NAPA "bags" SALE

[Guest]

For the last several days, NAPA has been advertising its 25% off everything in the shopping bag (that you can fill from the shelves)SALE. At least two problems with this exist: 1) The ad doesn't state "at partcipating NAPA dealers ONLY," leaving one to believe the SALE is nationwide at ALL NAPA stores. Not so! 2) At least three NAPA stores in my area (Northern Virginia) were closed Sunday and Monday of labor day weekend. I think we loyal NAPA customers deserve better than this from a company we rely on for lots of routine stuff.

[Guest]

I figured as much. I real was wondering if I could get to brake rotors, some wheel bearings and a few other hard parts in that bag. I couldn't find a supporting store to even ask. The main store here in Sacramento is too far away to find out if the promo is for real.

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. I thought maybe just my area (no. VA) was affected by this fraudulent Labor Day Sale radio ad. I've sent a message to NAPA customer service and advised that I will publish on this bulletin board whatever excuse NAPA gives for this deception. Hope to hear from more folks around the country. Thanks UserFirst55 Sacramento.

[novaman]

And if it isn't on the computer they don't have it. The kids don't even know what the book on the rack are to be used for. I lost a set of brake shoes to the idiots. On 62 & 63 Chevy II one of the sets of brakes are only used on the 62 & 63 Chevy II nothing else. The kid gave me a set for a 64. Won't fit. Too wide & wrong diameter. By the time I got back to the store. The truck was out back picking up all the cores and such.

[Guest]

Sorry to hear the trouble you had. I'm about to embark on a complete brake job for my 41 Buick Super and I've got most of the parts sitting in the garage. The thought of installing new shoes and finding out they're the wrong ones because of a mixup at the store is a nightmare! Hope everything worked out for you and thanks for the input, Novaman. John

[Guest]

I am digressing a bit, however, the same frustration.<P>I cannot justify owning a car trailer, so I rented one from U-Haul to go to the A.G.N.M. at Moline. The 20 year old +/- clerk asked if I wanted optional insurance for the Triumph TR-6. I said OK. He went into the computer (I was 99% certain it would not show up.) and said it's not here. He said Olsmobile made the Triumph, right? I said no, they made the Toronado. He said: Who made Triumph. I said: Triumph.<P>He came back, saying Lamborghini is the only sports car in their computer, and, that's what he'll use for insurance. Needless to say, I was tempted to have a slightly severe wreck to collect $245,000 + for a Lamborghini, but, dropped the idea.<P>Regards, Peter J.

[Guest]

Peter: You were lucky! I had to go to five different U-Haul dealers before I found one who would rent me a trailer for my 41 Buick. Seems they have width, weight, and wheelbase limitations. Of course my 41 Buick was not in the computer so they couldn't rent me a trailer, even though I was able to answer all the questions about the size and weight of the car and these were all within the limitations set for the trailer. I finally convinced a dealer to rent me the trailer but even then the whole transaction made me feel like I was smuggling something across the border. Had the same experience with the insurance. I had the choice of using the rate for a 1982 Buick or going without. I went without and got home safely. At least my car understands me!

[Bill Stoneberg]

NAPA ? Whats NAPA ?? I used to see them around the Houston area but now other chains have come in and run off all the good parts stores including NAPA. What I wouldn't give for a counter person who actually knows how to look up the parts. Most of the kids who hand out parts dont know their differential from a hole in the ground. IMHO.

[Guest]

Bill: You're right. Gone are the days when the counterman knew that a 1963 something or other would work fine in a 1971. NAPA folks, if you can still find them, can do this in most cases but as you point out, they are going by the wayside as the chainstores arrive with their computers and part-time workers staffing the counter in-between jobs at the local McDonald's. Some of these kids are good on hot rods but very little else. Thanks for your input. John41

[Guest]

The folks at NAPA store I use in north Houston pulls the books off the rack and lets me look up my parts. The store is attached to one of their regional warehouses so they almost always have what I need, or they have it the next day. With my AAA discount on almost every item, the prices are even reasonable.<P>Jim

[Guest]

