When is overprice, a Rippoff ?

[RJsfishin]

I can't remember ever taking an iten back for a refund because it was cheaper some where else, but I did a couple days ago at Napa Auto.
I needed an auto part, and a wd40, so thought even tho the wd would be a buck+ more, I would just get it there. But looking at the over priced tag on the way out, I saw the outrageous price of $7.99 for the 8oz wd. So, out of curiosity, I stopped at another store 4 blocks away, and the exact same can was $3.69,......so I bought 2 for $7.38, returned the $7,99 can for a refund. The guy gladly gave me my 8 bucks back, and his attitude was, "he couldn't have cared less"
Am I cheap, or did I just plain get ripped at Napa ?
Needs no answer.

[4X4Dodger]

Dog Folks wrote:

4X4Dodger wrote:
As for Napa it's owned by General Parts Co. and yes they do very well with 1100 stores...but they didnt get that big by making customers angry or not giving them a fair deal.

It is not "General" but rather "Genuine Parts Company."

GPC also is the warehouse in the distribution chain..

The Company serves tens of thousands of customers from more than 2,600 operations and has approximately 39,000 employees.--From their web site.

You are also missing the 3400 stores owned independently.

There are a total of over 6000 NAPA stores nationwide. Offering nationwide warranty on it's parts, no matter where you may travel.
Get the good stuff.

From an EX NAPA store owner.

Yes you are correct and thank you for correcting my "mental typo". Honestly the number of stores is really unimportant except as I was pointing out that NAPA and it's parent company was doing very well.

[2012Coleman]

.

[PA12DRVR]

It isn't a ripoff if you paid the price.

NAPA's counterman can pull whatever attitude he wants. His or NAPA's loss or gain.

Capitalism.

Lots of local auto parts places to use for me. However, when spending a month at the cabin, the closest supply house (of any kind) is a NAPA store....and they always have whatever is needed and occasionally they run it to the end of the road (where I pick it up with the SxS). While I care about price, that sort of availability and service covers a lot of markup and makes the switching cost not worth it.

[FunnyCamper]

nah, it isn't a ripoff really (as we all know store prices vary widely) BUT IT SURE FEELS like a ripoff 🙂

I know that feeling, expecting to pay ''about $1'' more for this product cause you are buying at a certain store and you know prices are inflated----but then you see $4 more on that receipt and it ticks ya off 🙂 been there.

[musicman54]

RJsfishin wrote:
I can't remember ever taking an iten back for a refund because it was cheaper some where else, but I did a couple days ago at Napa Auto.
I needed an auto part, and a wd40, so thought even tho the wd would be a buck+ more, I would just get it there. But looking at the over priced tag on the way out, I saw the outrageous price of $7.99 for the 8oz wd. So, out of curiosity, I stopped at another store 4 blocks away, and the exact same can was $3.69,......so I bought 2 for $7.38, returned the $7,99 can for a refund. The guy gladly gave me my 8 bucks back, and his attitude was, "he couldn't have cared less"
Am I cheap, or did I just plain get ripped at Napa ?
Needs no answer.

did you save any money . after another trip to return it plus your time

[donkeydew]

boy am i glad he didn't purchase it at camping world or this thread would be 20 pages by now

[Lantley]

The issues is NAPA is geared towards supply garages and auto service places. They are not your typical retail supplier but more of a wholesale type distributor.
Yes they will sell retail, but there business plan and pricing structure makes them a bit more expensive than most other retailers.
I imagine they have tiered and preferred pricing levels.
If the NAPA is local to the OP and they truly do know he is a good local customer.
They should give him a cash account and offer him better pricing than just straight retail.
The garages that buy from NAPA regularly do not pay retail, but pay a discounted rate based on their sales volume.
The OP's loyalty should entitle him to a discounted rate.

But keep in mind if you shop strictly on price buy at the big box stores where price is king but finding a knowledgeable sales person and good service maybe a challenge.
On the other hand my local ACE hardware has great customer service and lots of help ,but they are always more expensive than Home Depot.
There is compromise involved a wise consumer will consider this when shopping and purchase accordingly. Finding the cheapest price should not always be the deciding factor.

