I have been updating an experimental aircraft while also building another. So, I’ve ordered a lot of stuff from Aircraft Spruce over the past couple years. One particular order was a full set of forged wheels, tires, brakes and master cylinders that I bought on July 2nd. And in this case, I paid them using Paypal so money was immediately transferred — note, I will not do this in the future. With lead times, I was expecting 4 weeks per the vendor. Well, it is now mid-October and I have been emailing and calling Spruce to get an update since the second week after I ordered. No, I don’t need the wheels now. But, I would have welcomed at least an estimated ETA. The ACS person I have been in touch with (now over email) cannot get any information about my order. And, when pressed, she will email me and tell me that she has asked the Aircraft Spruce Buyer to get in touch with the vendor. Then no follow up. I email again the following week or two — I wasn’t in a huge rush back then — and she would tell me she will reach out again to find in subsequent emails that she received no info and will talk to the ACS buyer again. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I’ve called the vendor and tried to skip ACS but the problem is they have an internal PO number so no direct way to look up my order. Anyway, I finally reached the end of my rope last week, mostly because I am fitting my main landing gear into the wings and now really do need the wheels and tires. So I asked to speak to her manager or someone who can do some actual investigative work. She did give me his email address while also re-confirming that she has not received any further information about my order. I was intending to type up the full summary of my situation this week to send to the manager, only to be surprised today. I received a UPS email and my wheels and brakes arrive tomorrow! I called up the vendor and confirmed that this was indeed my stuff. From the tracking number, they were able to find the internal PO with ACS. The vendor claims they have been giving ACS info about my order, but it has not been making it to me. Who knows if this is a fabrication or the truth. In the end, this experience really was not that great. I suppose it is acceptable if I was ordering a $20 thingamajig, but for a sizeable purchase like this, I feel like they should have at least tried to call the company up for me or at least follow up with me promptly ... and proactively.
To cap things off, a couple weeks ago, I ordered a part from ACS for for an engine that goes into another aircraft I am building. This was two (2) weeks ago. To be fair, the order does state a 2 week lead time. Just today, I received an email from an ACS rep saying that the order is not returnable if I proceed with the order and that there is a 2 to 4 week lead time once I confirm that I am willing to continue. I have already waited 2 weeks — and now with this email, I have another 2-4 weeks lead time... again. Why don't they send this email immediately after I order the part? Why wait 2 weeks to ask?
After all of this, I conclude the following. ACS is great for all of the thingamajigs that they have in stock and ready to ship. HOWEVER, their systems / processes / communications do not generally extend to things that require coordination with a 3rd party vendor — these are generally bigger ticket items or are less frequently purchased goods that ACS will not take inventory risk on. If you need to buy any of this stuff, call the vendor directly and ask them what retailer has inventory in stock or has preferred access to it and also what to expect with lead times. In the end, it saves everyone time and you (the customer) stay better informed. If you do end up buying from ACS (and the part is critical or important to you), get on the phone the next day or two with them and tie the two ends together — the vendor and ACS — so that an ordering process is being triggered.
