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Damaged Front Bumper Upon Arrival...Again...

LostWoods

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Actually, it is not. Fab Fours, like a lot of the aftermarket, sells through the big distributors. They ship in truckload quantities to the distributors who warehouse the product and in turn ship to the the shop or retailer or e-tailer that we all then buy from.

In the case of the OP, the part likely went from Fab Fours to Transamerican Auto Parts (one of the “big three” distributors - aka 4Wheel Parts, aka 4WD, owned by Polaris) who then sold it to Morris when the OP ordered it and shipped it to the OP.

In that chain, the safest transport is the full truck that goes from Fab Fours to Transamerican as the handling is only loading at Fab Fours and unloading at Transamerican. Beyond that, these things go through hell. If you’ve never seen a UPS or FedEx hub, I suggest you go.

This is my $0.02 coming from 20+ years in the packaging business and currently in the automotive aftermarket business.

In the end, the bumper arrived at the OP in unacceptable condition. And there is a long chain of responsibility for making in right
I meant in the sense it's manufactured and packaged in house at Fab Fours here in the US. They obviously can ship direct but they are stocked by large resellers so it's really both. The point is that the reseller does not repackage and getting it directly from FF is the best case scenario. Otherwise it's seen 1-3 shipping legs prior.

Again, as I said, FF is fully responsible here because rarely do resellers repackage bulky items. They know the deal and they still pack like shit.
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Skull

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This thread has been very eye-opening for sure. I still stand behind my original comment that I ordered & fully expect an undamaged item to be delivered to me. That's the item I paid for & that's what I'd like to receive. I don't want to just "deal with it" or "cover it up." Stuff like this needs to be brought up to hold companies accountable for their products & services.

So, a small update:

Not too long after I started this thread, I received contact from a higher-up at Fab Fours who expressed interest in helping to alleviate this issue. To quote part of the conversation:

"Would you please let me know how I can contact you as well as send me a few close ups of the boxes? I am ______ at Fab Fours and am disappointed that you are having these issues and would like to help you."

"If you can, ask Morris to order direct from us and to drop ship from Fab Fours. I will work with our shipping and logistics manager to get it significantly packed."

"This appears to be a Morris/Transamerican issue but ultimately it is our brand and we shall do everything we can to make it right."

I sent a reply back to Morris4x4 with the request from Fab Fours above & included this individual's contact info for them to reach out, but have yet to hear anything back from them.

Needless to say, I am very eager to see how this issue gets played out.
Fab Fours reached out to me via Morris and asked if I was willing to keep the bumper and a $50 credit or would I like a new bumper...I went with the 50 rather than deal with all the crap in reboxing and waiting on another which most likely be a repeat cluster “F”.
 

salsadoc

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I feel your pain. My wife purchased Molle panels for my JT for a Christmas gift. Arrived in time but was short one upper bracket, so can only install one side.
1. Called JCR Off Road first day they were open after Christmas and was told they were in production and I would receive my bracket within two days or as soon as they were available. Ordered Molle Panel for front of bed
2. Front panel arrived., but no side offset bracket. Called two weeks later and was told the bracket would be sent that afternoon priority mail. No bracket arrived.
3. Called yesterday and was told the bracket was coming out of Powder Coating, and would be sent that afternoon. Yeah, riiiiiiiiight.

I am, as are most people are.... reasonable... but to a point. I get up when someone is pissing on my leg and tells me it's raining. I have Molle panel's in the bed of my JT ratteling around as I drive and cannot install or mount till the freaking bracket arrives. Sick and damn tired of this BS.

You reading this JCR Offroad?
same thing happened to me. i ordered two side bed molle panels from them last month. the uppers brackets were missing too. i called them and had the brackets shipped out to me the next day. it’s totally bizarre why they were missing in the original order in the first place
 

jurfie

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Actually, it is not. Fab Fours, like a lot of the aftermarket, sells through the big distributors. They ship in truckload quantities to the distributors who warehouse the product and in turn ship to the the shop or retailer or e-tailer that we all then buy from.

In the case of the OP, the part likely went from Fab Fours to Transamerican Auto Parts (one of the “big three” distributors - aka 4Wheel Parts, aka 4WD, owned by Polaris) who then sold it to Morris when the OP ordered it and shipped it to the OP.

In that chain, the safest transport is the full truck that goes from Fab Fours to Transamerican as the handling is only loading at Fab Fours and unloading at Transamerican. Beyond that, these things go through hell. If you’ve never seen a UPS or FedEx hub, I suggest you go.

