As if often the case, I read this thread after my own trouble with RPM. this is the text from the email I sent them this morning:

I wanted to bring you up to speed on the status of my order, your Inv# 8******. First let me say that you and you alone have behaved in a courteous and professional manner during the course of this transaction:

I realize that you have been out of work due to illness, but you have yet to reply to my phone messages. The K&N FIPK arrived as you promised in our last telcom and RPM received the Hurst Shifter, for the second time, on 22AUG05 (signed for by Daniel). As of today 01SEP05 no credit has been issued to my Discover Card. I think RPM has had sufficient time to do so. I phoned RPM again today and was told that it took 7 to 14 days to issue credit, which is bogus. I am still not pleased with the fact that you charged my account for both the shifter, which was shipped, and for the K&N (backordered and not received until 22AUG05) on 25JUL05.

As of today your website still shows the Hurst Shifter as fitting the 05 Mustang V6, which is inaccurate. This entire episode has convinced me that I will spend my money elsewhere in the future. To ensure that I would receive my refund, I have contacted Discover Customer Service and disputed your charge for the $229.95 (the amount invoiced for the shifter) . I will of course pay the balance of the order.

 

Once again, they told me that 7-14 day bullcrap and Im still waiting for my refund. I charged it on my credit card. They have the chip back, i Next Day Aired it, can i dispute the charge still??

 

Good for you Jim I wish everyone would stand up and be counted rather than laying down and allowing businesses to run all over them and even engage in unlawful practices. Notification of said practices to the Federal Trade Commission would be the next step along with notification to Visa, MasterCard, Better Business Bureau and other credit card companies.

 

YAY, just checked my credit card, got my money back! About time!

 

---EDIT--

 

Thanks for the info George. That is just not right.

 

I've bought from RPM Outlet in the past and got reasonably good service, prices and parts. It's a shame they have stooped to this...

 

Here's my response from Auto Anything today:

I contacted the manufacturer regarding your order. Unfortunately, your order has not shipped yet. They are hoping to have it shipped by 9/6. We sincerely apologize for this delay and the resulting inconvenience.

All orders are custom products and are therefore charged up front. That is the reason your card is charged when the order is placed. If you wish to cancel your order, I would be happy to do this for you and issue you a refund. Again, I apologize for the frustration you feel and hope to help you any way I can.

If I can be of further assistance to you, please feel free to reply directly to this email. Thank you for choosing AutoAnything and have a wonderful day.

Best regards,

--Julie

HOPING to have it shipped?

Way to do business there, you a**hat.......

 

Here is another short story, if you bare with me you'll see the point.

Yesterday I went to Walgreens' for a prescription, I was asked if I had insurance I said yes but I didn't have the information since I haven't needed a presciption in thirty years. It came to over $60 and I paid with the Visa card.

My wife came home and told me we were registered with Walgreens' and the required information should be on their data base, so we went over there, showed the insurance card and ID, the verification took less than a minute. Instantly and without any hesitation we were given a $52 refund credited to the Visa account. That's service.

I would think all companies which deal with credit card transactions have the same access to charging and refunding policies.

 

I am sure you are aware that there are some mail order places that have no inventory and drop ship from someone else. These are sometimes called minimum risk companies. Maybe Auto Anything is one of those. Everything would be a custom order. I know their prices are shy-high so I have never ordered from them.

 

From the other side of the fence..

I have a popular company that manufactures performance parts for cars.

One week, we received several phone calls complaining about our parts being on back order. Of course I knew that something was going on, because these parts were not on back order. We had them in stock.

Upon further investigation with the customers, RPM Outlet was taking orders for our product, and billing customers credit cards immediately.

Here is the kicker: We had never heard of them. They were apparently taking orders, getting the money, and then intended to try to order in bulk from one of our distributors and get a better deal.

This is such a slimy practice that we asked all of our distributors not to deal with them.

 

RPM Outlet is known for this kind of practice they actually had to change their name. They were once known as RPM Performance out of Pasadena,TX. They had numerous complaints filed with the BBB,and moved out of Pasadena to Stafford Tx where they are located now. The owner of RPM runs his car out hear at Houston raceway Park his name is George I can remember his last name. That I know of they only screw people that are far away from there office. I have never heard of them screwing any locals,since I guess they know somebody will come knocking on their door