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[Forest2a]

Oh dear! Placed order with Craddock’s on the 11th for a NOS item (not available from my preferred choices of Blanchard or Paddock).  Being NOS I assumed it must be in stock.  Am I being naive?  Received confirmation and see that my credit card has been debited but nothing further from Craddock’s. How long should I wait before starting to worry?

[Jimbo]

I’m sure they have items on their website that they haven’t had in stock for years.
I haven’t used them since 2010 and won’t use them again, ever. Even if they have the last overdrive input gear left in the world. They’re still pulling the same trick as they did back then.
You can find all of their rare parts elsewhere, just bide your time.
James

[Wittsend]

Oh dear! Placed order with Craddock’s on the 11th for a NOS item (not available from my preferred choices of Blanchard or Paddock).  Being NOS I assumed it must be in stock.  Am I being naive?  Received confirmation and see that my credit card has been debited but nothing further from Craddock’s. How long should I wait before starting to worry?

Worry

You've been registered on here for 18 months - have you not seen past posts on this subject

Please be careful with your money and who you order from.

As posted ^^^ even if the part is dead rare and you are desperate for it.
There's no point if they can't deliver 

[Genem]

When I was "Chair" I took the matter up formally with them, got to some point a bit further up the management chain. Explained that I thought it incredible that in this day and age their sales system was not linked to stock levels, that they took money essentially under false pretences... I was told a new system was imminent, told that I'd be listed as a VIP customer. I said I was not interested in special treatment, everyone should get the same high level of service.

My next order was.....

You can fill the rest in yourselves.

My go-to is PA Blanchard, I have never had an issue with their service, during lockdown they have been shipping product ordered in the morning that same afternoon.

[Alan Drover]

Oh dear! Placed order with Craddock’s on the 11th for a NOS item (not available from my preferred choices of Blanchard or Paddock).  Being NOS I assumed it must be in stock.  Am I being naive?  Received confirmation and see that my credit card has been debited but nothing further from Craddock’s. How long should I wait before starting to worry?

I suggest Forest2A that you ring Craddock's customer service, cancel your order any insist on a credit card refund.

[diffwhine]

I'm going to sit and wait on this one. Its all gearbox parts for two boxes I'm rebuilding, but not in a rush. If not here by early next week, I'll start shouting. Lucky I wasn't ordering parts for a client, but then if I was, I wouldn't have used them anyway!

[Forest2a]

Thanks to all for your sage advice - which I agree I should have perhaps heeded earlier! Perhaps I’ve been living dangerously but have on one previous occasion placed an order with Craddock’s (back in July 2019) which arrived complete and without undue delay. Perhaps I was lucky.  Watch this space!

[agg221]

I do use Craddocks, but with my eyes open.

In normal times I drive up the M6 fairly regularly. If I have time and there are parts I want where they are cheaper than anyone else (and that can in some cases be a significant saving) I drop by and see if they are in the shop or the store. If they are in the shop I have them; if they are in the store I leave it.

I bought a swan neck exhaust manifold from them as the only supplier stating they had stock (Blanchards had sold out). It turned up a week after it was scheduled for delivery, but it did turn up.

I bought spring dowels from them as they are significantly cheaper and I was not in a rush. They turned up earlier than expected.

On both the above occasions I paid by credit card for protection - if they didn't deliver I had the card company available to take it up on my behalf. It should not be like this, but there are some parts where I am prepared to take the risk and ready for the fight if needed.

Alec

[oddjob]

I ordered something from Craddocks the other week, came before it should have.

I then got an email asking to leave a review for the product, which I duly did.
Title of review: Give me a chance.
Review: I haven’t even opened it yet.

 

I got sucked in to the review game recently for an 89p tube of caulk as they offered a prize and I was feeling lucky!



I didn’t win. 

[2a_Lightweight]

Oh dear! Placed order with Craddock’s on the 11th for a NOS item (not available from my preferred choices of Blanchard or Paddock).  Being NOS I assumed it must be in stock.  Am I being naive?  Received confirmation and see that my credit card has been debited but nothing further from Craddock’s. How long should I wait before starting to worry?

Well, it took them eight months to deliver a couple of small plastic clips for my fathers Puma, which were in stock with Land Rover, so perhaps give them 12 months?

[autorover1]

I used to call in at Bridgetown when I was passing , when they had stock on display in the shop and there were some good bargains to be had , but on one occasion I was there when a couple of chaps came in, who had  had driven down from Rochdale to pick up some parts they claim to have been advised were in stock and they could collect that day. A heated argument ensured when they were told the parts were not available.  I do still order some parts but they are now my last port of call.

[chipbury]

Yesterday lunchtime I ordered a couple of head gaskets and an assortment of small parts to complete my spare engine rebuild from Blanchards.

The parcel was delivered by DPD about 10 minutes ago - 24hrs from online order to delivery, that's good (and it was the standard post rate).

Right, a spot of lunch then out to the garage to play in the cold/damp!!

[Betsy1969]

I like that review Kev! Its the Amazon ones that really irritate me. Why would I want to rate my delivery?

I deliver new cars direct to the customer and on the delivery paperwork they are asked to rate the delivery ‘Experience’ . It’s stressed that they are not reviewing the Car or the condition it was delivered in etc....just the performance of the delivery company. One particular leasing company for whom we work will only accept a 10/10 score and anything lower triggers a major enquiry/ complaint to our office.

It’s mostly just any excuse to not pay for our services , and there are plenty of other choices out there for them so we have to be very diligent when it comes to the ‘ Scoring ‘ section !

Andy

[Genem]

I recall being hounded last year by an Ebay supplier in China to provide a high score....for a product that was never delivered, went astray somewhere !  They must have sent 5-6 messages. The product was valued at less than £10, if memory serves.

[Sunny Jim]

To put my spanner in here: I have ordered from all sorts of suppliers in recent years and all the deliveries from Craddocks have been OK! I think I got a steering box adjustment locknut instead of the one for the drop arm once, but that is about the only thing that has been wrong in the last few years. I have even ordered obsolete items that they have had listed and received them OK.

Maybe I have just been lucky?

Yes their communication isn't brilliant in that if items are on back order, they tell you when they deliver the rest, rather than offering you the option of cancelling the items and obtaining them elsewhere.

I have found Britcar quite helpful if you are enquiring about availability of non-stock items - if you e-mail them, they will get back to you and let you know what is actually available.

Sunny Jim