What has happened to Quadratec?

[DuPont]

Not sure what has happeded to Quadratec. I have gotten used to a 25% backorder rate with them. Whether true or not, they like so many others have blamed Covid. A few months ago I place an order for Bestop window sliders. They backordered them. And continued to back order them. Finally I gave up and noticed that their competion had them in stock for $10 more. I placed the order and had them in less than a week. Later that week I happened to check Quadratec and they now had them in stock at a higher price. I suspected that their ploy was to wait for me to give up, cancel the order, and then raise the price rather than honor the price they had advertised. A month ago I ordered some front axel shafts. Yup backordered. Quadratec kept giving me updates still out of stock. I checked with a couple other sources. They had stock at a price $100 or more higher. As of today Quadractec no longer shows an anticipated ship date. So I have cancelled the order. Once I receive confirmation of the cancellation, I will order from another source. I suspect that Quadratec will have inventory at a higher price very soon. They used to be my First Go To source for parts. Now I check them last, and only if they do have the lower price, and have in stock.

 

[ejay]

Don't know but it's the same at a lot of places. I've been waiting on my B&M short shifter for over two months through Holly. They keep pushing the ship date out. Unlike some here, I haven't had issues with Quadratec in the past. They've always been pretty good with my orders.

On a side note: Everything I've ordered from ExtremeTerrain that says it's in stock has been in stock. I don't usually like to buy from ET (and I won't buy their house brands) but they have been pretty good about showing what is in stock and when it'll ship if it isn't.

 

[mrblaine]

Not sure what has happeded to Quadratec. I have gotten used to a 25% backorder rate with them. Whether true or not, they like so many others have blamed Covid. A few months ago I place an order for Bestop window sliders. They backordered them. And continued to back order them. Finally I gave up and noticed that their competion had them in stock for $10 more. I placed the order and had them in less than a week. Later that week I happened to check Quadratec and they now had them in stock at a higher price. I suspected that their ploy was to wait for me to give up, cancel the order, and then raise the price rather than honor the price they had advertised. A month ago I ordered some front axel shafts. Yup backordered. Quadratec kept giving me updates still out of stock. I checked with a couple other sources. They had stock at a price $100 or more higher. As of today Quadractec no longer shows an anticipated ship date. So I have cancelled the order. Once I receive confirmation of the cancellation, I will order from another source. I suspect that Quadratec will have inventory at a higher price very soon. They used to be my First Go To source for parts. Now I check them last, and only if they do have the lower price, and have in stock.

We get that all over the place. Pretty common on Amazon as well. Order something, get notices of delay, then get a refund and order cancellation. Then the item shows back up at a higher price.

 

[mrblaine]

Forgot to mention why this happens. The problem is the cost of landing a shipping container full of goods in the ports. 18 months ago, the average TEU (20 foot container) shipping cost was about 3 grand. Now it is over 10 grand up to 15 grand in places for the same thing and it isn't quoted to the end user until the day it ships due to the volatility of shipping costs. Even then if the ship is delayed in a holding pattern off the coast, they don't do that for free.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Not sure what has happeded to Quadratec. I have gotten used to a 25% backorder rate with them. Whether true or not, they like so many others have blamed Covid. A few months ago I place an order for Bestop window sliders. They backordered them. And continued to back order them. Finally I gave up and noticed that their competion had them in stock for $10 more. I placed the order and had them in less than a week. Later that week I happened to check Quadratec and they now had them in stock at a higher price.

How much higher is their price now? Even if only $2 I'd be happy that you used someone that wanted to do good business.

A month ago I ordered some front axel shafts. Yup backordered. Quadratec kept giving me updates still out of stock. I checked with a couple other sources. They had stock at a price $100 or more higher. As of today Quadractec no longer shows an anticipated ship date. So I have cancelled the order. Once I receive confirmation of the cancellation, I will order from another source. I suspect that Quadratec will have inventory at a higher price very soon.

