Buyer beware: USP

[ReadTheBook]

Similar to how ECS has been operating for some time, USP seems to be having issues with saying items are “in-stock” when they don’t actually ”know where they are.”

My latest episode with them occurred today. I placed an order last weekend for an “In-stock” clutch bleeder block for my MK4.
5 business days have gone by without any shipping confirmation. I contacted them today and was told ”The item is technically in-stock, but it’s moving around between warehouses and we don’t know where it currently is or when it will actually ship.”

Meanwhile they are charging $33 for GROUND shipping on a ~3oz clutch bleeder block they could put into a USPS tracked envelope and ship for under $10 bucks. I asked if they could offer me any expedited shipping given the circumstances and the fact that it says in stock but they’ve failed to ship an in-stock item after about a week and are now telling me they don’t know where it is or when it will ship.

The response: “Well, every order is kind of like this right now, so if I did it for you I’d have to do it for everyone.” What??? All your orders are at least a week behind? Why aren’t you telling people? Why don’t your have a message at the top of your website to expect shipping delays.

A friend in an R32 owner’s chat I’m in told me he waited over 3 weeks for a gauge pod listed as in-stock to ship and they didn’t ship it, have blamed their supplier, and after he requested refund and cancellation of the order, it has been nearly a month without getting the refund. My story today reminded him he needed to call and follow up with them.

What kind of a screwed up business do they have going there?

I have had negative experiences in 2016, 2018, 2020 (all parts for MK7) and now 2023 with USP and I have actively tried my best not to do business with them, but in this case they’ve been the only game in town I’m aware of for a solid MK4 clutch bleeder block, other than ECS, who I don’t ever shop with after being burned way too many times. So now USP gets into that bucket of “never again.”

I want to put this out there because people should know about businesses who operate this way and then don’t have answers. It’s not right and they don’t deserve my business or yours.

 

[krs]

Most large vendors are drop ship companies, just he fact of life. Not backing USP by any means, or invalidating your experience.

 

[dtfd]

Most large vendors are drop ship companies, just he fact of life. Not backing USP by any means, or invalidating your experience.

That is true but I understand OP's frustration.

If it's drop shipped that's fine, label it as such so I can adjust my expectations. Plenty of companies state clearly an item "Ships from Vendor". If you tell me it's "In Stock" I take that as it is currently on a shelf in your warehouse that someone or something is going to grab and throw in a box either that day or the next business day. I expect drop ship to take a week, I don't expect in stock to take a week.

Particularly annoying if you're cross shopping a part that has downed your car.

Also USP's own website says something in stock "will usually ship same day if ordered by 4pm est"

 

[krs]

That is true but I understand OP's frustration.

If it's drop shipped that's fine, label it as such so I can adjust my expectations. Plenty of companies state clearly an item "Ships from Vendor". If you tell me it's "In Stock" I take that as it is currently on a shelf in your warehouse that someone or something is going to grab and throw in a box either that day or the next business day. I expect drop ship to take a week, I don't expect in stock to take a week.

Particularly annoying if you're cross shopping a part that has downed your car.

Also USP's own website says something in stock "will usually ship same day if ordered by 4pm est"

View attachment 273598

Yeah, I've just had to learn patience, and adjust my timelines for parts. (hoping my USP order arrives today)

Even if you call to validate something is in stock before you place the order....roll the dice.

 

[scrllock]

I'm also done with USP. Had to return some stuff, chose in-store credit to avoid the re-stocking fee. Ended up taking weeks and weeks for them to process it. Called in a couple times, no one answers the phone.

Practically speaking, these companies are just drop-shipping stuff at the same prices. The only differentiator is customer service.
I'll still occasionally use ECS for the free shipping, but BMP has that too and so far has been good. Honestly even with the changes to the warranty program FCP is still leagues ahead of everyone else due to how easy returns are.

 

[ChristopherNeil]

I have items on order from a few weeks ago that are supposed to be shipped out today –or next week – who knows? Email confirmation says next week, usps link says today. It's not an urgent part, so I'm not bothered. They've been fine enough in the past.

 

[ReadTheBook]

Most large vendors are drop ship companies, just he fact of life. Not backing USP by any means, or invalidating your experience.

Not in this case. This is their own house brand, Spulen. USP and ECS are the only ones who make a solid bleeder block I was looking for as far as I know. I’m just going to get another OEM one at this point because I don’t have faith or trust in either company.

Yeah, I've just had to learn patience, and adjust my timelines for parts. (hoping my USP order arrives today)

Even if you call to validate something is in stock before you place the order....roll the dice.

I mean, in some cases I guess, but it hasn’t been a problem for me generally over the last 18 months restoring my R32.
I’ve replaced 188 parts to date across many different orders from no less than 30 vendors around the world.

ECS and another site called oempartsource.com which was a shop operating under a chain of dealerships selling various brands of parts (coincidentally also in Ohio like ECS and has now closed up shop because they had shady business practices with many BBB complaints) are the only other companies that screwed me at all in that time period. I did experience a couple of UPS/USPS delays, but only a day or two.

I’ve even received shipments from cars245 and e-acca, both out of Latvia, in about a week’s time on multiple occasions since so many parts for the R32 are NLA in the US market..

FWIW, in this case, I ordered 6 other parts on Friday and Saturday afternoon last week from a variety of vendors across the country, all of them have arrived, I chose ground shipping for every vendor. USP can’t even see where their “in-stock” part is, let alone get it out the door in a reasonable timeframe for a reasonable price.

 

[ReadTheBook]

I have items on order from a few weeks ago that are supposed to be shipped out today –or next week – who knows? Email confirmation says next week, usps link says today. It's not an urgent part, so I'm not bothered. They've been fine enough id the past.

Good luck...

 

[ChristopherNeil]

Good luck...

For what it's worth, it's not listed as being in stock, so I'm just not terribly bothered. If it were listed in stock and still delayed, I'd have the money credited back already.

 

[ITGUY]

I don't know I haven't had an issue with ECS.. some items that are oem they take a day or 2 to get in stock. other items are dropped shipped. All in all they have been pretty good when I have ordered something. It is what to be expected no company can stock everything all the time.

 

[SPLR337]

I had a similar issue when my clutch release bearing failed. FCP is close and usually delivers next day or day after, even with the standard and free shipping. Verified the clutch kit was physically in stock in their warehouse before ordering. Placed an order the following day for an oil change kit because why not.

Oil change kit arrived within 2 days. I got told the clutch would ship "that day" each day I contacted them for a week. Showed up the day before I had the work scheduled. Took 8 days just to leave their warehouse.

However, that was the only time that has happened. It was just very annoying because I needed the parts in a timely manner and kept being misled about the shipping.

 

[Ezekiel81923]

I have primarily used ECS, FCP and Modded Euros and have never had an issue. Modded Euros is 20 minutes away so if they have something I order there, it shows up next day. Never had an issue with an individual vendor either, until...

I decided to kill my rear wiper. It's been 15 days and still waiting. Though it seems the shipping company they use is having a lot of issues recovering from a "cyber incident," there are banners all over the tracking page. But it begs the question, why not use someone else for a while?

 

[Acadia18]

You can find stories like this about every vendor unfortunately. Just the nature of the game.

FCP & RockAuto are my two go-tos for OEM stuff. UroTuning is my first stop for aftermarket.

 

[messrock]

I have primarily used ECS, FCP and Modded Euros and have never had an issue. Modded Euros is 20 minutes away so if they have something I order there, it shows up next day. Never had an issue with an individual vendor either, until...

I decided to kill my rear wiper. It's been 15 days and still waiting. Though it seems the shipping company they use is having a lot of issues recovering from a "cyber incident," there are banners all over the tracking page. But it begs the question, why not use someone else for a while?

The logistics of switching providers for short term changes are messy. It would end up being far more difficult. Nvm there probably isn’t anybody out there that would provide a short term contract to cover for one of their competitors.

 

[ReadTheBook]

I had a similar issue when my clutch release bearing failed. FCP is close and usually delivers next day or day after, even with the standard and free shipping. Verified the clutch kit was physically in stock in their warehouse before ordering. Placed an order the following day for an oil change kit because why not.

Oil change kit arrived within 2 days. I got told the clutch would ship "that day" each day I contacted them for a week. Showed up the day before I had the work scheduled. Took 8 days just to leave their warehouse.

However, that was the only time that has happened. It was just very annoying because I needed the parts in a timely manner and kept being misled about the shipping.

I’ve probably ordered $10-15k of stuff from FCP over the years, I have only once experienced any delay and it wasn’t on them. What I will say is that FCP’s parts catalog is a fucking MESS. I’ve talked to their VW catalog manager about it and there’s “nothing they can do other than fix it as customers inform them of parts that are not coming up for their cars.”

ECS shipping issues… it happened literally every time I ordered something back when I had an e90 BMW and a few other VWs along the way.

What’s worse for me is that ECS hasn’t stood by two of their own house branded products, one I bought about 10 years ago and the other was about 5-6 years ago, their hatch pop kit for the MK7, which was marketed with videos demoing it’s smooth and controlled operation. The kit I got flung our hatch open in an an uncontrolled manner, causing the hatch to bounce several times and definitely putting a ton of stress on the hatch hinges and especially on the ball studs where the gas shocks connected both on the hatch and on the body. Within a few days of use I was seeing small paint cracks near the ball studs. They refused for two months to do anything about it while I went back and forth with them, using their OWN marketing materials for the product as evidence along with my own videos and photos and they were just, deny deny deny, we won’t help you, we won’t issue a refund because you installed it. They even tried to blame me and call it installation error. I felt like I was dealing with a company the likes of Fox News and had their “alternative facts”, it was incredible.

When I picked up my MK4 R32, I was looking at ECS because I do admittedly find their catalog to be great for finding part numbers. I decided to roll the dice for the first time in 4 years with them because they had pre assembled kits for various things I needed (cooling system parts, timing chains, clutch kit, bushing sets, etc.) all listed in stock and actually reasonably priced.

I put together a $1500 order and let it rip. A MONTH later I still didn’t have a single item. I kept calling to find out WTF was going on and would have to wait forever to speak to someone. Always excuses and always told “oh it’ll ship in a few days” or something of the like. Literally waited over an hour once. Finally cancelled the order and told them to pound sand. Just more utterly unprofessional garbage from them.