Avoid GM Parts Giant if at all Possible

[Noggles]

TLDR: Ordered parts from them, got shipped the wrong parts and was charged a restocking fee even though the parts being wrong were not my fault.

I know they come up a lot while searching for replacement parts for my truck and my dads truck so I wanted to pass this along as a warning to others.

So before Christmas I ordered a set of front mud flaps for my dad's 13 Denail (see thread here). When I placed the order I used their year make and model filter and not the VIN lookup. I ordered the flaps it told me to. They eventually came in after Christmas (thanks USPS) and they were the wrong ones. I immediately checked their site again using the VIN lookup this time and was given the same part number as I ordered so I started the RMA process. As part of that they require pictures which I provided and then they approved the RMA. In the email I was told I needed to pay for shipping and they MIGHT charge a 20% restocking fee.

I call them the next day and the man that answered told me he would investigate it and get back with me and nothing else. A week later (partially got busy so it's on me too) I called them and said that the manager was still investigating because the pictures I sent them had 2 different part numbers and that they would get back with me the next day. Later that night I received another RMA form that said I was still paying shipping but I WILL be charged a restocking fee. I called them the next day and the hateful woman explained to me that they investigated and determined they shipped me the part I ordered and that it was correct. After arguing with her she told me that if I could get a GM dealership to confirm they were the incorrect part and I email them the proof that they would reinvestigate it. So I did so and of course they were wrong, and before I could even get the proof emailed to they they already had sent me a postage paid label and a whole new RMA form that was back to saying I MAY have to pay a restocking fee but was for damage or missing parts etc. I returned the parts and tonight found out that they approved the refund, minus the restocking fee. I am waiting on a call back from them supposedly by noon tomorrow to answer why they still kept the fee even though they sent me the wrong parts.

During the whole thing, they at no point verified that the actual parts in the box were the parts they should be. After running the part numbers on them (they were different than the 2 on the box) they come back for the front of a 2013 Silverado. I was hoping they would confirm that when the parts returned but obviously not.

 

[Noggles]

Just got another update from them and I’ll be getting the full refund. So the case is closed but there’s no reason it needed to be this difficult for their mistake.

 

[OR VietVet]

I can't remember where, but I think I saw a GM Part's Giant warning before, somewhere.

I have had good luck with GM Parts Direct

 

[petethepug]

There’s zero reason you need to prove you made a square deal with a bunch of slimy guys hiding behind GM’s name brand on a website storefront.

You had to do the work of an investigative news reporter just to handle a standard botched up purchase that was no fault of your own.

Well played and sorry they gave you the runaround treatment.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I had the same experience with GMPartsGiant.com. They are a dealership trying to have an active online presence in the parts business, but they clearly had a distain for online purchasers. Never again.

As @swathdiver indicated, I have also had good luck with GMPartsDirect.com (but others have had issues, so it is not 100% favorable).

 

[Noggles]

The whole thing was insane. I have bought a lot of stuff online in my life and this is the first time I have ever had an experience so bad I posted about it anywhere. On the other hand, the rear mud flaps I bought off eBay didn't fit either and almost 2 months later I messaged the seller asking if he knew any more info about them because the molded part numbers don't come up in any GM system. He responded immediately and said he will give me a full refund. No questions asked.

 

[89Suburban]

95% of the time I just use that site to look up GM part numbers and buy them somewhere else.

 

[swathdiver]

I had the same experience with GMPartsGiant.com. They are a dealership trying to have an active online presence in the parts business, but they clearly had a distain for online purchasers. Never again.

As @swathdiver indicated, I have also had good luck with GMPartsDirect.com (but others have had issues, so it is not 100% favorable).

I've done business with many GM dealerships including GMPD and GMPG and never a problem like that. The most problems with online parts ordering has come from Rock Auto, specifically, large orders. They always forgot something. So I began to make smaller orders and the problem of missing items went away.

With the GM companies, I expect slower than normal service due to the way they are organized. GMPG left out some fasteners once, but we got it sorted out easily enough.

In the OPs case, seems like too many chiefs got involved from different departments.

 

[PPV_2018]

OK hold on, hold on . . . I’ve got an idea for a business venture:

>open online storefront
>customer orders parts
>send customer wrong parts
>make customer pay for return shipping + *restocking fee
>get the parts shipped back on customer’s dime
>100% profit on restocking fee

Oh wait. . .

Scratch that. . . I actually have a soul

 

[petethepug]

Sign of the times pretty much. Purchased a set of aftermarket headlamps for my wife’s car. Within a year, the protective coating on the lens began to peel like a bad sunburn. It affected the clarity.

It was only days after the warranty expired. The company knew they had a production problem. After experiencing a similar issue as you had experienced, I simply ordered another set of identical headlamps.

I swapped them out and returned them a few months later for a full refund. Apparently everybody’s happy because the ppwk & warranty issues were all directed to the manufacturer vs the seller.