Please update this thread when that happens.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Forgot to mention why this happens. The problem is the cost of landing a shipping container full of goods in the ports. 18 months ago, the average TEU (20 foot container) shipping cost was about 3 grand. Now it is over 10 grand up to 15 grand in places for the same thing and it isn't quoted to the end user until the day it ships due to the volatility of shipping costs. Even then if the ship is delayed in a holding pattern off the coast, they don't do that for free.

I may never really know why the cost went up that much but I believe all of that.

 

[Noslo65]

How much higher is their price now? Even if only $2 I'd be happy that you used someone that wanted to do good business.



Please update this thread when that happens.

As stated above it’s an issue everywhere for everything, we are planning around huge delays on materials that are normally on a shelf in stock.

 

[UKTJ]

A lot of prices have been rising, everywhere for a wide range of things, not just Jeep parts. And as @mrblaine has rightly pointed out, some of those are almost impossible to predict for businesses.

I placed an order with Quadratec a couple of days ago, I only picked items that showed as in stock. But the order now says all of the items are on vendor back order. A bit frustrating, but in my case it is an international order so maybe rather than direct shipment from some vendors they need to go to Quadratec for consolidation into a single shipment. I have to balance that frustration with the fact that my order seems to have been adjusted with a c.2.5% discount applied after I placed the order - not a lot but welcome nonetheless.

Personally I would be surprised if a company would put the sale of a product line on hold, just waiting until one person cancels an order. I can't see that being an economically rational approach as it could cost them an unknown, but possibly relatively large number of sales.

I have always found Hailey from @Quadratec to be extremely helpful and I know she has intervened to help other forum mem ers as well when there have been issues.

 

[GASnBRASS]

We get that all over the place. Pretty common on Amazon as well. Order something, get notices of delay, then get a refund and order cancellation. Then the item shows back up at a higher price.

I've been having that same issue with amazon lately. Buy a part that shows "in stock", but next day the order is cancelled.
Find it at a higher price and "in stock". Ok fine, order it. Gets cancelled AGAIN and a day later shows up even HIGHER.

Eff that nonsense, I'll buy elsewhere that doesn't play stocking/pricing games.

 

[Mike_H]

I may never really know why the cost went up that much but I believe all of that.

From what I'm seeing its a labor shortage. Not to get political, but up until about a week ago, it was more profitable to sit at home and collect unemployment than it was to go to work. If people don't want to work, product doesn't get manufactured, moved, packed, etc.

 

[mrblaine]

I've been having that same issue with amazon lately. Buy a part that shows "in stock", but next day the order is cancelled.
Find it at a higher price and "in stock". Ok fine, order it. Gets cancelled AGAIN and a day later shows up even HIGHER.

Eff that nonsense, I'll buy elsewhere that doesn't play stocking/pricing games.

It isn't an Amazon specific pricing game. I may have to do it if things continue the way they are. I get notices weekly that my cost of parts has gone up. The latest one was 34 percent on rotors. I'll watch my profit go down but I won't sell at a loss since that is just fucking stupid. If I get caught with an increase that makes me sell at a loss, the order is getting cancelled, the customer will get notified that I can't sell at that price and we'll try to fix it, but sell at a loss is not gonna happen.

 

[mrblaine]

From what I'm seeing its a labor shortage. Not to get political, but up until about a week ago, it was more profitable to sit at home and collect unemployment than it was to go to work. If people don't want to work, product doesn't get manufactured, moved, packed, etc.

Reality should not ever be taken as political. It is labor, it is shipping costs, and it is much lower productivity from those that are working.

I put up a local ad for someone to do some yardwork. I want a by the hour guy, I put up 25 bucks an hour. I got a response that said gardeners are making 50 bucks an hour right now. Not sure how it is in the rest of the world but someone raking leaves for 50 bucks an hour is fucking stupid.

edit- now I'm being told that if I do find someone for 25 bucks an hour, they won't know how to use a rake. What in the everliving fuck kind of a world are we living in now? I've used a rake before, it isn't really that hard and requires almost no skill.