[Dog_Folks]

4X4Dodger wrote:
As for Napa it's owned by General Parts Co. and yes they do very well with 1100 stores...but they didnt get that big by making customers angry or not giving them a fair deal.

It is not "General" but rather "Genuine Parts Company."

GPC also is the warehouse in the distribution chain..

The Company serves tens of thousands of customers from more than 2,600 operations and has approximately 39,000 employees.--From their web site.

You are also missing the 3400 stores owned independently.

There are a total of over 6000 NAPA stores nationwide. Offering nationwide warranty on it's parts, no matter where you may travel.
Get the good stuff.

From an EX NAPA store owner.

[Crazy_Ray]

My NAPA store have their prices posted .

[4X4Dodger]

"Why does everyone think they are owed an insincere apology every time something isn't the exact way they want it to be?"

Because they are the customer that CHOSE your store over every other they could go to to spend their money, that is earned the hard way. Because if they stop coming to you, you lose, not the customer.

An apology whether sincere or merely for face value costs nothing and hurts no one and can go a long way towards keeping customers.

As for Napa it's owned by General Parts Co. and yes they do very well with 1100 stores...but they didnt get that big by making customers angry or not giving them a fair deal.

[mpierce]

My NAPA store displays prices. I have been in lots of stores where prices are a LOT higher than other nearby stores. I guess I never thought to let all of them know they were ripping me off, and that I would never be back.

If I never went back to any store that ever had a higher price than another, I would have NO stores to go to!

[RJsfishin]

Thank for all the thoughts on this.
Just to clarify my position on this,.....because of some very negative replies,
Napa does not display their prices on anything.
I expected and was willing to pay a higher fair price.
It was on the way out that I thought a part I bought w/ the wd must be very expensive. Once in my car I saw the part was priced fair,.....it was the wd that was way out of line. I never ask the price there, I just trusted it would be reasonably fair like it usually is.

[BobR]

It just isn't NAPA. I've noticed most auto parts stores charge high prices for the incidental items needed to do a job. It is only a rip off if they charge more than the tagged price.

[4X4Dodger]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

RJsfishin wrote:
Maybe I should have asked the question differently,
Like,......is the 8 bucks a rippoff price.

The Napa is 2 blocks from my house, I buy all my auto parts there. They know me well. That, along w/ the "couldn't care less attitude", is why I felt ripped.
But its ok, all it does is change my thinking of "buy local"
One thing is for sure, I didn't loose anything, but they will.

What did you expect them to do, fall to their knees and beg for forgiveness because they didn't have WD40 cheaper than everywhere else? If you expect every merchant to prostrate themselves and beg for mercy every time they are not the cheapest priced provider, you are going to be disappointed often. I bet if you went into that store that sold you the WD40 at a cheaper price you can find something they sell that is more expensive than it is at that NAPA, so you will have to boycott them also. Heck, just pull out the ads for the local grocery stores and you will most likely find one will have apples for 79 cents a pound versus the others at 89 cents. Then that same store with the 79 cent apples will be selling ground beef for a nickel more than the 89 cent apple store. Following your logic, you are just going to have to starve.

I don't know but I am guessing the OP didnt want anybody to "Fall on their Knees and beg". But when a customer returns something like this in this type of situation it certainly doesnt hurt the store to at least be cordial and acknowledge the situation.

This was a "ripoff" price. And NAPA deserves to get the product back and have to re-stock it. And the more this happens (and there is a cost to Napa) the better for the consumer.

But the larger question RVPO that seems to get missed too often in these discussions is the knock on effect to NAPA. Nothing spreads faster than bad word of mouth. This customer (the OP) may just decide to go elsewhere for all his truck parts, feeling ripped off as he did, this does hurt NAPA. and for what? A single overpriced can of WD40. No I am sorry but the clerk should have at least apologized for the customers TROUBLE and tried his best to rescue a bad situation.