Done with Rocklers

Mark E Smith

Member
Messages
190
Location
Arkansas
Ok I have had it with Rocklers, this is the last straw. Get a sales mag and noticed a few things that I thought I might get, one is the new Bandy clamps, so I put 3 in my cart for the cheaper price, promo code says if I order between 100-200 bucks I get a $15 discount, sure sounds good so I go about adding to my order, some dust collector attachments, some of them hockey puck thing etc.. total $121 buck, then I apply the code I get $5 instead of the $15. sure only $10 difference, but hey it's the principle of the thing, they said it would be $15 bucks right. So I do the live chat and complaint, they said it was the hockey pucks, they were already on sale and didn't get included, what .. why does that make a difference, order between 100-200 bucks right, sale has nothing to do with it in my mind, so what if it's on sale, I am spending between 100-200 should get the $15 discount. They won't budge, so I am done with Rockler, they lost this sale and all future sales from me, because they can't seem to honor a discount they sent me. Good job Rockler you saved ten dollars, wonderful, business model
 
I feel the same way and think that xx% off should just be xx% off and so forth. That being said Rockler's advertisements for such things clearly state "cannot be combined with other offers". The bench cookies being on sale is a special offer, not a regular everyday price. Again, I hear you and like the Harbor Freight method where the 20% off coupon has virtually no limitations. Amazon's free shipping with a certain purchase price can also trip you up; some items qualify toward the free shipping amount required and some don't. Neither Rockler or Amazon try to hide this, the info is usually right on the front page of the mailer or the web page showing the offer ;-(
 
I know oddly enough with the bench cookies I would actually be saving $20 instead of the $10 difference, dollars and cents I would have been up by $10. But it just pisses me off the way they did it, they put these big adds in their mag and bury the exception in the fine print, and you don't see them until you're getting ready to check out. Just rubbed me the wrong way, tired of it. I would have bought this stuff anyways without the discount, but playing games with me lost the sale, you know I am old school, once you tell me something, you better keep your word, try to double talk me and I will pay twice as much to your competitor, it's worth it to me.
 
Another example of why we should read all the information available. The old "if it sounds too good..."

Rockler and all other online merchants I've dealt with clearly state any conditions of discounts. It's up to us to read the details.
 
FWIW, Mark, I gave up on Rocker years ago. For a variety of reasons, but unethical was at the root of them all.

I agree the fine print was undoubtedly there but it was in fine print. Intended to trip you up. Harbor Freight and Amazon both use regular print or larger so you know the rules up front. I don't mind the rules, I do mind being the victim of 'gotcha.' I also don't want to have to interpret the rules. How hard is it to say "Items already on sale are not included in this offer"? The only money I have spent with them in the last ten years has been for an item not available elsewhere. Probably less than $30.

As I said, their business model leaves way too much to be desired and has since the original owner retired.
 
It was in the small print, I understand not liking the small print, however until enough people start asking/making a stink for the large print version, lawyers will keep going with small print (cheaper to print).
 
It was in the small print, I understand not liking the small print, however until enough people start asking/making a stink for the large print version, lawyers will keep going with small print (cheaper to print).

I don't know if the size of the print has anything to do with the cost of printing -- maybe Larry can chime in here... I think he's a printer -- with
everything being computerized, changing the font is just a key stroke... maybe a little less ink is used, but not significant... JMO
 
ALL the advertisements are designed for one purpose and ONLY one purpose.

That one purpose has absolutely NOTHING to do with helping YOU save a buck.

NONE of the stores has YOUR best interest in mind. They are NOT there for YOU.

NO - NO - don't be mislead into thinking they are there to help you out.

The ONE reason any and all stores give out discounts, coupons, or anything like that is to get you into the store to buy more than you planned to buy. FIRST - you had intended to buy nothing. Second - they DID get you to look, AND to go to the store. Lastly you DID put stuff on the counter and were at least READY to spend money. So everything they did worked exactly as planned. But you backed out. Oh wweellll - the guy behind you spend money - so the store got the winnings.

Notice I did not mention any store in particular - but I did say ALL of them
 
OK how silly is this...someone mentioned Amazon, forgot about them, got to thinking hey I got a free shipping thing, from another order from them, sssoooo...I go to Amazon and not only found the Bandy clamps, but the bench cookie (with the same sale) and every other thing on my shopping cart from Rocklers. So I ordered them...so where is Amazon getting these from...wait for it...ROCKLERS. LMAO...sure couldn't use the discount coupon, but hey Rock was gonna charge me $19 for shipping. With free shipping don't need the coupon. So I guess I am not done with Rocklers after all, just done with them directly.
 
I buy from the Rockler store itself, since I think the staff is incredibly helpful. I also buy from my local Woodcraft. The new owner stocks an phenomenal amount of woods, exotic and domestic. Comparing a Rockler (or a Woodcraft) to Amazon is crazy. You are dealing with a mega corporation versus a smaller franchise that does not have the marketing clout or capital that Amazon has. Do I hate Amazon? NO, and I do buy from them! But if you force all the "little" guys out, and all you have are the mailorder/Internet companies, something tells me you will not be happy long term. And just try to get Amazon on the phone. Impossible. If you have a problem, you email them, and if they really do not understand your concern, you might get a customer service rep to call you. But don't expect that person to give you their direct number so you can call them back later. The two business models are different for very good reasons, and it is all economics. Pluses and minuses to both.
 
I started to avoid Rockler back when I built stuff for them. They took as long as they could to pay the bill and even tried to stiff me on it and it was a LOT of money.

Doesn't surprise me. I have heard the same thing about Amazon (back when a friend was a publisher) and Google (about their fiber installers, more then a year after installation, when the contract said done).
Personally, I think of it as the credit mentality (buy now, pay later).
 
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