Open Letter to Mac’s

[captaintaytay]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

SofaKing,
For what it's worth, I also got the emailed 16% discount (read "up to 16%", whatever that means), so on your part it was just a coincidence and not a planned insult.

Nonetheless, I too get tired of the hokey games they play with markups and discounts.

Your are right Mike, to many "hokey" games with discounts.
Make it simple offer a discount on everything, every couple of weeks.

 

[ems customer service]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Since I live in the once great state of NY, I get to pay 8% sales tax on top of it. Then I noticed there was sales tax on the shipping charge too. That was it. I canceled my online order.

ohio also requires shipping to be taxed, check the law in new york state, it may not be mac's decision to do that,

 

[Kube]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

SofaKing,
For what it's worth, I also got the emailed 16% discount (read "up to 16%", whatever that means), so on your part it was just a coincidence and not a planned insult.

Nonetheless, I too get tired of the hokey games they play with markups and discounts.

I am not defending Mac's way of doing business nor any other business that utilizes "sales offers" akin to those mentioned within this thread.
However, two glaring examples of how the typical American bases their buying are:
1) Recall when rebates on new car purchases were "odd"? When they were first introduced, they were for real. The major car companies were attempting to reduce their inventories. When, just a few years later, the major car manufacturers attempted to rid their advertising of rebates, there was a huge drop in sales. People waited for a rebate program. Now? The car companies continue as a matter of course, to offer so called rebates when they have continually raised the "bottom line".
2) J.C.Penney: Recall not that many years ago, the new (at that time) CEO lowered the prices of all inventory across the board and announced they (Penney's) would no longer invest in huge sale ads, etc. me? I liked it. No more BS looking at ads and waiting for a sale. The typical American? They didn't care for this and went away from Penney's as fast as their feet would allow. As many now know, J.C.Penney nearly went bankrupt and to this day is still suffering from that "innovation".
The bottom line has been proven: MOST American's expect and wait for a "sale". MOST Americans do not think far enough to understand the "bottom line" price is what truly matters.
This is not my opinion but fact based on years of research. Read any decent business journal and you are nearly certain to find an article or two that eludes to just this...

 

[packrat5]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I like correspondence like this. I hate learning the hard way all the time. I will certainly not buy anything from Macs
Eastwood likes to play those arrogant butt-head games sometimes too.
I usually look on Amazon first before anything else, if it's a bust they will cover it for you.

 

[Mike51Merc]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

So I just hung up the phone with Mac's customer service. Despite a July promotion for 15% off "all tops and weather stripping" and a one-day 16% off for today only, it seems that the convertible top seal "set" that I want to purchase does not quality for either discount (they did offer 5% off).

The reason? It was explained to me that since this is a "kit" and "already discounted" that it is excluded from the promotion, although there is no notice of that in their catalog or promotional literature, although there is a generic "exceptions may apply" which basically gives them the power to deny/revoke any discount they want.

I call BS and unless my back is completely against a wall I will not be placing any orders with Macs, Ecklers, or Dearborn in the future.

 

[sidevalve8ba]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I am not defending Mac's way of doing business nor any other business that utilizes "sales offers" akin to those mentioned within this thread.
However, two glaring examples of how the typical American bases their buying are:
1) Recall when rebates on new car purchases were "odd"? When they were first introduced, they were for real. The major car companies were attempting to reduce their inventories. When, just a few years later, the major car manufacturers attempted to rid their advertising of rebates, there was a huge drop in sales. People waited for a rebate program. Now? The car companies continue as a matter of course, to offer so called rebates when they have continually raised the "bottom line".
2) J.C.Penney: Recall not that many years ago, the new (at that time) CEO lowered the prices of all inventory across the board and announced they (Penney's) would no longer invest in huge sale ads, etc. me? I liked it. No more BS looking at ads and waiting for a sale. The typical American? They didn't care for this and went away from Penney's as fast as their feet would allow. As many now know, J.C.Penney nearly went bankrupt and to this day is still suffering from that "innovation".
The bottom line has been proven: MOST American's expect and wait for a "sale". MOST Americans do not think far enough to understand the "bottom line" price is what truly matters.
This is not my opinion but fact based on years of research. Read any decent business journal and you are nearly certain to find an article or two that eludes to just this...

Kube, I am with you all the way on this one. You've got to look at the bottom line to know what kind of a deal you are getting. So often discounts, rebates, etc. are purely distractions from what the actual pricing is on an item.

 

[Mike51Merc]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Kube, I am with you all the way on this one. You've got to look at the bottom line to know what kind of a deal you are getting. So often discounts, rebates, etc. are purely distractions from what the actual pricing is on an item.

