Looking to buy a new piece of equipment

[RustyPile]

It's an expensive tool but is built by an old reliable USA based company.. I've been shopping online and found the tool on a particular website that advertises easy, no cost to the buyer, return policies, quick timely shipping.. And the sales reps exhibit overall good product knowledge.. Plus the tool is priced anywhere from $100 to almost $1,000 cheaper than anyone else I've checked with. The tool weighs over 200# and they offer free shipping, something NOT offered by any of the others. I'm not familiar with the company so I'm relying on you guys to supply feedback and experience -- good or bad -- when dealing with this company.. The name of the company is Zoro.. Here's a link to the company's website: https://www.zoro.com/

[special-K]

Where do your doubts stem from? Never heard of them... I don't think. Never dealt with them for sure. I don't know what the tool you want to buy is, but have you researched that from various sources enough to know that is the tool you want, or are you wondering if the reps with Zoro are steering you straight? I don't know, but from all you've said I'd think you picked a good company to deal with.

[Sheepdip]

Give us a link to the actual tool you want to buy and you'll get much better input

[CarolinaHD]

I have purchased air fittings and regulators through them in the past. Did transactions on ebay and their own website with no issues.

[RustyPile]

The tool I'm looking to buy isn't of importance to this discussion, as the quality of the tool is well know to those in the industry.. I bought Northern tool's "house brand" Strong way air powered end lift, priced way below the name brands.. All you professional mechanics have used a version of this jack.. Gray is the most popular brand.. It's a big ol' air powered bumper jack.. Gray quit making the 2 1/2 ton version years ago.. They only offer a 10 ton version priced at over $6,000.. Hein Warner still makes the 2 1/2 ton version.. Zoro's price for the Hein Warner is $1,417.00.

Special-K, I wouldn't describe my feelings as doubts. But to answer your question I've had to return, as defective, 2 of those Strong Ways.. After lengthy (and sometimes heated) discussions with Northern Tools, I obtained a full refund.. I don't want to go through that ordeal again with any of those cheap Chinese knock offs.. I'm going with a brand known for it's quality.. My concerns lie with the integrity and honesty of the business I chose to deal with on the purchase of this jack..

As most of you know, I'm not a big fan of ordering from internet based businesses. I do my best to buy local but these jacks can't be purchased just anywhere like a floor jack or jack stands. So I'm looking for some of you guy's experiences with this company... Zoro deals mostly with high end equipment, they're not a business that the typical and average person would walk in and do business with on a daily basis..

Give me a couple minutes and I'll come back and post a link to the jack on Zoro's website..

[RustyPile]

Here's that link:

https://www.zoro.com/hein-werner-air...6a/i/G3428196/

[LockDoc]

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You will have to make your own judgement call but here are some review sites about them....

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=zoro.com+r...=v229-1&ia=web

LockDoc

[FleetsidePaul]

I've bought some small stuff from them. No problems. Very quick shipping.

I couldn't tell you about returning something because I've never had to.

I had never heard of them either. But they seem to be on their game. I'll use them again.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
You will have to make your own judgement call but here are some review sites about them....

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=zoro.com+r...=v229-1&ia=web

LockDoc

..
Thanks LocDoc.. As usual, if you don't know the answer, you know where to find it... Talk about mixed reviews.. No "middle of the road" reviews... Either customers so very pleased and couldn't be happier, OR so displeased and angry they could bite the head off a live rattle snake...

I gotta give this some serious thought. I'm not talking about a $15 kenueter valve for my snorken pump, I'm talking about sending a company over $1500.00 that, according to the reviews, satisfy only about half of their customers... Pretty much a no brainer..

Thanks again LocDoc......

[special-K]

I guess I still see your concerns as casting doubt, or you wouldn't be needing to ask. However you want to categorize your feelings, I see your concerns over a return scenario as being all but negated by the fact that you aren't buying a cheap Chinese knock-off tool from a place like Northern Tool. Heim-Warner is top notch professional grade with a long running reputation to back it up. I'm sure they would want any business distributing their products to stand behind them as they do themselves. I'm sure if you had an issue with a return due to a faulty product they would want to know about it. Like when I was having warranty issues with the dealership I bought a GMC from, I called GMC and they set the dealership straight. But now you have those review sites to help ease your concerns. Good luck and I hope Zoro is the no-brainer way to go that it would appear they are... quality products at best price.