 

[JPHikr]

Supply shortage.
Watched the news on Monday they showed Huntington beach pier.
In just their fixed angle shot I saw 9 ships anchored out waiting to offload.
During the port shut down in 2003 there were not that many anchored out of Huntington.
Once the containers are off loaded there are not enough drivers to send them on there way.
Reason you cant get drivers is once California legalize Pot many are failing the FMCSA drug testing and can not keep a current CDL.

https://splash247.com/more-than-40-ships-waiting-outside-la-and-long-beach-setting-new-record/

 

[Apparition]

Reality should not ever be taken as political. It is labor, it is shipping costs, and it is much lower productivity from those that are working.

Many people really don't want to make an effort anymore.

Example: we were travelling over the weekend.

Ate out nearly all meals.

Nearly every restaurant had a sign saying something to the affect of "work with us, we are short staffed and trying".

Nearly every place we ate had more staff than patrons.

They all offered shitty service, long waits with empty glasses.

As workers stood around looking at their phones or talking.

 

[erokj]

I used to work closely with Qtec with my previous 4 wheeling club. They used to be great. They used to stand by their word.

Not anymore. After the son took over, it went all down hill. He fired a bunch of OG staff that have been there from the beginning. I'm not sure the details but based on my experience with them, I won't go back.

 

[DuPont]

How much higher is their price now? Even if only $2 I'd be happy that you used someone that wanted to do good business.



Please update this thread when that happens.

They (Quadratec) advertise the lowest prices. On the Bestop window sliders after several weeks of no stock suddenly had stock at $20 higher than original. Went to another source at $10 less. And they had stock and shipped very quickly. It wasn't the $10 but the principle that had me order from the other source. I have always had good luck with Quadratec, but lately, not so much.

 

[DuPont]

It isn't an Amazon specific pricing game. I may have to do it if things continue the way they are. I get notices weekly that my cost of parts has gone up. The latest one was 34 percent on rotors. I'll watch my profit go down but I won't sell at a loss since that is just fucking stupid. If I get caught with an increase that makes me sell at a loss, the order is getting cancelled, the customer will get notified that I can't sell at that price and we'll try to fix it, but sell at a loss is not gonna happen.

I am OK with that approach. If the cost goes up, notify the customer. I understand cost increases, material and shipping costs, etc. That is good business. BUT don't keep telling me they can't get stock when others can, and wait for me to cancel the order. Then have inventory on hand, at a much higher price. If they would have given me a notice of a price increase, anticipated shipping date, and let me compare to others, I most likely would have kept the order with them. I have had good luck with them in the past, and they were my number one go to for parts. But lately, no so much.

 

[SvtLdr]

Many people really don't want to make an effort anymore.

Example: we were travelling over the weekend.

Ate out nearly all meals.

Nearly every restaurant had a sign saying something to the affect of "work with us, we are short staffed and trying".

Nearly every place we ate had more staff than patrons.

They all offered shitty service, long waits with empty glasses.

As workers stood around looking at their phones or talking.

That's crazy. We were traveling last weekend also and got off the freeway to stop at one of our favorite coffee shops. I knew things didn't look right when we pulled into an empty lot with a HELP WANTED sign by the street. We were greeted by no lights on and a sign on the door reading "Due to labor shortage we're closing at 3pm each day." It was about 4pm at the time. I ended up with gas station coffee...

 

[Irun]

Many people really don't want to make an effort anymore.

As workers stood around looking at their phones or talking.

These two points are primarily why my wife and I no longer go out to eat. Generally, people don't care if they give you good service, because their phones are far more important. I'm going to sound like a curmudgeon, but I miss the days of no smart phones. Yes, there's no doubt they've done some good. However, we're now just starting to experience the implications of the smart phone addiction problem. Hint, it's not making some people smarter!

 

[Apparition]

That's crazy. We were traveling last weekend also and got off the freeway to stop at one of our favorite coffee shops. I knew things didn't look right when we pulled into an empty lot with a HELP WANTED sign by the street. We were greeted by no lights on and a sign on the door reading "Due to labor shortage we're closing at 3pm each day." It was about 4pm at the time. I ended up with gas station coffee...

Our local dollar tree closes from 3pm to 6pm due to lack of labor. We stopped about 4:30 to grab some Mylar balloons for a friends kids birthday party. The kid didn’t get any balloons.