AutoDoc refund issues - any advice?

[Davie]

Aside for "Don't use AutoDoc ever again" I'm trying and struggling to get a resolution here with their customer service department.

Back story is I ordered specific shock absorbers about 2 months ago. AutoDoc then without warning, sent a substitute claiming they would fit. They didn't. This took several days of arguing back and forth until they accepted they wouldn't fit

Another several days passed as I agreed that I shouldn't have to pay to return them and in time, AutoDoc sent shipping labels. I returned the items, new and unused. I chased it 14 days later to be told "We haven't received them" More emails exchanged, proof of postage submitted and then it was passed to their admin departmen. That was about a week ago.

So I'm now irritated - they have the parts and my money and seem to be unwilling to return it. I've sent several emails requesting it be refunded immediately given it was their error from day one and yet nothing. I've asked it be escalated... nothing.

So, short if getting all angry Karen and reporting it as theft (?) I'm at a loss as to what to do. I paid with a debit card which was probably my second mistake after my first mistake was actually ordering from this crowd.

Anybody faced similar and can offer words of wisdom?

[lemmingjames]

Took them 7 months for them to refund me with much chasing going on.

I also claimed for labour as the part was broken so they kept stalling as they were apparently chasing the manufacturer to approve the part being broken amd chasing them for the labour costs

All I can say is make sure the return paperwork is signed by everyone, if a garage touched it, have them signed the paperwork. I had to get it stamped by the garage as well.

During the process I kept getting a different person dealing with the claim asking the same questions as the previous person etc.

If you are able to do a charge back, do it now and not wait any longer as it runs out after 3 months (unless I'm wrong) as they'll just drag it out hoping you get bored I feel

Edit - ah just reread your post about the debit card. Guess it's just a waiting game, leave a negative review in trust pilot as that seemed to gee them up abit. You can probably find my review on there to see the timeline

Edited by lemmingjames on Thursday 8th June 08:29

[BertBert]

Do you have someone to speak to or just emails? See if you can find a contact in their finance team to talk to. DO some Sherlock Holmsing to find more people to make your case to?

Has there been mention on here of a chargeback on a debit card in some circumstances?

[pavarotti1980]

Surely a succinct letter before action (sent be recorded delivery) should prompt them into moving at quicker than glacial speed?

[steveo3002]

theyre in germany , does threatening with uk procedures still work?

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

pavarotti1980 said:

Surely a succinct letter before action (sent be recorded delivery) should prompt them into moving at quicker than glacial speed?

I think they are based in Germany, which makes it harder.

This thread reminds me that I didn't receive a refund for an unopened cam belt kit I sent back last June. ho hum.

[Davie]

I've tried calling several times but as yet, can't get to speak to anybody and live chat is pretty useless, they just pass you around or state they'll refer it to their administration department.

If this was my error or I'd changed my mind, I'd be less irritated but given it was their mistake which they then spent several days telling me they were right, I was wrong... before conceding that actually, I was right... then asking me to pay to return the parts...

But the "This is your mistake, fix it" method has fallen on deaf ears too and as have several emails requesting the refund be facilitated with immediate effect. It's £100 so you could argue, is it worth the hassle... but if we all did that...?

I'll try my bank / chargeback but sadly beyond that, it would seem like there's little can be done. Stuff like this really irks me more so as I paid upon ordering and had to wait for the (wrong) parts to arrive yet with the shoe on the other foot, it's a very different story.

Thanks chaps

[66HFM]

I appreciate you mentioned it in your original post but always always when ordering on line use a Credit Card rather than a Debit Card as the Credit Card company have so much more clout than one individual!

Is it the UK part of the business or the German business? If UK you could try the Small Claims Court route...

[vikingaero]

If you used a Visa Debit Card then Visa will give you the same protection as if you used a Credit Card.

You may have to remind the banking agent you speak to on the phone and/or say the magic Complaint word to them.

[Sebring440]

66HFM said:

Is it the UK part of the business or the German business?

What "UK part" of the business? It's a German business.

[Pent]

i have had nothing but good dealings with them over the years.

i always check my part numbers with real ohm or similar and havent been left in the lurch

if i was spending big money like a set of B16 coilovers i got for my m140i , i tick the box safe returns i think its called for a small fee

[Biker 1]

Mixed experience here: I ordered a Nissan headlight a couple of years back, only to find it was for LHD cars & subsequently failed its MOT.... The website description was a little vague. It only cost £18, so was too much hassle to send back.
Work colleague ordered some shocks, which were a very good price, were exactly as advertised & arrived within 3 days.
As far as I can tell, there are at least 3 websites with differing names that all appear to be part of this German group, operating out of a warehouse in Berlin.

[Davie]

Pent said:

i have had nothing but good dealings with them over the years.

i always check my part numbers with real ohm or similar and havent been left in the lurch

if i was spending big money like a set of B16 coilovers i got for my m140i , i tick the box safe returns i think its called for a small fee

Yup, I did the same having researched the hell out of what specific shocks I needed. Give them their due they arrived within a few days but they'd morphed from KYB into Sachs. And Sachs don't list shock absorbers for my car. That took almost ten days back and forth until AytoDoc admitted their error. But still didn't seem to care that they'd substituted the parts I wanted for something else without prior warning. Had they done so, I'd have told them not to send the replacements as only KYB do the correct length.

Based on that alone I wouldn't use them again and the complete farce that followed has only cemented that from me. I'm sure they're fine when they get it right, but when they get it wrong... they don't seem to care and how a business manages it's mistakes is a better reflection of its general business ethos.

[Dog Star]

No help to the OP but I’ve had the similar - part ordered express and didn’t arrive in time, so I refused delivery. Took an age to get my money back and many irate emails.

I wouldn’t touch them again. As someone else points out - there are several sites and they’re all the same company.

UK stock only from now on.

[Davie]

Not sure if it's coincidence or my Karen esque threats of reporting it as theft via email this morning had the desired effect, however they have just refunded the full amount. I'll not be making this mistake again.

[StuE39]

I used Autodoc to purchase Type R shocks. They were brilliant. Parts shipped out very quickly and genuine Sachs parts too.

That was a couple of years ago though. I'm surprised to see the bad experiences.