[notsolo]

Also bought from Zoro tools no problems..free shipping...heavy stuff delivered to your door...Helps with the decision....Good Luck

[The Rocknrod]

I purchased stuff from them and had no issues with the order.

[72c20customcamper]

I've ordered from them a lot . They are owned by Grainger

[GOPAPA]

As for reviews ...I read them and wonder how many are posted by other company employees negitives that want to keep us from buying from thier competitor .. especially when it's a good deal at a lower price .. I read them from amazon and do make some judgment about the product by feeling out what reviews are more facual to me best as I can as this about the only advice I have about a product unless my neighbor has bought one

[72c20customcamper]

Last order was 3 contico pro tuff bins 15 dollars cheaper than anywhere else. Had them in 2 days after the order was placed.

I guess I'm one of those people that only review a company after a bad experience. Never think about it whenever everything goes well.

[RustyPile]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

............ They are owned by Grainger

I've heard that more than once.. What puzzles me is Direct from Grainger the jack costs over $2,000 with shipping fees.. From "Grainger owned" Zoro, the jack costs, including a 15% off "coupon" and free shipping, $1205.00... If Zoro can sell it for that price, why can't Grainger?? I find it difficult to believe Grainger actually owns Zoro...

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

I've heard that more than once.. What puzzles me is Direct from Grainger the jack costs over $2,000 with shipping fees.. From "Grainger owned" Zoro, the jack costs, including a 15% off "coupon" and free shipping, $1205.00... If Zoro can sell it for that price, why can't Grainger?? I find it difficult to believe Grainger actually owns Zoro...

Just like some companies that sell on Ebay on their own website the price is much higher . Most online only companies like zoro have little to no stock it comes direct from manufacturer

I guess I should rebuild my 60s era lift like that . We used it for big trucks lookalike that with long arms to to lift on the axle housing

https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2...-only-channel/

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

As for reviews ...I read them and wonder how many are posted by other company employees negitives that want to keep us from buying from thier competitor .. especially when it's a good deal at a lower price .. I read them from amazon and do make some judgment about the product by feeling out what reviews are more facual to me best as I can as this about the only advice I have about a product unless my neighbor has bought one

I have gotten to the point that I don't pay too much attention to reviews. They always seem to follow the same love them or hate them pattern. Which leaves me scratching my head. Which is it? I just throw caution to the wind and cross my fingers. So far. So good.

[special-K]

I never bought from Grainger because I always knew of cheaper sources for what they had. I guess that's why Grainger has a second company to sell at discount. I can buy Redwing Boots cheaper at an independent dealer than from the Redwing Store. The company stores have to sell at full retail. It never made sense to me, but their stores are still open. They make more profit than the dealers. Many large companies will have their own subsidiaries to sell their products cheaper. You can buy tires made by Goodyear with a different name on the sidewall cheaper than Goodyears.

[Axle]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

I've heard that more than once.. What puzzles me is Direct from Grainger the jack costs over $2,000 with shipping fees.. From "Grainger owned" Zoro, the jack costs, including a 15% off "coupon" and free shipping, $1205.00... If Zoro can sell it for that price, why can't Grainger?? I find it difficult to believe Grainger actually owns Zoro...

No idea about Zoro Grainger relationship, but it isn't exactly uncommon for a big name company to have a generic sub company where things get sold cheaper.

The primary company is the main money maker, relying on peoples perception--and this thread would be a good example, you are trying to vett out zoro to see if they are a legitimate company, I'd be willing to say if you found a similar deal at Grainger or McMaster Carr you'd jump on it because both companies are known to be legit. Think about that for a second... whats the easiest way to get a bit more profit? Jack the prices on your recognized brand for everyone who has reservations about dealing with a little known internet player. Now run a second company to catch people who are only price shopping and you have managed to get a bit more market coverage.

[vetnat]

I bought a drill chuck from them once. Not a big purchase obviously. When it came (shipped to Canada) it was not the one pictured. Same thing, just looked different. I wanted one that looked like the one on the drill I have. They promptly refunded my money, and let me keep the chuck.

[RustyPile]

!!!!!UPDATE!!!!!
Thanks guys for all your input and advice. The following is based on fact as events played out over a 2 week period of time..