A bit off-topic, but Kohl's as a retailer has mastered this stuff. They allow you to "stack" coupons and promotions and when you go through the cashier, they circle your "savings" on your receipt with a red pen. The "savings" usually outweighs your purchase price, so you walk away feeling like a winner, like you practically got the stuff for free. I'm telling ya, it's all smoke and mirrors!

It is also true that consumers are suckers for a "deal" and both sellers and buyers have fallen into this trap of continual promotions and sales. My wife used to work in retail info-systems and typically retailers just jack up prices and then discount them back down, leaving you right back where you should have been in the first place.

 

[Brian T]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Did you send this to the fellow that posts here?Goes by Ecklers.Great post.

I believe he only posts so that his Avatar advertises for Macs, I have never seen anything good come from him as to if the complaints have been discussed, most likely he was probably told to mind his own business.

 

[TagMan]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I believe he only posts so that his Avatar advertises for Macs, I have never seen anything good come from him as to if the complaints have been discussed, most likely he was probably told to mind his own business.

Ford Barn member, "Ecklers", came to my assistance when I complained on Ford Barn about an order that was taking an inordinate amount of time getting to me. He PM'd me, told me what the peoblem was and helped me get my part.

MAC'S certainly isn't perfect, but there's no reason to beat up on individuals. They don't make policy.

 

[1942deluxe]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Kube, As one of the few remaining "Mom and Pop" small Ford dealers in the country let me give you my viewpoint. I would rather have the prices of the vehicle lowered. We have to submit online to claim the rebates and get paid anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending how things hit. One time when I had my store in Iowa Ford owed me $43,000. I was in a town of 850 people and quite broke until they paid me. Can you imagine the float on say 2,500,000 vehicles just in rebate money? We are also paying floorplan interest on the full amount. Again if you took the rebate amount of the invoice it would save the dealer money. I have had rebates go up or down the day after someone bought a car and there is nothing you can do about it.

 

[35fordtn]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Kubes point is dead on in my opinion. Buyers are lured in by small savings and discounts, and get upset if they can't get them. That's how this whole thread started right? There are businesses in this hobby whom I steer clear from, but in the end they are all supplying us with needed parts and all are supporters of the hobby. When I started in the hobby I always enjoyed ordering parts from a smaller vendor and it was usually Dick Spadaro. The costs of the parts were sometimes a little higher, but I didn't care because smaller vendors like himself were always a more pleasant experience. You almost always got the same person on the phone, and likely that person was a hobbyist as well and could tell you how good or bad a certain reproduction part is from their own hands on experience. To me that was ALWAYS worth the few extra dollars.

 

[CarlG]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

My wife claims she saves me a ton of money every month. She only buys the things at the fabric store that are 50% off, (which is most everything!)

 

[waterboychuck]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I too received that email. I went on and started to order the few and inexpensive parts that I need. What I found was that Macs charges $6.00 for a part that DC charges $5.00.
Here's and example.
http://www.macsautoparts.com/ford_m...-cork-for-round-type-lamp-ford-passenger.html

http://dennis-carpenter.com/park-light-lens-gasket/p/21T-13211/

So where is my savings?

 

[Barry-ct]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

So many retailers are using the "up to" percent off nowadays. No one gets the full amount of the percentage and it's misleading. Kinda like not reading the fine print. Yes, we as hobbyist are getting parts we probably would not find in NOS, but they are being dishonest in their slick marketing.

 

[Flowmeister]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I'm going to incorporate "Vexing" into my regular vocabulary

 

[johnh7]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

You all know my take on Mac's, I only use C&G now. They are great to do business with.

 

[TJ]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I use C and G as much as I can. It's nice to talk with people that actually know their parts, will tell you if the part is a good repo or marginal and if the repo is the only one available. Shipping is always very reasonable.
I'm not to far from Sacramento Vintage, but they are usually out of stock on the parts I need. Their shipping is also pricey. Nice people but the knowledge of their parts by those who answer the phone is somewhat lacking. They also repackage items so you don't know who is the supplier or manufacturer of the part.

 

[30-9]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

Echo C&G and joblot top shelf

 

[WRA]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I don't use MAC's anymore. Ever since Eklers bought them out, State sales tax and shipping is almost 18% right off the bat. They just ain't competitive for me anymore.

C&G for me.

 

[ventura]

Re: Open Letter to Mac’s

I have been buying from Joes Antique in Massachusetts. No sales tax, and very very reasonable shipping fees. He covers 32-48 Ford. But, he does not sell generators. So, Macs just happened to have one on shelf formy 35 coupe. Didnt get 50 miles on it and generator died. Returned it under warranty June 22,. Still waiting. I calland ask for follow up, no reply. Missed 3 car shows I had paid to attend including Syracuse Nationals this weekend. Macs is not like the used to be.