Times change, contractual terms do not. It’s almost like I purchased an item I knew was going to fail and implemented the warranty process prior to it expiring. It’s funny that I’m actually protecting the seller from his predatory distributor.

Is my soul safe?

 

[Marky Dissod]

Sign of the times pretty much.
Purchased a set of aftermarket headlamps for my wife’s car.
Within a year, the protective coating on the lens began to peel like a bad sunburn. It affected the clarity.

It was only days after the warranty expired. The company knew they had a production problem.
After experiencing a similar issue as you had experienced, I simply ordered another set of identical headlamps.

I swapped them out and returned them a few months later for a full refund.
Apparently everybody’s happy because the ppwk & warranty issues were all directed to the manufacturer vs the seller.

Times change, contractual terms do not.
It’s almost like I purchased an item I knew was going to fail and implemented the warranty process prior to it expiring.
It’s funny that I’m actually protecting the seller from his predatory distributor.

Is my soul safe?

'Yes' or 'no' is woefully inadequate.
Your soul is safer than the person who sells items using the business case described by @PPV_2018 in the previous post.

 

[SirReal63]

I had my fun with GMPG, I was going to order an ignition control module for a SBC, a part that weighs .4lb and is 2"x3" and they wanted to charge me $30 for shipping. The ICM cost $35 so I questioned them and the only answer I was given was they cannot amend whatever shipping cost comes up in the computer. I did not buy it from them.

A previous order for an oil pressure sending unit for the C4 showed in stock but after a week of no shipping they cancelled the order. I don't believe I will order parts from them again.

 

[jaywestfall]

I can't remember where, but I think I saw a GM Part's Giant warning before, somewhere.

I have had good luck with GM Parts Direct

Up vote for GM Parts Direct. I almost always start there if I have to go the dealer route for parts.

 

[Geotrash]

I've had similar happen with the Lucky Brand Jeans website. After trying for a couple of weeks and getting nowhere, I filed a complaint with the BBB, including screenshots of what I ordered and photos of what I received. I received a refund and an apology the next day.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I've had similar happen with the Lucky Brand Jeans website. After trying for a couple of weeks and getting nowhere, I filed a complaint with the BBB, including screenshots of what I ordered and photos of what I received. I received a refund and an apology the next day.

But why should it even get that far....these companies forget who keep them in business.

 

[Geotrash]

But why should it even get that far....these companies forget who keep them in business.

Agreed. But I had had good experiences with them previously. What I didn't know is that they'd been bought out between my previous orders and the one where I ran into problems.

 

[RVTSP21K]

I wish I remembered this thread. I ordered a new fuel tank through GMPD for my wife's 2011 Z71. It's supposed to come tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

 

[alpha_omega]

I've had similar happen with the Lucky Brand Jeans website. After trying for a couple of weeks and getting nowhere, I filed a complaint with the BBB, including screenshots of what I ordered and photos of what I received. I received a refund and an apology the next day.

That’s what I had to do with GMPD. After getting BBB involved I received a full refund and my parts.

If I’m not mistaken, all of those online front companies are owned by the same company now. They have them for mopar, ford, lexus…etc. They basically blanketed the vehicle brands and created multiple websites under the same umbrella. Hence the same webpage layout, same photos, similar inventory and prices.
Sometimes people have issues, other times things are smooth.

 

[Geotrash]

That’s what I had to do with GMPD. After getting BBB involved I received a full refund and my parts.

If I’m not mistaken, all of those online front companies are owned by the same company now. They have them for mopar, ford, lexus…etc. They basically blanketed the vehicle brands and created multiple websites under the same umbrella. Hence the same webpage layout, same photos, similar inventory and prices.
Sometimes people have issues, other times things are smooth.

I suspect you're right. Glad you got your money back. Another reason to use Rock Auto.

 

[Noggles]

That’s what I had to do with GMPD. After getting BBB involved I received a full refund and my parts.

If I’m not mistaken, all of those online front companies are owned by the same company now. They have them for mopar, ford, lexus…etc. They basically blanketed the vehicle brands and created multiple websites under the same umbrella. Hence the same webpage layout, same photos, similar inventory and prices.
Sometimes people have issues, other times things are smooth.

I have wondered about them all being owned by the same company for those reasons. I also wondered if the system looks similar because at the end of the day its GM's inventory system that they are providing access to and selling from.

I ordered a new clock spring 2ish weeks ago for my truck from Tasca to do the heated wheel swap. I did everything I could to ensure that I ordered the right part number but I also put in my VIN which was a mistake on my part. A few days after the order someone contacted me to make sure it was what I wanted because it didn't fit my VIN according to the system. I explained that I was fairly sure and if they could confirm it was for a same year truck just with a heated steering wheel that I wanted to continue with the order. Then crickets. A week later they sent me the same email to which I just replied its fine and to send it out.

I understand they don't have the ability to say if it will work with my truck doing this mod, but they should be able to easily see if it fits a truck with a heated wheel from the same year.