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The Pilot Card bait & switch?

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ccsmith51

ccsmith51

Well Known Member
When the pilot card was first advertised there was free shipping on most items.

Now the rules have changed to free shipping on orders over $250.

I, for one, am not happy with that change. I feel like this was a bait and switch tactic. While I still appreciate the 2% discount, the free shipping sure didn't last long.

Just a heads up for people ordering something, the rules have changed and you may get charged shipping when you weren't expecting it...
 
Bummer!

I just lost about ten pounds of respect for Aircraft Spruce. I'll be sending them a nastygram this morning.
 
ronschreck said:
I just lost about ten pounds of respect for Aircraft Spruce. I'll be sending them a nastygram this morning.
Click to expand...

My opinion of this shady level of marketing has been sent to Aircraft Spruce. Unfortunately, I recommended the Pilot Card via two online forums.

Recommendation retracted.
 
hmm, when did this go into effect? I just ordered $13 worth of parts on friday...and got free shipping. That will be very unfortunate if it has changed b/c it sure was nice to put in such a small order and get free shipping.
 
burried deep in their website. He got a message from me.
=====
If you wish to comment or make suggestions on our products or service, please contact me directly at [email protected]
Jim Irwin
President
==
 
I saw it on another list, and went and checked on the ACS site. It says it here:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/stpages/thepilotcard.php

Not sure when it changed.

A week ago I ordered two tubes and tires, a couple of oil filters, and some other parts from ACS. The total was right at $277. I was charged $16.85 for shipping. Someone on VAF (maybe Sam?) told me that tires did not qualify for the free shipping, but I felt that because of the order size and using the Pilot Card, shipping should not be charged.

I called ACS and talked to a very nice young lady. I explained that I did not expect shipping charges because of using the Pilot Card, and that Dresser has free shipping on orders over $100, and their prices were about the same as ACS. I told her that if I knew that I was going to get charged shipping for the tires I would have ordered from Dresser, and used the Pilot Card for free shipping of the other items from ACS. As soon as I mentioned the free shipping from Dresser she said that she would get a credit issued for the shipping charges, which she did.

But she did not mention the $250 minimum for free shipping that is now stated on their web site...

All in all I have been very happy with ACS in the past, and will still give them my business in the future. They have always been quick to answer questions and are very quick to ship. It's just this one issue that is screwy, and I have sent an e-mail to them about my disappointment in the policy change, and lack of notice to cardholders.
 
I just made a small order 30 seconds ago and I got the confirmation email that says "Your order has qualified for prepaid shipping."
 
rocketbob said:
I just made a small order 30 seconds ago and I got the confirmation email that says "Your order has qualified for prepaid shipping."
Click to expand...

On the order I mentioned above, I got the same message. Maybe the shipping charge I got was for the tires, and the rest would have been free, I don't know. And perhaps people that got their card before the policy change will still get free shipping, but that seems like a logistical nightmare.

I'll wait and see what their response is to my request for explanation.
 
Hard to get out

If you cancel a credit card now days you take a hit on your credit score too.

They gotcha!!
 
Bastien said:
I'm also very disappointed by ACS but for another thing. I always ordered from them and been satisfied with the rapidity the parts came to France. But for this time definitely not !

I ordered parts in mid december and was expected to receive them in the the begining of January. We are on 28th February and the order is still at ACS.

My order contains a lot of parts and I highly suspect them to sell "my" parts to other customers to avoid leading time for them. Parts that were in stock when I ordered are now out of stock, etc..:mad:

I hope my case is an exception.
Click to expand...

I always request "ship in stock items now" and have been getting good service for the past few years. ACS has shipped backordered items with no cost over the original order. I also try to restrict my orders to items in stock at their East warehouse.

Your situation with oversea shipping may complicate matters so I don't know what your best option would be.

Sorry for the thread creep, will try to stay on topic about the Pilot Card. I hope to get grandfathered in for the free shipping. :(
 
I'll add my name to the list of those very diappointed by this change.

I just got a Pilot Card last month, specifically for the free shipping.

The 2% discount is nice, but what really got my attention was the shipping. I never would have opened an account just for the 2% off.

With free shipping, ACS was my first and pretty much last stop when shopping for anything for my RV.... now not so much.
 
Pilot Card

I made an order on Sunday. I received an email it had shipped and to my surprise there was a shipping charge! I immediately called and the sales rep said she would notify the accounting department and have the shipping charge credited to my account.

She never mentioned the policy had changed.

The Pilot Card web site is still advertising a 2% discount plus free shipping!
 
Reply from Mr. Irwin..

They are a world class organization to deal with this so quickly. Kudo's to Jim and ACS!! I am sure that he will not mind me posting his response to my e-mail so all will know the situation. The $250 minimum has been removed from the ACS website.

