Tin Indian- Crooks, or just terrible customer service?
 

I know that a lot of people here have bought from most if not all of the major suppliers from time to time. I've had my first experience with Tin Indian over the past couple of weeks, and I'm incredibly unimpressed.

Tin Indian had the gaskets that needed for a ported intake manifold, but they were charging $12 shipping for a $15 set of gaskets. I e-mailed their customer service (because their voice line just tells you to send them an e-mail, with no option to talk to a real person) and they claimed that the postage was actually $15 and they only charge $12. Well, I need the gasket, so I ordered it. The price for the shipping was right there on the box, and it was less than $7.

I was annoyed, but it wasn't worth picking a fight over.

After picking up the intake, I needed a detached water cross-over. No big deal, it's $60 on their site so I order it. The receipt comes in, and I was charged $70 for the part. Send an e-mail to get resolution, and at first they tell me that they will issue a full refund. Before I can even respond, they tell me "No Refund. This part was already delivered. If you do not want it you will need to send it back. You will receive your refund at that time."

This is a small amount of money and isn't going to change my lifestyle. But they shouldn't expect their customers to pay extra for parts simply because they have screwed up their checkout process with Pay Pal. You can see the problem here by clicking "add to cart" under the $60 part. I guess it's my fault for having 1 touch checkout on my phone with pay-pal. Nope. No, it isn't.

http://tinindianperformance.com/pont...0crossover.htm

Has anyone else had issues with these guys, or it is it just my bad luck?

This is Tin Indian customer service. After showing them the screen capture of the $60 price on their website, this is what they wrote back:

I have a dramatically different definition of what "no error" means than these guys. I guess with my money in their pocket, there isn't any error from their point of view.

that seems pretty lame. i just went to the page you linked and the part is listed @ $60. once you place it in your cart, the paypal transaction then shows $70. to me, that's false advertising and cheating the customer - just my opinion. they simply need to revise their web site and drop the attitude.

Oh, it gets better.

Sounds like it is fairly standard procedure for them to jack up prices in the checkout section and not change the website, and then plea "not my fault" for the customer not cross-referencing every line item from the site to the cart.

The e-mail exchange has answered my original question. They are crooks.

I've experienced the "attitude" with this guy too and opted to move forward and not do business with him again. Point is, we're not alone and I'm sure there are plenty of other examples with them. It sounds like he's gotten to the point of not being very customer friendly.

And all Pontiac supply houses expect use to buy from them because they support the Pontiac hobby? I'm glad we do have choices.

I also see a $60 price on the web site, and $70 once the transaction is handed-off to PayPal. Shameful. Unconscionable.

Find out what state they are based in. Contact the Attorney General Consumer Fraud Division (or whatever it's called in that state) and file a complaint. Keep copies of EVERYTHING including a "screen shot" of the $60 advertised price.

These guys need to stand in front of a judge to explain their behavior.

Fukkin' criminals.

Well, maybe you won't see my posting. Time will tell.

Oh it got much, much better. Here are a few direct quotes from his replies.

This is after I re-sent him the screen capture of his price, and let him know that charging a price other than the advertised price was the definition of false advertising. He thinks that the 3rd party page absolves his responsibility, and cursing at the customer is the way to go.

He claims that he offered me a "full refund", only after I shipped the part back to him. When eating 2 directions worth of shipping that would have been half the value of the part didn't make sense, this is his response:

So, I've let everyone know exactly what he wanted me to let y'all know.

His responses to my review on his FB page really speak for themselves.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TinIndia...=page_internal

I would hate to be in a situation where I was in an expensive project with these guys and something went wrong. This education was the best extra $10 I ever spent.

this is honestly some of the worst i've ever seen from a company. this guy is nuts!! being in business is all about customer service! most companies are NOT the only source for a certain product and what you do beyond that is what builds reputation. he just did an AWESOME job building his reputation on this board and this has to be the most comprehensive board for pontiacs there is. talk about being incredibly short-sighted. his last response, literally instructing you on how to portray this exchange, is EPIC. i can tell you it was well beyond what i needed to hear to never do business with that company.

Wow!, that's an awful way to treat a customer, and terrible business practice and etiquette. I've done business with them before, but I won't anymore. How much money and customers they will lose because He pitched a fit over a measly 10 bucks. Just stupid, smh

a charge back is in order.

Off my list now for sure!!

Thanks...
 

for the heads-up!!! Might save us all some aggravation down the road.

Tin Indian are complete jerks!
 

Once I ordered from their website and 8 days went by with no response from them at all no confirmation,nothing. So I sent an email asking about my order and the response I got back was that he just canceled my order since I was being impatient and they were too busy to process my order within a week. It was for a Kauffman timing chain cover, I found a less expensive one anyway so they saved me money by being a-holes.

Is that what they call....."Deluxe Treatment" ?

Well, at least it wasn't personal against me then. Sounds like everyone gets the same terrible customer service.

Just starting my restoration. I'll be sure to cross them off the list.

I've ordered one of their thick oil pump bottom plates and later a set of their intake gaskets for ported Edelbrocks and had both items within a few days at the advertised price. Haven't bought any "big ticket" items from them.