This is my $0.02 coming from 20+ years in the packaging business and currently in the automotive aftermarket business.

In the end, the bumper arrived at the OP in unacceptable condition. And there is a long chain of responsibility for making in right
I appreciate that response from someone who actually knows.

This is why another reason why I prefer to order direct from manufacturers whenever possible; at least for the big important stuff like suspension, racks and armor. While resellers have a place in the market, if they aren't selling from stock it is often just drop-shipped from the manufacturer anyways. Why not just cut out the middle-man and let the company get a bit more profit off the sale? Especially if the price is the same from both.

Sure, the product might be a bit cheaper or offer free shipping through a big retailer, but if the shipping process results in it potentially getting to me damaged, then I have to factor that into my decision if the price is worth it.
 

ShadowsPapa

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I appreciate that response from someone who actually knows.

This is why another reason why I prefer to order direct from manufacturers whenever possible; at least for the big important stuff like suspension, racks and armor. While resellers have a place in the market, if they aren't selling from stock it is often just drop-shipped from the manufacturer anyways. Why not just cut out the middle-man and let the company get a bit more profit off the sale? Especially if the price is the same from both.

Sure, the product might be a bit cheaper or offer free shipping through a big retailer, but if the shipping process results in it potentially getting to me damaged, then I have to factor that into my decision if the price is worth it.
The problem is that some manufacturers have non-compete agreements with their resellers. In order to entice companies to sell products, the maker agrees to not compete, not sell for less, etc.
Otherwise I also prefer to go right to the source where possible. It sort of depends on the guarantee and service.
For my business, luckily I can go right to the source. Since some of them make reproduction parts for older vehicles, I have supplied them with samples to use to recreate parts. For me it has resulted in my getting a dozen "free samples" of the part they reproduced in exchange for working with them.
Then there's the case of wiring harnesses I use - I ran down part numbers and the company that makes the wiring harnesses sold by others, told them I wanted to make a bulk order - and they refused telling me they would not sell (no matter how many I ordered).
The problem is that no one else keeps any on hand so I'm stuck waiting for 2 months.
It's sticky out there.
(so if there's anyone interested in making me wiring parts, let me know LOL)
 
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jurfie

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The problem is that some manufacturers have non-compete agreements with their resellers. In order to entire companies to sell products, the maker agrees to not compete, not sell for less, etc.
Yeah, that's the tricky part. Manufacturers often need the reach of big resellers, or else they forever remain niche products (I'm talking about Jeep aftermarket specifically). I've seen some that only sell through resellers, but if the price is the same at both the manufacturer and the reseller, I'll pick the manufacturer almost every time.

The problem with some manufacturers not staying "niche" is that their quality diminishes when they are inevitably bought out by one of those big reseller companies...*COUGHCOUGH*poisonspyder*COUGHCOUGH*
 

Sazabi19

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So, let me start by saying that I understand that times are tough, that everyone is going through things differently, & that I realize we need to be a little bit more understanding....

Now that that's out of the way & since this is an open forum, I wanted to reach out to the community to address something that I've noticed & see if anyone has any similar experiences. On 12/14/20, I placed my original order for the Fab Fours Stubby Bumper (part #JL18-B4752-1) from Morris4x4 (found their link directly through the Fab Fours website) which was delivered & left at my doorstep on 12/21/20 via FedEx Home Delivery (no signature required). The below pictures are how the original order was delivered:


image0.jpeg
image1.jpeg
image2.jpeg

0CDEA858-1345-4C31-B8B5-745109ABD901.jpg
6D8F6FB5-B27E-4481-80B0-C9B12F348062.jpg
52B07F09-343D-4029-8287-1757D4BE99C9.jpg
60D639A9-F67D-4CB2-903A-864AF25C170A.jpg
814DC9B3-1988-4535-8251-73C074A7B8DC.jpg
8090CDD7-3334-4A17-A2DE-E94B6832D598.jpg
839047DA-CB75-4262-BA46-A3DE55E31209.jpg
2035324E-B201-40B7-B72C-DC2CB1A343E6.jpg
AE9026CB-6499-4292-8760-34C25D6EE960.jpg
B2238C66-6181-4A94-96E4-210241F0F7D0.jpg


Obviously, I wasn't pleased & instantly reached out to Morris4x4 to remedy the issue. Apparently, the item should've been sent via LTL Freight, but wasn't. Also, the packaging was apparently "high quality" via Fab Fours Support Team once I reached out to notify them of how their items are being handled by those they trust to market/distribute. I guess a simple black felt fabric and cardboard box are enough to protect a steel bumper. No packing peanuts, no condensed foam, no bubble wrap. Nothing. After going back & forth with Morris4x4 & waiting another month for delivery of the replacement, I finally received the 2nd bumper this afternoon via LTL Freight. The pictures are listed below:

28A9FEF0-06F6-41C1-A9B2-B668D5EAD880.jpeg
1573A2CF-C346-4AA8-BC7F-5214EBDBC662.jpeg
7817BBAA-5F99-448C-AD92-CA52F2651DFC.jpeg
03E92ABE-6F76-48FE-8216-114DAE475B2D.jpeg
F24A57A9-81FC-4CE0-9524-E868C5891467.jpeg
BDE6F700-36D8-4DBA-A597-D734FFD29C53.jpeg
41C6BAED-2490-4B84-A704-6D74D63FDD8A.jpeg


As you can see...better exterior packaging, but the interior had a similar result. Due to bare metal being exposed on the 2nd bumper, I refused the delivery & didn't sign the delivery receipt. If I mount it, it'll rust in no time. Plus, I feel that I shouldn't have to fix anyone else's issues, so I don't want to simply patch it or send it to a shop to powder coat over the exposure. I just simply want the item I ordered...undamaged. Again, reached out to Morris4x4 to remedy the issue. They apologized yet again & asked if I wanted a refund or replacement.

Giving them one last chance, but wondering if this is a lost cause. I fear that the 2nd bumper issue might've been a factory QA mishap by Morris4x4 vs shipping issue, but it's not my call. Like I said above, I know that things happen & I try to be a forgiving guy, but this is insane. Has anyone else had an issue with bumpers or with Morris4x4? This is my first time ordering from them & it's not leaving me with a great impression....
Honestly with the amount of money I'm going to assume it costs for them to ship this (5 times now) I would think the best option for them would be to ask you if they could set up a powder coat at a local shop for you, that would have to be cheaper for them and I think the unique solution would win them kudos with a customer experiencing this.
 

bgenlvtex

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Honestly with the amount of money I'm going to assume it costs for them to ship this (5 times now) I would think the best option for them would be to ask you if they could set up a powder coat at a local shop for you, that would have to be cheaper for them and I think the unique solution would win them kudos with a customer experiencing this.
It would also set in motion a wave of similar requests/demands , "and since you have to pay to have it done, I want to color match" , I get what you are saying, but they would be better off refunding the whole thing, and upping their packing game to avoid this in the future.
 

Sazabi19

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It would also set in motion a wave of similar requests/demands , "and since you have to pay to have it done, I want to color match" , I get what you are saying, but they would be better off refunding the whole thing, and upping their packing game to avoid this in the future.
I didn't meant to coat just your messed up areas, I meant do the whole thing. I've never done it before so don't know how much that costs but what's the delta on that vs shipping that back, again, sending another out, and good customer satisfaction and image?
 

MORTON

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You’re missing the point. I didn’t pay for a damaged item nor should I ever have to fix something that wasn’t done by myself. Especially since I paid over $500 for it. I understand that I will damage it on the trails. If done that way, I will deal with it in the manner you suggested. But not for an unused item.
I feel for you brother. Had the same thing happen to me with a different vendor..

Ask Fab to reimburse you for the cost to have it stripped and recoated at a local shop. I’ve done that in the past. They will do it. Go get a quote from a local shop before you propose the idea.

You shouldn’t have to do that or be going through this but just never buy something from them again.

People on here saying stuff that’s heavy always gets damaged and just fix it yourself on your own dime are pushovers. They are okay with mediocrity. Don’t be a pushover and don’t settle for mediocrity.

How many hours did it take you to pay for that? Whether it was 1hr, 10hr or 20hrs you worked for that or someone did even if the money was gifted.

Not holding them accountable is what enables these companies to do this kind of crap and feel like they can or not investigate it.

New means new.

Good luck bro!
 
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Tonyzak36

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My Advice: keep it and ask for a partial refund. 100 or 200 bucks off. I’ve ordered 3 bumpers in my life time. I’ve never received one in perfect condition. They are heavy, oddly shaped, and very difficult to ship. I’m sure Morris would rather give you 100 bucks back then pay to ship a bumper again. Take the 100 bucks, buy some touch up paint and touch it up. I use rust oleum on a paintbrush to fix mine. Best of luck man.
 

Riccochet

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Don't think I've ever received a bumper that didn't have some scuffs on it. I taped off and hit those spots with Rustoleum textured spray paint. Could barely tell it was fixed unless I showed you.
 

gitnit

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So, let me start by saying that I understand that times are tough, that everyone is going through things differently, & that I realize we need to be a little bit more understanding....

