It's lengthy, but I want to be clear about the reasons I will not be inclined to purchase parts from RockAuto.com, or Airtex, until both of them lead the industry and stop following. The following are responses to portions of an email sent to me by RockAuto.com. The quotes are directly from the email I received.

-"...allow time for our warehouses to inspect returns..."

I received a part in an Wells box that was not only used, but also for a different engine from a different manufacturer. If these procedures are actually done, I should not have received a part that clearly was used by someone else.

-"...it appears that 7 of the 8 coils were the same products though in different boxes and with different serial numbers on them..." 5 parts had one number that differed from the number on 2 of the others. When I called Airtex, they told me the numbers printed on the part were "most likely" lot numbers. "Most likely" because they could not say for sure that the parts I received were in fact the Airtex parts I ordered. Not even after I gave them the numbers printed on the parts. They also were quite anxious to find out where I purchased parts advertised as Airtex that arrived in Wells boxes. The parts I ordered should have been easily identifiable, they were not. Brake pads work if they fit. A hose works, if it fits. An electronic device that "fits" can blow an engine if the components, hidden inside a molded housing, are incorrect . The boxes were not sealed, there were no recognizable identifying marks and no way to tell if they were even correct.

-" In future, we cannot pay for shipping on returns if the part is accurate and functioning but the box differs or there are different serial numbers, manufacturing dates, or manufacturing locations."

If I ordered brakes, a hose, a light bulb, screwdriver, tire, bumper, or fender I could totally get behind this statement. This is an electronic device, so this statement should not apply to this kind of part. A fender either lines up, or it doesn't. A water hose, either leaks or it doesn't. Tires are clearly labeled. Electronic devices can work properly, but in the wrong engine will cause severe damage. The compatibility of most auto parts can be visually verified by shape, composition, and assembly. Electronic components functionality can not be determined visually without a label. The boxes were not sealed, ensuring that eventually the wrong part would go out. According to the manufacturer, the wrong packaging all together. The parts themselves did not have a manufacturer name, part number, or anything on them that could be verified. So how am I to know if the functionality of the parts matches my engine? If a hose malfunctions, you just have to mop up the mess. If a coil, the 8 parts in question, malfunctions thousands of dollars of damage can occur in seconds, which isn't so easy to mop up.

-"...we cannot pay for shipping on returns..." Shipping is part of doing business online. It's bad enough that you even charge at all for any shipping, many online retailers don't. It's especially worse if you send bad parts and then automatically omit the original cost of shipping from the refund. RockAuto.com is acting like I didn't like the shade of pink they sent. While I have been told RockAuto.com will refund the shipping, I should not have had to call customer service to make it happen. I don't care if your competitors do the same. Be a leader, value your customers, and you will have great success.

-"...manufacturers will at times..." This dilemma makes Airtex look bad also. You should stand behind what you sell, not defend the manufacturer. If Airtex can't get it together, then drop them. Why is it Airtex has no ability to confirm if the numbers are or aren't theirs? Is production that hard to track? Many other companies don't seem to have a problem. What happens in the event of a recall? Ask Firestone, they know how to lose millions in the blink of an eye. There are many other fine manufacturers of quality parts that seem to adhere to a higher standard than Airtex. For example, why would I buy 8 coils? Because I have 8 cylinders in my engine. Several other stores offer sets of 8, from the manufacturer. WHY? A matched set would be ideal. Firing could lag in some cylinders, due to lot variances, making it difficult for the device controlling the system to compensate for miss-matched parts. Parts from different lots? I did not order a mass quantity. If I had a shop and ordered 200 of the same part I would expect to get different lots in the mix. Does this mean Airtex's manufacturing produces 5 parts at a time/lot? I doubt it.

-"We have given the money to Visa so it will be now up to them to give the money back to you." It's amazing to me that in the year 2014, it takes seconds to charge a card and days to refund when dealing with RockAuto.com. If I bought a gallon of milk from the store across the street and found it to be sour when I get home, a refund from the grocery store would happen instantly (once they got the sour milk back). It would also appear instantly on my bank account. I understand the parts need to be "inspected", and I agree. If that would have been done with the parts I ordered, before they were sent out to me, maybe I would have gotten what I ordered. I got an email stating the parts have been received, and the refund has been issued. I still don't have my refund. Maybe RockAuto.com should take this up with Visa. Obviously the grocery store across the street, that sells sour milk, has a fast track with Visa that RockAuto.com doesn't have. Again, stand behind your product and stop defending your vendors. Put the screws to Visa, and tell them you want refunds to be instant. This is 2014, it can be done.

I also ordered an Airtex turn signal switch which seems to work. It was clearly identifiable, so I installed it. However, the handle that operates the switch does not rest in the same place the OEM did. (it is closer to the steering wheel and sits much higher) Thankfully it operates my lights correctly. Yet another reason I will stay away from Airtex in the future.

Most of the customer service reps at RockAuto.com, when I called, seemed to be looking for a reason to charge me for returning these parts. (ie: restock fee, not refunding shipping) While they did not directly threaten me with such charges, it seemed like they wanted to.

I felt like Serena was the only CS rep that was not looking rake me over the coals. She was also receptive (not dismissive) of my concerns. Maybe the pervious CS reps did not actually read, for themselves, the policies they were reciting to me. Again, I agree with the policies but not under these circumstances. Most companies I have ordered from online respond to mistakes with, "I'm sorry, I've sent a return authorization to your email." Instead I got all kinds of excuses about how the parts, that could not be verified, should be used in my vehicle. Which I interpret as, "well look, even though we can't prove the parts you have are what you ordered, you should use them. If not, I will drill you about how wrong you are, tell you that's how it is, and you will wait until we (and Visa) get good and ready to think about giving you your money back." No CS rep said those exact words but it is my summary of the calls leading to my call with Serena.
**Kudos to Serena!!**
At no point was any compensation for this mess ever offered, not even a free tire gauge. $@!#%