Avoid Little British Car Company

[Mr.Gale]

I hope this review is appropriate, I just want to warn others about this company. Below is a review I posted on Yelp.

This week I had an unpleasant experience with Little British Car Co, Ltd.. I ordered a set of Magnecor spark plug cables for my 1964 Lotus Elan. The bad news is I made a mistake and the cables I ordered were for a push in cap and what I should have ordered are cables for a screw in cap. I contacted LBC as soon as I discovered my mistake and asked to exchange them for the correct set, they said they would do that but I would have to pay shipping both ways (no problem, it was my error) plus a 25% restocking fee. Say what! I didn?t ask for my money back I just wanted to exchange them. Nowhere on the catalog page for Magnecor SP cables does it say anything about ?non returnable or 25% restocking fee?.
This is what it says on the company?s home page. ? If you purchase an item that you are not completely satisfied with you may return an new, unused and uninstalled product in its original packaging for refund, credit for up to 6 months from date of invoice when purchased on our website(a small restock charge may apply)?. The problem is I don?t want to return anything; I want to exchange a purchase.
I wish I had known that this company had such poor customer service and was only interested is screwing their customers. There are many places where one can spend their money and if customer service is important to you as it is to me, I would avoid dealing with Little British Car Co, Ltd. I hope this review will help keep anyone else from being taken advantage of by this unscrupulous company.

[Europatc]

Thank you Mr Gale

[Famous Frank]

Some companies don't have a clue what the term "Customer Service" means!

I'm with you. Thank you. Frank

[Spyder fan]

Hi Mr Gale,
ooh that stinks! When I saw the name Little British Car Company Ltd, I thought it was a UK based business, but seems like they are your side of the pond.

I just looked at their terms and they state they will exchange the item OR credit your account for the purchase price and a small restock charge may apply. To me this reads you can exchange at full value and a restock charge only applies if you want a credit. Shipping charges is self explanatory and reasonable.

Returns: If you are not completely satisfied with any unused, and uninstalled item, it may be returned within 180 days in resalable condition and we will exchange the item for another item or credit your account for the purchase price excluding shipping charges (a small restock charge may apply). Returns over 6 months, but less than 12 months will be charged a restocking fee of up to 20% to cover our processing costs, in-house credit only will be given on account which will be applied to future orders. We reserve the right to charge up to 20% when no invoice is supplied and/or there is substantial work involved to process your return back into stock or returned to our vendors. Items over 12 months old are not returnable. Returned merchandise must be returned according to instructions you will obtain from us via a return Email once a request for a Return Authorization (RA.) has been Emailed to [email protected]" target="_blank. All returns must include all original packaging, and be properly packaged to avoid damage. Credits or exchanges can not be issued for used, installed or incomplete returns. Electrical items that have been installed, and "Custom" or "Special Order" items can not be cancelled or returned. Tops, tonneaus, and other interior items that have been cut or installed are not returnable. Returned merchandise may be subject to a 20% restocking charge. We will NOT reimburse additional charges for shipping/packaging services, but may reimburse reasonable freight charges if the return is due to an error by our suppliers or on our part. Please remember to always inspect the parts upon receipt of your order to avoid any difficulties later and notify us within 5 days of receipt should there by any questions or errors.

I know that consumer regulations differ from State to State in the USA, maybe you need to look up your consumer rights if they don't reconsider their position on this one.

Dear Little British Car Company (Jeff & Jan Zorn),
I'm really peeved at the customer service I have received and the misapplication of your terms and conditions of sale. You state items can be exchanged if returned in full saleable condition within 180 days of purchase, I tried to do this with some plug cables that I had mistakenly ordered with push in cap when I should have ordered screw in cap, it's my mistake and I hold my hands up. I expected to pay the shipping costs to return and receive the exchange items, but what I wasn't expecting was a 25% restock charge on top of this. Your terms don't mention this charge for an exchange and in fact your stated charges only go up to 20% and this is for goods that are returned for credit over 6 months after the sale.
I'm hoping that you will look into this and discover that one of your employees is misinterpreting the rules or maybe vying for the corporate title of "Sales Prevention Officer".
I'm a reasonable guy and like to deal with company's that deal honestly and fairly, and I know it's easy to make mistakes when you are busy or distracted, so you have the benefit of the doubt here.
I look forward to your reply and hopefully it will be a reasonable and fair response stating that my restock charge is to be refunded.

Yours hopefully
Mr Gale

[Mr.Gale]

Thanks everyone.
Spyder Fan,
I already went round and round with the company owner and his conclusion is because I ordered the wrong part it is my fault and will not defer the 25% fee. It's not the end of the world, I think if I remove metal tips that would go into a push in cap they might work, I just need to measure them and make sure they are long enough.
What bothers me is his attitude unwillingness to stand behind his published return policy therefore my review, no should have to deal with this type of vendor.
Mr.Gale

[pharriso]

no should have to deal with this type of vendor.
Mr.Gale

Thanks for the warning, I certainly won't be buying anything from him.

[Spyder fan]

Okay,

Then it's well deserved criticism and shame on them. No reasonable company would behave in this manner especially one where the business is based on reputation in a small industry.

Little British Car Company Ltd : - We try harder to stay smaller, give us a try, you won't be disappointed at our lack of customer service.

[billwill]

From the other viewpoint:

INT -- CAR SPARES SHOP -- Afternoon

Two men Tom and Dick are behind the counter, Tom is opening mail.

TOM: Hey Dick, you remember those ignition leads we had to make up specially (after importing the parts) because the customer wanted push in leads instead of the screw in ones that are normal for that car?

DICK: Oh yeah, I remember, it was a really awkward job, anyway what of it?

TOM: The Customer wants to send them back in exchange for screw-in ones as that's what he has found he really needs!

DICK: Oh sod it, we will never sell the returned set, they won't fit any real car now. Lets just cut our losses and charge him for all the postage and a 25% restocking fee.

TOM: Right OK.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[vernon.taylor]

I'd be interested in the leads - with a 25% discount

[cal44]

All of this fuss over some spark plug wires..........really? Of all things to get worked up over this ain't one of em'

[Mr.Gale]

You missed the point. It has nothing to do about spark plug wires but everything to do about customer service and a company's decision not to honor their published return policy.

Mr.Gale

[cal44]

I fully understand the point Mr. Gale. I minimized the topic for reasons as follows. They claim no charges to return a part.......but they charge. O.K fine...........they charge. You ordered the wrong part so they should take it back, send you another part, all for ............free............now they have made no money as their time has been used to resend a part that was returned.

Granted the written return policy is wrong but in the scheme of things...........it's still some spark plug wires
I'll now recede back under my rock.......................

[Bugeyed]

You missed the point. It has nothing to do about spark plug wires but everything to do about customer service and a company's decision not to honor their published return policy.

Mr.Gale

Yep that's right, the point and the question is , would you buy anything bigger than that from them? ,Say an engine?