With a bit of trepidation, Friday afternoon, Oct 9th, I phoned Zoro and placed an order for that jack.. I gave them my CC number and Zoro received immediate confirmation during the transaction.. They issued a customer number along with the order number and informed me I would receive a UPS tracking number within 24 hours.. Friday evening around 8:30 PM I received an email from Zoro stating they had canceled my order.. Since they are "open" until 9:00 PM, I contacted them to find out why the order was canceled.. They couldn't offer an explanation except to tell me to contact their customer service Monday the 12th..

On the 12th, Zoro customer service told me they didn't "understand the syntax of my address".. I explained that I live in a rural area and the roads around here don't have names, they have numbers.. Got that all cleared up and then called their "place an order" phone number.. Placed a replacement order complete with new order number and CC transaction number.. I received the tracking number the next day.. I started tracking the item and watched it sit on Zoro's loading dock from 11:53 AM until 10:00 PM on the 13th when it finally departed Zoro's loading dock.. During this time 2 alarming notations were entered.. One indicated some damage was noted and one indicated an incident had occurred that might result in "a service delay"..

The jack rattled around in a UPS trailer for over 3 days until it arrived in Dallas around noon on the 16th.. (I was initially told the jack would arrive at my house on Thursday the 15th.. The jack hung around the Dallas UPS terminal and another "incident that might result in a service delay" was noted.. It was scanned again and placed on another trailer and departed for Tyler, Tx at 7:31 the morning of the 19th.. Here's where it gets interesting.. The jack was scanned 2 hours later in Tyler at 9:37 AM, some 125 + miles from Dallas.. I received a request from UPS to make delivery arrangements.. The arrangements included the fact that UPS Freight only delivers in the Elkhart, Tx area on Thursdays.. The UPS truck showed up at my house around 3:00 PM today, the 22nd of October, 2020, 2 weeks, almost to the hour, after I placed the original order for the jack.. Upon my close inspection, I found no damage so I haven't a clue why the damage notation was entered...

I'll not post any feedback -- positive or negative -- about any of the parties involved in this transaction.. I'll just let you guys draw your own conclusions.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by RustyPile

!!!!!UPDATE!!!!!
Thanks guys for all your input and advice. The following is based on fact as events played out over a 2 week period of time..

With a bit of trepidation, Friday afternoon, Oct 9th, I phoned Zoro and placed an order for that jack.. I gave them my CC number and Zoro received immediate confirmation during the transaction.. They issued a customer number along with the order number and informed me I would receive a UPS tracking number within 24 hours.. Friday evening around 8:30 PM I received an email from Zoro stating they had canceled my order.. Since they are "open" until 9:00 PM, I contacted them to find out why the order was canceled.. They couldn't offer an explanation except to tell me to contact their customer service Monday the 12th..

On the 12th, Zoro customer service told me they didn't "understand the syntax of my address".. I explained that I live in a rural area and the roads around here don't have names, they have numbers.. Got that all cleared up and then called their "place an order" phone number.. Placed a replacement order complete with new order number and CC transaction number.. I received the tracking number the next day.. I started tracking the item and watched it sit on Zoro's loading dock from 11:53 AM until 10:00 PM on the 13th when it finally departed Zoro's loading dock.. During this time 2 alarming notations were entered.. One indicated some damage was noted and one indicated an incident had occurred that might result in "a service delay"..

The jack rattled around in a UPS trailer for over 3 days until it arrived in Dallas around noon on the 16th.. (I was initially told the jack would arrive at my house on Thursday the 15th.. The jack hung around the Dallas UPS terminal and another "incident that might result in a service delay" was noted.. It was scanned again and placed on another trailer and departed for Tyler, Tx at 7:31 the morning of the 19th.. Here's where it gets interesting.. The jack was scanned 2 hours later in Tyler at 9:37 AM, some 125 + miles from Dallas.. I received a request from UPS to make delivery arrangements.. The arrangements included the fact that UPS Freight only delivers in the Elkhart, Tx area on Thursdays.. The UPS truck showed up at my house around 3:00 PM today, the 22nd of October, 2020, 2 weeks, almost to the hour, after I placed the original order for the jack.. Upon my close inspection, I found no damage so I haven't a clue why the damage notation was entered...

I'll not post any feedback -- positive or negative -- about any of the parties involved in this transaction.. I'll just let you guys draw your own conclusions.

WOW! But they can blame it on the virus.

How about some feedback on the Jack....

LockDoc