. This is one of them.

NOTE!
I've gotten some PM's asking what I meant here. Sorry if it was not clear. I simply wanted to say that some actually believe that there is 'Free Shipping'. 'Free Shipping is just a marketing ploy. People love to get stuff for free. So, psychological, they will gravitate to 'Free Shipping' when there may be less expensive alternatives where shipping is charged. The thing to keep in mind is; 'How much money is going from my pocket to yours?' This will keep you from paying more than you have too if this is the only factor you are looking at.

Same thing applies to corporations, or any business, paying taxes. All business expenses (including taxes) are passed on to the buyer. So, when you raise taxes on those rich, greedy businesses. This increase is passed on to you in the form of higher product prices. The only winner is Government. They get the increase in revenue for doing nothing more than putting ink on paper. They didn't design or create anything. They didn't improve anything. But they get a revenue increase. The business charging more for their product isn't making any more profit. They are just breaking even on the forced cost increase. But business gets the blame for raising prices. And the very person who wanted the increased taxation on someone else, ends up unhappy with the results. But because they never see the shell game. They will vote for the same scenario all over again.

It's an amazing world we live in these days.

[Schreckftw]

There are so many things in this life that people 'Know' that are not true. This is one of them.

Cool just make that awesome statement without any detail as to what you think is wrong about my statement.

[Plarimer]

My experience exactly!

[BajaRon]

Cool just make that awesome statement without any detail as to what you think is wrong about my statement.

I didn't think anything was wrong with your statement. I was agreeing with you! Obviously, I didn't do a very good job of communicating this. Sorry...

[ARtraveler]

RE: Free shipping

Most of us are aware that shipping is a part of the "overhead" of the business. The company is going to pay for "free" shipping some way, some how.

If I am comparing prices AND get free shipping on an item that also has the "lower" price, I still consider the shipping as "free." I get the item I want for the "lowest" price AND they throw in "free" shipping on top of that. I see WIN, WIN for me anyway.

[SPYD3R]

Went to my dealer April 22, 2021 to get a fuel filter for my 2015 F3. Didn't have one. He ordered it and charged me and said it will be here next Tues. Went there "next Tues." and they didn't have it yet. Went the following week on a Friday. No fuel filter. Told it was back ordered. Called dealer yesterday 24 Aug 2021. Dealer said they won't be in until Sep 22, 202l and offered me a refund. I took it. HELLO E-bay! I tried to support my local dealer and all I did was waste time, gas and got a headache. It was only $18 and change. He'll survive.

FILTER is OTC at most all auto parts stores... see pic... the BIG issue is; REPLACING IT... basically, you need to remove most all of the upper Tuperware, windshield included, to get to the @*#$%$& thing....
20180320_132434.jpg 20180320_091100.jpg 20180319_140008 (1).jpg
good luck...
Dan
SPYD3R

[2dogs]

I think it was mentioned above, but again, make sure it's a high-pressure filter. BajaRon OEM filter for $20.75 and free shipping. LOL!

[deer30084]

I ordered the exact Can Am part on E-bay. Should have it soon and sooner than the dealer will get his supply.