Just Venting - Problem With Quadratec

[Wabujitsu]

I ordered a front bumper for my wife’s Jeep from Quadratec. The first one arrived with a big crease in the bull bar. I called and had no problem receiving a shipping label, and they sent a replacement bumper.

The second bumper arrived in a box so damn beat up it was COMPLETELY covered in tape! I cut it open, and that bumper was so scratched, dented, and banged up it looks like a well-used bumper! WTH!

I called again, and again they are sending a third bumper. If this one is also banged up, we will be going with a different company/bumper. I’m shocked and dismayed at the extreme lack of quality control. I understood Quadratec to have an excellent reputation. This is my first time ordering from them.

Photos below. I didn’t bother with taking pics of the second bumper, except for the dent on the bull bar of that one too. I did take photos of the box the second one arrived in. By the way, you can see where a shipping label had been cut off the end of the box. I’m not the first to receive the second bumper.

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[Carlton]

Seems to be a common complaint about Quadratec recently.

 

[stojanowski]

Yea I got a return/damaged bumper for 300 on eBay... Not sure what it was but no hardware. Asked customer service if I could order the hardware from them and that was a no... Pieced it together through Amazon, we will see how it works out

 

[AlgUSF]

There must be labor problems at the big shippers, because everything I've ordered online lately has been beat up pretty good. It seems like they really destroy anything heavy.

 

[Friday2322]

I've had good luck with Quadratec fortunately but their packaging isn't the best. When I ordered my Ironman 4x4 rear bumper I was amazed how well it was packaged. They had used some sort of spray foam to secure and protect the bumper within the packaging, it worked great, more companies should try it.

 

[aldo98229]

Yeah, complaints about Quadratec, Extreme Terrain, Amazon, eBay and everyone else’s deliveries jump through the roof this time of year.

At least Quadratec makes it easy to resolve your issue. That alone is a lot more than I’ve gotten from other sellers.

Years ago I used to buy a lot of stuff on eBay and 4 Wheel Parts, but their return and exchange policies are just terrible. Extreme Terrain and Northridge 4x4 are hit-and-miss. So I mostly buy from Quadratec and Amazon these days.

Good luck.

 

[DaltonGang]

I wouldn't blame Quadratech, as much as the shipping company. But, if Quadratechs items are constantly being damaged, then they are partially to blame, for not better packing the items.

 

[Sparty]

I wouldn't blame Quadratech, as much as the shipping company. But, if Quadratechs items are constantly being damaged, then they are partially to blame, for not better packing the items.

Packaging Engineering is a true degree and they need one on staff. Just having the person who isn't busy at the moment just throw something in a box and send it out isn't a good long-term plan.

What a lot of companies fail to comprehend is that proper packaging design (basic blocking and bracing with cushion for impact) is essential compared to the long term costs of damage/returns, but also the customer dissatisfaction that we're seeing in this post.

Additionally, the first area of cost savings in a company is to simply reduce packaging. That's what you're probably seeing here as well

 

[Rustynail11]

Not defending Quadratec as I know many people have had issues with them but you also need to put blame on the shipper. They are gentle with packages, especially the over weight ones.

 

[Carlton]

I wouldn't blame Quadratech, as much as the shipping company. But, if Quadratechs items are constantly being damaged, then they are partially to blame, for not better packing the items.

The OP's pictures shows the boxes left in bad shape from Quadratec. Looks like returns as the boxes were covered in Quadratec tape ?

 

[offroad_source]

While I can't speak for them, I am able to relate, These shippers are just beating the crap out of things trying to get them to places faster. As a result, We chose to ship our bumpers LTL Freight. Really helped out in terms of quality control and better shipping.

 

[Byrds8]

I had ordered a Bowflex from Amazon that used LTL Freight and it arrived with the box split in half. Had to fight and argue to get my money back. I think since the whole covid thing started, everything went down hill regardless of industry.

 

[Heimkehr]

Just having the person ...throw something in a box and send it out isn't a good long-term plan.

[and] the first area of cost savings in a company is to simply reduce packaging.

In my experience, that's Amazon's precise M.O. They're big enough to not have to worry about it, though. To be fair, I've never had a problem with the company when requesting a replacement or refund due to shipping damage. That certainly can't be said of every vendor with whom I've made similar claims.

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For context:

I used to work for one of the FedEx shipping terminals. I was an unloader, working a part-time 2nd shift job. The standing order for all of us was to shift the parcels from the trailer to the conveyer sorting belt as fast as we (there were 2 of us per trailer) were physically able to manage.

If you're envisioning some boxes not being handled as gently as you'd prefer, you're spot on. Hearing the supervisor literally yell over the PA system to work faster, when we're already shirtless and sweating our balls off, was always a morale booster.

The foregoing means that while I may be upset when I see a box that barely survived the rigors of transit handling, I'm no longer surprised. For a time, I was part of the problem. ? That's just the way the industry operates, perhaps by necessity.

 

[DaltonGang]

This reminds me of an old commercial.

 

[Reinen]

Don't these large items get shipped FedEx Ground? They're terrible and beat up packages more than anyone else. I wouldn't be surprised if packages move through their sorting facilities by catapult.

Not really Quadratec's fault though. A lot of their items (especially large ones) are drop shipped never going through their hands. They just handle the sales and order process. When FedEx is involved drop shipped becomes drop kicked.

Some manufacturers know this. When I got my Rival aluminum bumper, FedEx beat the crap out of the box. I was really worried. Inside was a giant bubble wrap banana so heavily and tightly wrapped it took me 30 minutes before I could even see the bumper (which was in perfect condition).

As frustrating as that was I had to laugh. It's FedEx. You gotta do what you gotta do.

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