"Chris,

Thanks for your email regarding the $250 minimum order policy that was placed on our web site last Friday. There was discussion of the need for a minimum order requirement, but there had been no change in policy. This message was placed on our website in error by our marketing department, and I apologize for our error and any inconvenience it caused. If a minimum order requirement is needed in the future we will certainly inform card holders well in advance, and I am sure it will be far lower than the $250 which was inadvertently posted.

We appreciate the business you place with Aircraft Spruce and we look forward to continuing to serve you.

Best Regards,

Jim Irwin
President
Aircraft Spruce"
 
Everything is "COOL"!

I just received a prompt and nice e-mail for Jim.
The $250 minimum was posted on their website by mistake.
There is NO minimum order for the free shipping.

He stated that if a minimum is required for some reason in the future, customers will be notified well in advance, and it will NOT be anywhere near $250.

OOPS; Looks like Chris types faster than I do!
 
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I am very impressed with ACS. Everyone makes mistakes, integrity is owning up to and correcting a mistake. Good on Jim.
 
RV7Ron said:
hmm, when did this go into effect? I just ordered $13 worth of parts on friday...and got free shipping. That will be very unfortunate if it has changed b/c it sure was nice to put in such a small order and get free shipping.
Click to expand...

Same here, I just placed a small order on Sunday and got free shipping.

bob
 
I must add that I've been dealing with ACS for over 30 years, and they have always taken good care of me.
Anytime there has been a problem (seldom), it has been taken care of immediately.
 
Mel said:
I just received a prompt and nice e-mail for Jim.
The $250 minimum was posted on their website by mistake.
There is NO minimum order for the free shipping.

He stated that if a minimum is required for some reason in the future, customers will be notified well in advance, and it will NOT be anywhere near $250.

OOPS; Looks like Chris types faster than I do!
Click to expand...

Actually what I got was this. They discussed changing it. Probably more discussions in the future. Probably not long before they actually do it.
====
Mike,

Thanks for your emajil regarding the $250 minimum order policy that was placed on our website last Friday. There was a discussion of a minimum order requirement for Pilot Card orders, but there has been no change it policy. This message was placed on our website in error by our marketing department and has been removed. I apologize for the error and the inconvenience it caused. If a minimum order requirement is needed in the future we will inform card holders well in advance, and I am sure it would be far less than the $250 which was inadvertantly posted.

We appreciate all of the business you have placed with Aircraft Spruce over the years, and we look forward to continuing to provide free shipping on your Pilot Card orders.

Best Regards,

Jim Irwin
President
Aircraft Spruce
======
 
rocketbob said:
Man you guys easily get worked up without doing your homework first!
Click to expand...

I did my homework first--checked the ACS Pilot Card rules on their website and it plainly stated '$250 minimum order for prepaid shipping' which was a change from the policy when I got my card.

I received the same reply from Jim Irwin as the other guys. I'll enjoy the prepaid shipping as long as it lasts and appreciate the prompt reply from Jim.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
I did my homework first--checked the ACS Pilot Card rules on their website and it plainly stated '$250 minimum order for prepaid shipping' which was a change from the policy when I got my card.

I received the same reply from Jim Irwin as the other guys. I'll enjoy the prepaid shipping as long as it lasts and appreciate the prompt reply from Jim.
Click to expand...

Yes but they might have changed their policy only for new card applications is what I figured. My test was to order a fitting, and the test passed. Proof is in the pudding.
 
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Kahuna said:
Actually what I got was this. They discussed changing it. Probably more discussions in the future. Probably not long before they actually do it.
====
Mike,

Thanks for your emajil regarding the $250 minimum order policy that was placed on our website last Friday. There was a discussion of a minimum order requirement for Pilot Card orders, but there has been no change it policy. This message was placed on our website in error by our marketing department and has been removed. I apologize for the error and the inconvenience it caused. If a minimum order requirement is needed in the future we will inform card holders well in advance, and I am sure it would be far less than the $250 which was inadvertantly posted.

We appreciate all of the business you have placed with Aircraft Spruce over the years, and we look forward to continuing to provide free shipping on your Pilot Card orders.

Best Regards,

Jim Irwin
President
Aircraft Spruce
======
Click to expand...

Well I guess the Marketing Dept. got their feedback....:D
 
rocketbob said:
Yes but they might have changed their policy only for new card applications is what I figured. My test was to order a fitting, and the test passed. Proof is in the pudding.
Click to expand...

Test it however you wish. Point was Aircraft Spruce generated a marketing problem that needed to be fixed. Sounds like they quickly came to the same conclusion......maybe on their own or maybe only after some 'splaining. ;)

In any case I look forward to continued good service from ACS.
 
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maybe I need the ACS card

I didn't know about the free shipping with the ACS card. I don't know if putting the change on their website was a "trial balloon" or not, but it looks like they got the message very quickly and reversed course. You would think most companies would have got the message with the Netflix fiasco.

Now that I know about their free shipping policy, maybe I need their card. I normally use my Cabelas or AE, but the free shipping is a pretty good deal that would have saved me money so far and make it more attractive to shop them first.
 
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