Beware of First place parts

Schaefer17 · Jan 23, 2014

I ordered some 509 goggles on Dec. 16 and I actually just got an email yesterday with tracking info saying there were just shipped out.

Sickbuild · Jan 23, 2014

As of now your are going to hard pressed to talk to a freakin human. Good luck to you.:face-icon-small-win
in the mean time everyone says there great!
Don't worry,So sit back wait another 3 weeks and hope you'll get it sorted out so you can go ride with your new gear. Or I guess stop charges and buy from many other retailers that have phones and will keep lines of communication open.

Biodude · Jan 23, 2014

I truly hope this is not the case, but it is commonplace for orders to be suspended at the factory or supplier when the distributor is slow on paying their bill. So the end user that ordered it and has already paid for it waits until the ditributor pays the bill to the factory or supplier. He of course is able to do this when he has collected enough money from the next guy or guys that order from him. Basically it is like taking money from Peter to pay Paul...This happened quite often with my snap-on rep, until he lost his franchise...I would definitely be cautious if it were me considering buying from them.

Ford_Excursion5 · Jan 29, 2014

They didn't answer their phone so took my business to blown motor instead. I live near the store and normally it sucks going in there.

line8 · Jan 29, 2014

Thought I would chime back in and give them a positive since I commented earlier. I did get my goggles this week. It was a little slow but sooner than they said it would be.

hughesfoundation · Feb 6, 2014

I don't know what happened to First Place but I too was taken care of after back orders and such. They swapped my bibs when they were too small and gave me a refund when I bought Klim after waiting on MotorFirst backorders. I sure wish they would have come on here to explain supply problems but guess they have their reasons.

FirstPlaceParts · Feb 8, 2014

FirstPlaceParts.com Issues

Biodude said:
I truly hope this is not the case, but it is commonplace for orders to be suspended at the factory or supplier when the distributor is slow on paying their bill. So the end user that ordered it and has already paid for it waits until the ditributor pays the bill to the factory or supplier. He of course is able to do this when he has collected enough money from the next guy or guys that order from him. Basically it is like taking money from Peter to pay Paul...This happened quite often with my snap-on rep, until he lost his franchise...I would definitely be cautious if it were me considering buying from them.

Don't know where to start so here goes: the above is definitely not the case, if you could talk to our Manufacturers we are one of the few who pay up front and pay our bills on time. So, NO we do not take orders and wait until we get enough money to place an order. I'm going to be brutally honest here, this is part of the problem with forums, guys getting on and talking about something they know nothing about. I'll address some more of this below, so please read the rest.

Yes we have had troubles answering our phones, to be brutally honest we were too busy filling orders to answer the phones. To address all the comments I gotten when I say this, no you cannot just hire more people during the busy season. They would not understand the computer system and we cannot take away from the people we do have to spend a week or two to train new people during the busy season.

For about the last three years we have been adding more employees thinking this year we are set, this has not been the case. We get busier every year and do the best we can with what we have. We will be adding on to our building this summer which I think will help with some of this. We are going to address the phone issue before next winter so we can answer phones during the day when they most need to be answered we are also going to answer phones into the evening to help with the volume during the day. So yes we did have issues with answering phones and we will have that fixed before next season.

The email issue, another honest answer here: I cannot tell you how many times I was emailed, PM'd, read in the forums about people not getting a response to their email. So I went into the office of the gal that answers our emails on many occasions to have her show me that the email was sent and it was sent in a timely manner. If guys did not get a response in a day they would bitch, if it took two days they would bitch some more but most all of our emails were replied to in a day or two. People need to check their spam folder, wait a couple of days for a response.

I'm not going to say that some of our orders should not have been sent out quicker, this is why we are adding on to the store. It will help us automate the process.

But: we are the largest stocking dealer for the following brands, 509, Klim, MotorFist, Divas, Castle X, maybe FXR, HMK and a few more. So usually if we don't have it nobody does. With that being said most of our issues with getting orders out was caused by the manufacturers, not making excuses just telling you how it is. I'm not going to mention names but several of them just did not have the product in the country yet or their re-order from overseas was delayed. We can only stock so much and cannot stock every item from every manufacturer in multiples of 100’s, if I had a good $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 maybe. We stock more than anyone else in the industry and carryover more than anyone else in the industry, I always say that if you don't have it you cannot sell it. This is true to a point. So most of the bitching, deservedly so, I see on the forums is usually a product we do not have, the manufacturers does not have, nor does anyone else in most cases.