Now that that's out of the way & since this is an open forum, I wanted to reach out to the community to address something that I've noticed & see if anyone has any similar experiences. On 12/14/20, I placed my original order for the Fab Fours Stubby Bumper (part #JL18-B4752-1) from Morris4x4 (found their link directly through the Fab Fours website) which was delivered & left at my doorstep on 12/21/20 via FedEx Home Delivery (no signature required). The below pictures are how the original order was delivered:


image0.jpeg
image1.jpeg
image2.jpeg

0CDEA858-1345-4C31-B8B5-745109ABD901.jpg
6D8F6FB5-B27E-4481-80B0-C9B12F348062.jpg
52B07F09-343D-4029-8287-1757D4BE99C9.jpg
60D639A9-F67D-4CB2-903A-864AF25C170A.jpg
814DC9B3-1988-4535-8251-73C074A7B8DC.jpg
8090CDD7-3334-4A17-A2DE-E94B6832D598.jpg
839047DA-CB75-4262-BA46-A3DE55E31209.jpg
2035324E-B201-40B7-B72C-DC2CB1A343E6.jpg
AE9026CB-6499-4292-8760-34C25D6EE960.jpg
B2238C66-6181-4A94-96E4-210241F0F7D0.jpg


Obviously, I wasn't pleased & instantly reached out to Morris4x4 to remedy the issue. Apparently, the item should've been sent via LTL Freight, but wasn't. Also, the packaging was apparently "high quality" via Fab Fours Support Team once I reached out to notify them of how their items are being handled by those they trust to market/distribute. I guess a simple black felt fabric and cardboard box are enough to protect a steel bumper. No packing peanuts, no condensed foam, no bubble wrap. Nothing. After going back & forth with Morris4x4 & waiting another month for delivery of the replacement, I finally received the 2nd bumper this afternoon via LTL Freight. The pictures are listed below:

28A9FEF0-06F6-41C1-A9B2-B668D5EAD880.jpeg
1573A2CF-C346-4AA8-BC7F-5214EBDBC662.jpeg
7817BBAA-5F99-448C-AD92-CA52F2651DFC.jpeg
03E92ABE-6F76-48FE-8216-114DAE475B2D.jpeg
F24A57A9-81FC-4CE0-9524-E868C5891467.jpeg
BDE6F700-36D8-4DBA-A597-D734FFD29C53.jpeg
41C6BAED-2490-4B84-A704-6D74D63FDD8A.jpeg


As you can see...better exterior packaging, but the interior had a similar result. Due to bare metal being exposed on the 2nd bumper, I refused the delivery & didn't sign the delivery receipt. If I mount it, it'll rust in no time. Plus, I feel that I shouldn't have to fix anyone else's issues, so I don't want to simply patch it or send it to a shop to powder coat over the exposure. I just simply want the item I ordered...undamaged. Again, reached out to Morris4x4 to remedy the issue. They apologized yet again & asked if I wanted a refund or replacement.

Giving them one last chance, but wondering if this is a lost cause. I fear that the 2nd bumper issue might've been a factory QA mishap by Morris4x4 vs shipping issue, but it's not my call. Like I said above, I know that things happen & I try to be a forgiving guy, but this is insane. Has anyone else had an issue with bumpers or with Morris4x4? This is my first time ordering from them & it's not leaving me with a great impression....
Both UPS and FedEx slam what ever I order on the ground.
My wife works from home and hears what the cameras pick up.
I seriously don't want any more for my JT until this stops.
My wheels and rails were well packaged thankfully or I'd be more upset
 

futzin'

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You can see from the pics that FedEx added a LOT of extra tape to the box in an attempt to get a decent delivery of the package. Otherwise they have to return it to the shipper. Then no one is happy: shipper, carrier, or recipient.

The item is poorly packed, period.
 

Higher_Ground

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Bubble wrap.


That and some clear packaging tape. It's all you really need to keep the item itself from getting damaged.

If you want the box to look nice then add in some styrofoam. Sure, not great for the environment but you aren't ordering these things every other day.

I ordered some steps/bars from N-fab and the box was also beat to to hell when I found it in my carport. The parts however, were tightly wrapped in several layers of bubble wrap. The corners of the box were reinforced with styrofoam. No chips, no scratches.

Just googled and you can get 300' of wrap for like $27. This does beg the question of how they will package the bubble wrap itself so as to ensure it arrives in one piece...
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