w squared

3-5 months would be do-able. Some guys are waiting 8 months.

That's not "okay" when a customer is being asked to pay up front, in full. I'm pretty sure that the FTC has some very specific things to say about how long a merchant can delay delivery of a product ordered via mail, telephone or internet. I doubt very much that between four and eight months is "okay".

LōD Offroad

Just so you know we will coat the bumper Semi Gloss by request. The reason we don't offer it as an option is that on big bumpers with a lot of surface area the Semi Gloss black will show every little scratch or scuff you put in it. But if you want it to match your other semi gloss we can do it no problem.

Mark Doiron

I'm one. However, after speaking with Jim a couple weeks ago, he realized that my order for a rear bumper had not been properly put into their computer. I hadn't called them at all about the order--as I've said many times before, I was hoping for before the end of the year delivery even back in April. I should have received it in October, according to Jim. So one of you out there who received a rear bumper in that last shipment has mine. You lucky dog.

I also wish that they didn't require payment in full up front. I think they'd move a little faster if they knew that half of the payment was waiting for product shipment.

As for violating any laws or anything: I really don't think so. This is not the first time I've come across this. There is a company that makes some very fine telescopes (Astro-Physics), and their waiting list to place an order sometimes approaches two years. Then, after you get notified that you can place an order, you pay a 50% deposit, and get to wait another two years for the item to be delivered. I decided, in the end, to go with TeleVue--another very fine telescope maker, and one for which the product I wanted was available for immediate delivery. I'm very satisfied with my TeleVue Renaissance-101, and I expect that I will be delighted with my Shrockworks rear bumper and accessories.

armycop

**Disclaimer: This is my OPINION and in no way represents JK-Forum or it's administration!!!

IMO, this type of wait time is ridiculous in today's business world. There are plenty of skilled people who have no jobs and would be glad to have something to do.

I can understand possibly 6-8 weeks for a totally custom, high quality part, but any wait 5-6 months or greater is too much for me.

It's a bumper, not space shuttle parts, I don't see how they can be so far behind. I wouldn't pay my money upfront and wait that long....

Dylanjam77

Add me to the list of folks that thinks they make a great product that takes way too long to get.

Also add me to the list of folks that think B.S. lead times just makes a bad situation worse. Be honest and up front with your customers before you don't have any. Seems like they just don't give a shit.

Three to four weeks for more than one customer who have called multiple times asking for a refund for products paid in full that haven't been delivered and not getting one is THEFT.

Finally, as much as I think a Shrockworks stubby would be awesome... that is not the front stubby bumper that I am getting for my "big" Christmas gift this year.

Whatever happend to earning someone's business?

sully151

If only there were other threads that talked about the wait time...

Mark Doiron

You're being facetious, right?

Mark Doiron

Based on what I've been seeing posted here recently, I think that they're actually down to three months. The delay for my order was through an error on their part that they admit. But, I agree, they should just be up front and close to accurate with the lead times. Had they done so with me, I'd have been told "three months" and at month four I'd have called and inquired, possibly shaving three or four months off the ultimate delivery time. As is, I kept biding my time based on their reputation for excessively long lead times until it became obvious, when someone who ordered a bumper three months after me, wrote on the forum that he had received his.

w squared

I've read the chapter and verse of the FTC's regulations on this. They are very specific as to what is and is not acceptable.

With regards to Astro-Physics, waiting until they are ready to start production, then taking a deposit, then asking you to pay the balance before delivery is reasonable. They also devote an entire page on their website to explaining the ins and outs of ordering from them.

Taking ALL of your money up front, giving you a delivery estimate that they KNOW they cannot meet, and then failing to communicate with you about delayed delivery is not reasonable.

As far as not entering your order properly into their computer? Well it seems that they entered your payment into their bank account without any issues.

If I were the owner of a company that took a repeat customer's money and then failed to produce the product due to a clerical error, I would find a way to get that person's product into their hands immediately. Shrockworks has been having these problems for over a year now...and you can't seriously tell me that in the current economic climate they are unable to find enough skilled labour to help them speed up production. I routinely deal with the challenges of bringing on new staff...700 of them in the past 12 months. It's not easy, but it can be done...and with good management and processes in place the quality of the end product does not suffer.

Mark Doiron

If I wasn't clear in my earlier post, Jim assured me that I'd receive the next rear bumper they build. I know that they do build their products in batches. Undoubtedly that is to help reduce production time. Short of them choosing to disrupt that, or me canceling my order, I don't know what else they or I could do.

Let me say one more time: The day I ordered the bumper (in April) I was prepared to wait until December--I've stated that a number of times since April in various threads here on JK-Forum. I was prepared to pay in full upon order--this wasn't the first time I've ordered from them. While Shrockworks had the opportunity to exceed my expectations, they blew it. But, that doesn't mean they still can't meet my expectations.

Obviously, this fails to meet what other people expect of a business. And that's fine: They would do well to order a different product from somewhere else. But, that I'm willing to put up with the hassles of an order through Shrockworks is, to be quite frank, my business and not their's.

Finally, if you ever hung around the Usenet discussion group Sci.Astro.Amateur, you'd be aware that despite a bit clearer policy by AstroPhysics, they are (or were back when I frequented SAA) subject to the same exact criticism as Shrockworks from people who don't have any intention of ordering one of their very fine scopes. Personally, I don't get why these people feel compelled to complain about something that does not affect their life in one least little bit. Like I said: There are a number of other options out there, and I'm delighted with the one I ultimately chose.