I would like to say that yes we do have some issues we need to work on but in most cases the bitching is from a select few, like guys who place and order at 8:00pm and chooses overnight and wonders why it is not there the next day. I could go on and on with examples that would blow you mind. What about the 1000’s of orders and customers that had a great experience ordering from us, we don’t hear from them usually. So with all that said, I’m not placing blame because ultimately it comes down to us; we are the ones selling you the product. We strive to do better than we did last year and that is still our goal.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w

unctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

oNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w

ontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w

ontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->

gonehuntnpowder · Feb 9, 2014

Purchased the bulk of my gear from First Place Parts. Those guys are great.

allied1 · Feb 12, 2014

FirstPlaceParts said:
 Don't know where to start so here goes: the above is definitely not the case, if you could talk to our Manufacturers we are one of the few who pay up front and pay our bills on time. So, NO we do not take orders and wait until we get enough money to place an order. I'm going to be brutally honest here, this is part of the problem with forums, guys getting on and talking about something they know nothing about. I'll address some more of this below, so please read the rest.

Yes we have had troubles answering our phones, to be brutally honest we were too busy filling orders to answer the phones. To address all the comments I gotten when I say this, no you cannot just hire more people during the busy season. They would not understand the computer system and we cannot take away from the people we do have to spend a week or two to train new people during the busy season.

For about the last three years we have been adding more employees thinking this year we are set, this has not been the case. We get busier every year and do the best we can with what we have. We will be adding on to our building this summer which I think will help with some of this. We are going to address the phone issue before next winter so we can answer phones during the day when they most need to be answered we are also going to answer phones into the evening to help with the volume during the day. So yes we did have issues with answering phones and we will have that fixed before next season.

The email issue, another honest answer here: I cannot tell you how many times I was emailed, PM'd, read in the forums about people not getting a response to their email. So I went into the office of the gal that answers our emails on many occasions to have her show me that the email was sent and it was sent in a timely manner. If guys did not get a response in a day they would bitch, if it took two days they would bitch some more but most all of our emails were replied to in a day or two. People need to check their spam folder, wait a couple of days for a response.

I'm not going to say that some of our orders should not have been sent out quicker, this is why we are adding on to the store. It will help us automate the process.

But: we are the largest stocking dealer for the following brands, 509, Klim, MotorFist, Divas, Castle X, maybe FXR, HMK and a few more. So usually if we don't have it nobody does. With that being said most of our issues with getting orders out was caused by the manufacturers, not making excuses just telling you how it is. I'm not going to mention names but several of them just did not have the product in the country yet or their re-order from overseas was delayed. We can only stock so much and cannot stock every item from every manufacturer in multiples of 100’s, if I had a good $5,000,000 to $10,000,000 maybe. We stock more than anyone else in the industry and carryover more than anyone else in the industry, I always say that if you don't have it you cannot sell it. This is true to a point. So most of the bitching, deservedly so, I see on the forums is usually a product we do not have, the manufacturers does not have, nor does anyone else in most cases.

I would like to say that yes we do have some issues we need to work on but in most cases the bitching is from a select few, like guys who place and order at 8:00pm and chooses overnight and wonders why it is not there the next day. I could go on and on with examples that would blow you mind. What about the 1000’s of orders and customers that had a great experience ordering from us, we don’t hear from them usually. So with all that said, I’m not placing blame because ultimately it comes down to us; we are the ones selling you the product. We strive to do better than we did last year and that is still our goal.

Thanks for your explanation. Most people do not understand global marketing, overseas shipping, inventory control, market share, competitive markets, managing people, market trends, etc. In our push button, I want it now society we live in today, with all of the gov't red tape and regs, running any business is a real bitch! Then throw a small market parts business with lots of competition in the mix! Most people would rather shoot themselves rather than own or run one! You guys are A OK! I will continue my business with you!

Disclaimer: I'm NOT a mod on here! :face-icon-small-win

sleddin pete · Feb 13, 2014

No problems with First Place Parts for me.Placed my order Friday afternoon,shipped Monday got it on Wednesday.