Jim: Thanks for the input. I have had and I'm sure most of the members, likewise, have had good experiences with NAPA over the years. The point of my gripe session the other day was that the company was running a "Labor Day Sale" ad on the radio several times a day for the past week or so. The ad said that over the Labor Day weekend, whenever you enter a NAPA store, you will receive a shopping bag from a NAPA employee. You can then shop the entire store, putting whatever you need in the shopping bag. When you check out, the store will give you a 25% discount on everything you were able to fit in the bag. That was the entire ad, very simple and easy to understand and something that other stores (like Sears) have done over the years. When I went to my local NAPA store (Curry's, Centerville Road, Manassas, VA)on Saturday morning, the guy behind the counter laughed when I asked for a shopping bag and said he didn't know what I was talking about. After I told him, he said that he, too, heard the ad on the radio but the "company" didn't give him any instructions. He said that in any event, the store in Manassas was not "a particpating dealer" in the program. Good enough. Later in the day, I checked NAPAonline to find another NAPA store in my area. I found one in Vienna, VA and another in Herndon, VA (each about 15-20 miles from me). On Sunday, I called both stores and got no answer after a dozen or so rings. I did the same thing on Monday and got the same result. Now, my point in all of this is as follows: 1) NAPA should clearly have advised in its ad that the Labor Day Sale was valid only at NAPA "participating dealers" and NOT at all NAPA stores -- as one was likely to surmise from the ad copy; 2) That despite the NAPA Labor Day Sale, stores in many areas (all areas?) would be closed on Labor Day and the Sunday before Labor Day. I guess the bottom line is that it's a little difficult to run a sale when the shop is closed. But it's even more confusing when the "company" misinforms the public and its own dealers about a sale that never was. An added concern and one that I'm sure a lot of our members share, is that this happened with NAPA, a company and shop we have all grown up with and basically depend upon. The shopping malls are filled with fly-by-night auto "parts" stores looking to sell you car wax and seat covers made in China for your 1999 Mazda. We expect this sort of flim-flam sales nonsense from those sorts of easy-come, easy-go stores. NAPA is and has always been different. Letting you look through the books, lending you a special tool, or even letting you check the backroom shelves for that special sized bearing or oil filter, are what we expect from NAPA. In return, we remain loyal customers. What we don't expect is what happened this past weekend in Virginia. That, my friend, represents the business ethics and strategy of those car wax stores at the mall that come and go as fast as the kids behind the counter. And if we don't complain about it, guess what we'll have! Thanks again for your input. John

[Guest]

So John, did you get a chance to follow up today (Tuesday) with the other Virginia stores to see if they knew of the promo? It sounds to me like just a poorly coordinated effort by NAPA at some level. I don't think that any large retail chain would knowingly set out to intentionally hoodwink the public. Probably more like some sort of incompetence. Are you going to write NAPA corporate? Maybe they will send you all the leftover promo bags, which can be collector items. You could sell these at hvs' Hershey booth selling the newly decreed pads. Just foolin' around.

[Guest]

There's an old saw about "bite the nickle to make sure it's not wooden". You got the 21st century customer service palative of "sorry it's not really our fault, circumstances y'know caused you to get screwed". <P>But NAPA has lots of good stuff for a 79 year old car like mine. I just don't deal with the teenagers at the counter.

[Guest]

I just got home from my local NAPA store with a fan belt for the '41 Cadillac and a brake light stop switch for the same car. All in stock. But then my car is only 60 years old. <P>My guy there has a full head of grey hair and is of the old school. Tell him what you need and what it goes on and he will come up with it whether it's in the computer or not. I avoid the young guys like the plague and even though it will label me as a sexist, I avoid the girl clerks too. <P>Us old guys have to stick together. Just remember to say something nice when they take care of your needs. Everyone likes to be appreciated. ~hvs

[Guest]

Hi Ted, thanks for your observations and suggestions. You are probably right that it was a slip-up at some level and not a corporate suicide attempt. I promised to post the respose from the company and have done so below. It's a bit less than I had hoped and the assertion that "at participating locations" was included in the ad copy does not conform to my recollection but here it is for what it's worth:<BR>Quote:<BR>Dear Customer:<P>Thank you for contacting us regarding your recent shopping experience. We<BR>regret to hear that the experience was not completely positive.<P>As you may know, the majority of NAPA AUTO PARTS stores are independently<BR>owned and operated which means that participation in national promotions is<BR>optional. For this reason, when we air national advertising on radio or<BR>television we state that the offer is good at participating locations only.<P>Again, we regret any confusion that recent advertising may have caused and<BR>certainly hope that you will continue to visit your local NAPA AUTO PARTS<BR>store for your automotive needs.<P>Thank you,<BR>Chris Nichols<BR>UNQUOTE<BR>So, there, you have it all. My two-cents got me nichols!

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Howard,<P>That reminds me of when I was about 18. I worked at a hardware store and had been there about two years. The manager typically hired only part time help, usually teenagers and retired fellows. A customer walked in. I gave him the usual "Come right in. Can I help you sir?" He told me he wanted to see one of the "older gentlemen". So he asks one of the older gentlemen to help him. But, it just so happened that that was the older gentlemen's first day with us and he didn't know where anything was located just yet. It takes several months to fall into the swing of things. Well, guess who the older gentlemen comes to to get help for his customer? I showed him where to find what his customer wanted. Being courteous, I didn't rub it in to the customer, but he knew he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. <P>On the same note, the best counter man I have ever seen was a woman in her 50's or maybe even 60's at Archie's Harley-Davidson in Columbus, GA. She seldom had to look up a part number. You told her what you wanted and she went to the shelf and got it.<P>I will have to admit, that these are exceptions. The help in these new chain stores is usually no better than in McDonald's.

[Guest]

Hal ~ You are absolutely correct. Generalizations are not right or fair. Our NAPA has a Judy like your Harley lady, but as good as she is, I still feel more comfortable with my old guy. That is probably NOT acceptable in today's society, but then I have never been accused of being a conformist.

[Guest]

The NAPA I go to has four guys on the phones handling commercial accounts in addition to the walk-in counter help (these are the kids and part-timers, most of which have limited knowledge). Two of the commercial accounts employees are antique car owners/restorers and one is a hot-rodder. They are always helpful and I even get the first level discount off list (which, of course everyone gets).