Bad shopping cart experience = no sell

**WaxAddict** · 12-27-2018, 09:56 PM

Tried to buy a few items today on Autopia - just a small order.
Could not apply my rewards plus the coupon. Strike one.
Tried to check out several times and kept saying I haven’t entered an email address. I have. Regardless, are you going to deny my order based on that? Strike Two.
Tried to “Apply” my email address, and my order total jumped up like $12. Strike Three.

Detailed Image was seamless and smooth. Always is. PBMG -1.

**Bill D** · 12-27-2018, 10:02 PM

I order from AG since it’s the same place. Never had issues with them

**WaxAddict** · 12-27-2018, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Bill D

I order from AG since it’s the same place. Never had issues with them

Funny you should say that. I went to AG first but the sale banner at the top said “Countdown..” (to some sale of some kind), and I was like “ok, um, nice tease”, but Autopia site had a nice clear easy-to-understand sale banner.

When I want something I want it. Countdown... Phhh.

**Bill D** · 12-27-2018, 10:12 PM

I think I got one of those do not wash hang tags from DI. They were the only site that had them at the time. What did you order?

**WaxAddict** · 12-27-2018, 10:15 PM

A tiny order actually. My 4” backing plate broke so that’s a Must Have.. so that and a few doo dads, applicators, and a gallon of Spray & Wipe .. enough for the $75 free shipping.

**Bill D** · 12-27-2018, 10:21 PM

I know all about failed backing plates. The one that came with my GG 6 cracked so I had to order a new one. Now I keep it inside away from more extreme temperatures in the garage

**Lonnie** · 12-28-2018, 08:09 AM

Wax Addict:
Which 4" backing plate did you buy; IE , was it for a rotary buffer or a DA??
I am asking because my own 4" backing plate on my (older) Porter-Cable DA is starting to crack and I am wondering what a good replacement is.
(Long live 4" pads because they are IDEAL for PC-DAs. or at least for me!)

Also, would you let us know if anyone from Palm Beach Motoring Group (PBMG, the parent company to Auto Geek and Autopia Car-Care) contacts you about your on-line shopping experience AND any follow-up that they do to "resolve" it. I REALLY hate to discredit (AKA; bad mouth) the company that makes this Autopia forum financially possible and I like to buy my detailing products from the Autopia Store to "put-my-money-where-my-mouth-is" and support this forum. BUT buying on-line is about product availability, price, ease of ordering, shipping costs and delivery times, return policies, and rewards, which are ALL part of the customer service experience. If a customer has a bad experience in anyone of one of those categories, it is the customer`s perception as "bad customer service". How problems are resolved speaks volumes about the credibility of the on-line store and a customer`s return as a "repeat buyer".

**Liz@Autopia** · 12-28-2018, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by WaxAddict

Tried to buy a few items today on Autopia - just a small order.
Could not apply my rewards plus the coupon. Strike one.
Tried to check out several times and kept saying I haven’t entered an email address. I have. Regardless, are you going to deny my order based on that? Strike Two.
Tried to “Apply” my email address, and my order total jumped up like $12. Strike Three.

Detailed Image was seamless and smooth. Always is. PBMG -1.

I`m sorry you experienced those issues with the site. I`ll reach out to you directly to get some more details so I can have the tech team look deeper into this issue. In the meantime, you`re always welcome to email, send a private message here, or give us a call. We`ll be happy to place the order for you and extend any discounts that would have applied. Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention and I apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.

**rlmccarty2000** · 12-28-2018, 01:16 PM

There have been website problems for awhile now. I have sent screenshots to customer service and somethings have been addressed while others still need fixing. I too try to order from Autopia but if the deals are better on AG I shop there. Since I bought a bunch of gift certificates from AG (I gave Autopia a chance to match) most of my purchases next year will be on AG.

**Desertnate** · 12-28-2018, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Bill D

I order from AG since it’s the same place. Never had issues with them

On several occasions over the last year, I`ve found the sales terms to be better here than AG. It`s fun to look in the "promotions" folder of my GMail account and cross shop the PBMG sales messages as they flow in from both sites. They usually hit at the same time and the subject lines give enough detail I don`t have to open any of them to make a decision.

**Old Pirate** · 12-28-2018, 04:22 PM

Sorry to hear this happening to some folks, even myself it has happen these past 2 weeks, but I did get to order and got any discount`s from them, just remember it`s the same company in the same building working hard to help all of us in the detailing dept and will bent over backwards to make sure one is happy. Happy New Year everyone!

**Liz@Autopia** · 12-28-2018, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Old Pirate

Sorry to hear this happening to some folks, even myself it has happen these past 2 weeks, but I did get to order and got any discount`s from them, just remember it`s the same company in the same building working hard to help all of us in the detailing dept and will bent over backwards to make sure one is happy. Happy New Year everyone!

Thanks Old Pirate! We do our best to address technical issues quickly but sometimes they can be a bit difficult to track down because they affect some people and not others, so there is a lot of testing and troubleshooting just to replicate an issue and then they have to make sure that the fix doesn`t cause other issues as well. I leave them to work their magic and in the mean time, I`m happy to help here as needed.

**WaxAddict** · 12-29-2018, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by Lonnie

Wax Addict:
Which 4" backing plate did you buy; IE , was it for a rotary buffer or a DA??
I am asking because my own 4" backing plate on my (older) Porter-Cable DA is starting to crack and I am wondering what a good replacement is.
(Long live 4" pads because they are IDEAL for PC-DAs. or at least for me!)

Also, would you let us know if anyone from Palm Beach Motoring Group (PBMG, the parent company to Auto Geek and Autopia Car-Care) contacts you about your on-line shopping experience AND any follow-up that they do to "resolve" it. I REALLY hate to discredit (AKA; bad mouth) the company that makes this Autopia forum financially possible and I like to buy my detailing products from the Autopia Store to "put-my-money-where-my-mouth-is" and support this forum. BUT buying on-line is about product availability, price, ease of ordering, shipping costs and delivery times, return policies, and rewards, which are ALL part of the customer service experience. If a customer has a bad experience in anyone of one of those categories, it is the customer`s perception as "bad customer service". How problems are resolved speaks volumes about the credibility of the on-line store and a customer`s return as a "repeat buyer".

Hi Lonnie. To answer your questions:

1) My 4" backing plate was the DA variety - just that generic kind that a few folks sell as their own, probably SM Arnold or somebody like that makes it. I got like four years of occasional weekend use out of it, so not great, but not bad. I turned off my polisher as I always do - in contact with the paint - waited the prerequisite time to avoid sling (but the pad still turning), lifted the polisher, and WHEEEEE - the pad and the top-most part of the backing plate went flying across the garage.

2) They (PBMG) certainly did contact me (thru email). They seemed genuinely interested in fixing the problem with the web cart on a technical level.

**Wing Commander** · 12-29-2018, 01:56 AM

I had a problem with my points and was unable to purchase because when I clicked on ( My Rewards) then clicked (Redeem Points) it failed to show the reward coupons. I called Will and he really made the entire order redeeming so simple. I met him at Detail Fest and he was just as friendly as a good neighbor. I wish AT&T had people like Will working for them.

**Old Pirate** · 12-29-2018, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by WaxAddict

Hi Lonnie. To answer your questions:

1) My 4" backing plate was the DA variety - just that generic kind that a few folks sell as their own, probably SM Arnold or somebody like that makes it. I got like four years of occasional weekend use out of it, so not great, but not bad. I turned off my polisher as I always do - in contact with the paint - waited the prerequisite time to avoid sling (but the pad still turning), lifted the polisher, and WHEEEEE - the pad and the top-most part of the backing plate went flying across the garage.

2) They (PBMG) certainly did contact me (thru email). They seemed genuinely interested in fixing the problem with the web cart on a technical level.

How far did yours go? Mine flew about 20 feet a few yrs ago. I think someone call in a UFO sighting to the police.