Marty UT · Feb 13, 2014

Another :thumb::thumb: for First Place Parts!!!!

trackvs2wheels · Feb 13, 2014

I ordered some boots for my father from FPP around the Holidays and they even put a pair of Klim socks in with the boots for me even though the promotion had expired!

I'd buy from them again in a heartbeat!!!

Thanks FPP for putting South Dakotan's to work!!!!!:face-icon-small-coo

Mafesto · Feb 14, 2014

FPP is in their 3rd location in only a short period of being in business.
This illustrates just how rapidly the business has grown.
Of course that's the goal, but to grow that fast will always come with growing pains.
Mark runs a fantastic operation & there is no way it would be growing leaps & bounds without running top notch.

We all have a pretty good idea each fall which items are on our wish list, so why is it we wait until riding time to order it?

FirstPlaceParts · Feb 15, 2014

Thanks for the positive response from everyone.

As most of you have read my reply above I'd like to add one more thing, I could add many.

There are many ways an order or business can get screwed over, take the government shutdown for example. Two manufactures had shipments coming in and the ship was in port but could not be unloaded because the ships were not unloaded during the shutdown. Not saying all ships were not unloaded but I know of two that had to wait for the shutdown to end. So ya we gave a date on our website saying when some items were going to be shipped and it was wrong because we could not get the product. Again not making excuses but it is something almost no one thinks about.

Thanks
Mark
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w

unctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

oNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w

ontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w

ontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->

Sickbuild · Feb 17, 2014

Mmm

I think your missing the point? The most of the complaints weren't supply and demand type issues. Just plain Ol' answer your phones so people can talk to someone about ??.Yes,the option to email is there and many found that was the only way of any communication. Yes this transaction revolved before and after the Xmas holiday and some of you were out west, but a month plus holiday? I did what mark suggested and returned item and labeled/ and gave instructions in 4 places on what I wanted and what was told to do. Days pass as I watch my tracking # just to make sure it got there. I tried calling but as usual no answer. I tried to be strategic and call in the morning, afternoon,before closing hours. Nope. I was thinking oh shat this is the first time I've delt with this company and thought well I hope I hear from them or I get some boots back. Then out of the blue I get a call on my cell,finally get a real person calling me saying they credited back the card? I was thinking what the hell? Where was the communication? Oh well, I didn't care a whole lot I was elated to be talking to someone after 20+ calls and emails at days apart. I wasn't getting pissed at mark either, he said it takes sometimes a day or two to get back. The problem lies in my case was the return policy and I was running out of time according to your site and I couldnt even with email get a definite answer to how to handle my situation. However the lady was nice and did a reversal of the credit back and was able to get an alternative to motorfist boots.
As another posted " we all had ideas of what we want and should have ordered earlier" um I actually didn't order it was a family member ordering as a gift. So no controll there.

It just left a first timer dealing with your company a bad taste is all. Then I start reading the multiple posts negative saying they can't get ahold of you guys either. it just made it that more uneasy. It's done. It in the past! And I will shut up and wish you guys the best.

srt20 · Feb 18, 2014

If you don't have it in stock, put "out of stock" on the damn website.
I understand if the manufacturer has problems it affects you. But if you let people know you don't have it in stock before we order it, we can't bitch at you.
Happened twice to me this year, even after you said you would be updating the site to inform us.

I don't need to comment about the phones. But some of my emails got answered, and some never did.

I emailed motorfist ONE(1) time, and got the answers I needed and finally the product. Motorfist themselves did send me some free socks for my troubles.

A explanation from you guys to me would have been great at the time of my issues, as I'm sure many others would have appreciated it aswell.

FirstPlaceParts · Feb 19, 2014

Customer Service

 I really do understand all of your frustrations. I have not been making excuses because it is all on First Place Parts but I would like to again explain a couple of things. ***I may not be as frustrated as you guys but as a business owner to hear this it really frustrates me also. I've been on the web since 2001 with two businesses and First Place Parts has literally grown too fast. Look up on of the biggest demises of a small business and one of the main reasons in growing too fast, we fall into this category. We've added employees every year, increased our inventory and we just cannot seem to keep up.

Parts Unlimited is a Billion Dollar business and they started out of a van, I've met the owner and his kids and they are very nice people. I'm not saying that we will get to that point but I'm sure Parts have had their problems over the years.

I know I said no excuses but here is my excuse:

1. We've grown too fast, but have added more people every year.
2. We advertise too much, this has heart us, we are cutting back this year.
3. We trust the manufacture to keep their word on delivery dates, no more.

I could add a couple more but what is the point.

Here is how we are going to HOPEFULLY going to fix these problems:

1. Add on to the store this summer.
2. Change our phone system.
3. Add a call center to answer phones and emails.

So here is the deal, I stared www.AnySunglasses.com in 2001 and spent about 5 years marketing that site and started going to the mountains all the time and could not find any gear that I wanted to buy so I started FirstPlaceParts.com. We moved three times have added employees every year and just seem to get overwhelmed every year. So we are going in all next season, adding on and adding employees just to answer phones and emails. My main goal of the site was to give people living, like me, in the middle of no were a place to order their gear.

I will say I'm sick of responding to these posts, not on your end, but on my end. We need to fix things on our end so I don't have to.

Ya many excuses, tried not to, but don't know what else to do.

Let me give one example: say you owned a body shop and the town had a hail storm and you could not turn back any business and they all wanted it by X-Mas, you really cannot hire more people. Customers would be pissed off and they don't care about the excuses about paint you cannot get, they just want their car. The only way I really could avoid this would be to shut down the site which would also create problems.


<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w

unctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

oNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w

ontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w

ontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> I'm sorry for the excuses; we are working hard, and hopefully will do better in the future by answering phones and emails in a very timely manner next season. I could go on forever, but I'll stop.

Thanks
Mark

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w

unctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w

oNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w

ontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w

ontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->

FirstPlaceParts · Feb 19, 2014

I'd like to add one more thing, I started FirstPlaceParts.com because I could not buy Klim Gear within about 400 miles from were I lived and No One carried it online at that point. All of the magazines only caried parts adds, so I decied to start FPP for anyone who wanted gear and not parts, and FPP was born. I rode all the time and could not find gear to wear and ended up buying my first set of Klim gear at the Yamaha shop in Cook City, the old shop on the west end of town about 10 years ago.

Thanks
Mark

Wheel House Motorsports · Feb 19, 2014

some people just dont get things...

the amount of time and effort of keeping all internet/website up to speed, keeping accurate information describing lead times, backorders, stock levels, etc, is painfully challanging.

it takes SO little to cause this perfect little system to go haywire and with the pure variation of sizes, brands colors, etc, its not like you have 1000 sets of everything and you never get low. to survive you have to have what you need, no extra, but enough to meet seasonal supply. so for each size/color/brand your always close to zero, one delayed shipment, lost package, return shipment, etc etc etc creates chaos and it takes a massive amount of time to keep accurate, and there will always be holes.

no buisness in this industry is massive and fully automated like we wish we could be. i have spent hours wading through voicemails, trying to decipher phone numbers im supposed to call back to but they were driving though a tunnel leaving the message. then guy gets mad when you don't call them back.

there are an insane amount of stupid simple things that can go wrong in the customer/buisness interaction that most end users don't realize how much chaos they cause.

Props to FPP to running a killer business and making it in this tiny industry we like to do battle in.

MotorFist · Feb 21, 2014

First Place Parts pays their bills and does a stand up job.

We had problems with late delivery on boots and I think they stepped up and handled OUR situation very well. We also stepped in and did something to help those that wanted our product from FPP where we could.

By and large I think FPP delivers on time with great customer service. It's proven by their growth. Growth also brings problems too, as FPP stated here. But again, for the most part they have done an outstanding job with us and our products.

Problems happen. Till problems go away, We all should be doing more of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwDiuPmpavQ&list=UUjTBDmXx2ZR2NsYaZYOqdTg&feature=c4-overview

Beware of First place parts

New member

New member

Well-known member

SnoWest Paid Sponsor

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Stirring the pot

Well-known member

Well-known member

SnoWest Paid Sponsor

Well-known member

SnoWest Paid Sponsor

SnoWest Paid Sponsor

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads