Online Apparel Fail
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 543
From: MN
Online Apparel Fail
Figured I'd throw the MoCo a bone and buy some apparel during their tough times.
Saw a lid I liked. Used the size chart, ordered. Backordered for 6 months. Ok, whatevs.
At the Dealer, they have the helmet in stock - nothing on the website to indicate that, unlike most other major online stores. Fail #1
Try on the lid @ the Dealer - not even close to fitting - couldn't even get it over my head. Fail #2
Call the Online Store - no answer, vmx. Send a cancel order, wait a week to acknowledge. I ask how do I know what to order if the size chart is all wrong, response another week later is: "just order, you can always replace with another size later" (Dealer didn't have any larger sizes). So, I guess at larger size and try to order. Order site won't accept the order. Fail #3
I email yet again and ask why I can't reorder. Wait another week for reply, "product is discontinued". Fail #4
I cancelled the rest of my orders. Never again. When executives focus on themselves instead of customers, failure is richly deserved. Despite their golden parachutes for failing. How many near-death experiences can a company have before expiring for good? Chrysler is another on the bubble today. I feel sorry for the employees. Been there, did that.
R.I.P. Richard Teerlink
Saw a lid I liked. Used the size chart, ordered. Backordered for 6 months. Ok, whatevs.
At the Dealer, they have the helmet in stock - nothing on the website to indicate that, unlike most other major online stores. Fail #1
Try on the lid @ the Dealer - not even close to fitting - couldn't even get it over my head. Fail #2
Call the Online Store - no answer, vmx. Send a cancel order, wait a week to acknowledge. I ask how do I know what to order if the size chart is all wrong, response another week later is: "just order, you can always replace with another size later" (Dealer didn't have any larger sizes). So, I guess at larger size and try to order. Order site won't accept the order. Fail #3
I email yet again and ask why I can't reorder. Wait another week for reply, "product is discontinued". Fail #4
I cancelled the rest of my orders. Never again. When executives focus on themselves instead of customers, failure is richly deserved. Despite their golden parachutes for failing. How many near-death experiences can a company have before expiring for good? Chrysler is another on the bubble today. I feel sorry for the employees. Been there, did that.
R.I.P. Richard Teerlink
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,421
From: USA
Some months ago Harley discontinued the cast wheels for the Heritage Softail. My dealer was able to find a set and got them for me. Shortly after I got a set of these discontinued wheels the 2025 models came out...with the discontinued cast wheels.
Harley isn't exactly unique on this. Ford has had a problem with a part number for over 70 years. Two digits are transposed. If you order using the right part number, it's unavailable, and has been for 70 plus years. If you use the transposed part number, it's sitting on the shelf. It's not like this is an unknown problem, Ford just can't be bothered with fixing their mistake.
Harley isn't exactly unique on this. Ford has had a problem with a part number for over 70 years. Two digits are transposed. If you order using the right part number, it's unavailable, and has been for 70 plus years. If you use the transposed part number, it's sitting on the shelf. It's not like this is an unknown problem, Ford just can't be bothered with fixing their mistake.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 787
Likes: 603
From: Alberta
Funny how consistency can be so lacking. A few weeks ago I ordered Harley jeans on their website. Site offered stock levels at nearby stores, none available in the size I thought I needed. The delivery came from US to Canada in a week. Didn’t fit, so used return process and had my money back within another week. Have used for other things and will use again……hoping they can keep their site functional since you can no longer ship from dealers outside your State (in Canada you can have dealers mail parts to you, if they choose to).
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 49
Likes: 17
From: Sunny Detroit, MI
Speaking as an IT guy...
Some bean counter decided that full-time employees are too expensive so they hired a contracting company (likely based in India) where the contractors may or may not have the skills necessary to maintain the site but what is almost definitely lacking is the commitment to the success of the site/company that most full-time employees would have.
Our suite of idjits with a 'V' and 'C' at the start of their title have contracted the maintenance of some critical systems out to the subcontinent and it's a massive pain to deal with them. Many of them don't know simple best practices (like how encryption over the wire is kinda important these days) or they simply don't care enough about doing things correctly, rather than doing things quickly to make THEIR managers look good about how they're delivering things ahead of schedule, never mind that the quality is not there. A lot like the clothing manufacturers are doing - remember when Levis were good jeans and didn't rip like tissue paper?
It's all about the short-term goals and getting their bonuses rather than long-term functionality and maintainability. Not to mention the throw-aways like security and data integrity. And the current wave of AI is only making that worse.
Some bean counter decided that full-time employees are too expensive so they hired a contracting company (likely based in India) where the contractors may or may not have the skills necessary to maintain the site but what is almost definitely lacking is the commitment to the success of the site/company that most full-time employees would have.
Our suite of idjits with a 'V' and 'C' at the start of their title have contracted the maintenance of some critical systems out to the subcontinent and it's a massive pain to deal with them. Many of them don't know simple best practices (like how encryption over the wire is kinda important these days) or they simply don't care enough about doing things correctly, rather than doing things quickly to make THEIR managers look good about how they're delivering things ahead of schedule, never mind that the quality is not there. A lot like the clothing manufacturers are doing - remember when Levis were good jeans and didn't rip like tissue paper?
It's all about the short-term goals and getting their bonuses rather than long-term functionality and maintainability. Not to mention the throw-aways like security and data integrity. And the current wave of AI is only making that worse.
Supporter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,714
Likes: 650
From: San Ramon, Ca
Some months ago Harley discontinued the cast wheels for the Heritage Softail. My dealer was able to find a set and got them for me. Shortly after I got a set of these discontinued wheels the 2025 models came out...with the discontinued cast wheels.
Harley isn't exactly unique on this. Ford has had a problem with a part number for over 70 years. Two digits are transposed. If you order using the right part number, it's unavailable, and has been for 70 plus years. If you use the transposed part number, it's sitting on the shelf. It's not like this is an unknown problem, Ford just can't be bothered with fixing their mistake.
Harley isn't exactly unique on this. Ford has had a problem with a part number for over 70 years. Two digits are transposed. If you order using the right part number, it's unavailable, and has been for 70 plus years. If you use the transposed part number, it's sitting on the shelf. It's not like this is an unknown problem, Ford just can't be bothered with fixing their mistake.
last week. The GM one is discontinued, but we had one. I opted for the factory part over the Napa one (MISTAKE !!)
Even though, it was GM, it was a different design. All plastic instead of an aluminum housing. It even came with
a jumper harness for the orig harness to plug in. AND my check engine light came back on 2 days later.
Our company has also out sourced our answering service. If you call the main switchboard line,
you will be speaking to someone in the Philippines. How stupid is THAT ?? !!
Last edited by byersmtrco; Jun 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 3,130
Likes: 1,917
From: Unreconstructed
We run across that w/GM part #'s once in awhile. I had to replace the mass air flow sensor in my 04 S-10 Blazer
last week. The GM one is discontinued, but we had one. I opted for the factory part over the Napa one (MISTAKE !!)
Even though, it was GM, it was a different design. All plastic instead of an aluminum housing. It even came with
a jumper harness for the orig harness to plug in. AND my check engine light came back on 2 days later.
Our company has also out sourced our answering service. If you call the main switchboard line,
you will be speaking to someone in the Philippines. How stupid is THAT ?? !!
last week. The GM one is discontinued, but we had one. I opted for the factory part over the Napa one (MISTAKE !!)
Even though, it was GM, it was a different design. All plastic instead of an aluminum housing. It even came with
a jumper harness for the orig harness to plug in. AND my check engine light came back on 2 days later.
Our company has also out sourced our answering service. If you call the main switchboard line,
you will be speaking to someone in the Philippines. How stupid is THAT ?? !!
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Road Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,228
Likes: 417
From: Outer Banks, NC
There are two clothing items I will never buy online again. Helmets and shoes. From now on I want to try on in the store and instantly reject it when it doesn't fit.
A few years ago I bought a Bell full face helmet from Dennis Kirk. I followed ALL the fitting instructions. Measured my head a million times. The helmet shows up, no way it fits. Ordered thinner pads. No better. Return helmet for the next larger size. Ahhh! It was still too tight. Thinner pads again. Ok, It's acceptable but not perfect.
Years ago I was on my annual FL trip. I stopped at the huge motorcycle shop next to Rossmeyer HD just off I95. I needed to replace my ancient helmet at the time. A nice lady helped me try on a few helmets before I found a Bell Vortex that fit me perfectly. That is the way to buy a helmet. No more online for me for those 2 items.
A few years ago I bought a Bell full face helmet from Dennis Kirk. I followed ALL the fitting instructions. Measured my head a million times. The helmet shows up, no way it fits. Ordered thinner pads. No better. Return helmet for the next larger size. Ahhh! It was still too tight. Thinner pads again. Ok, It's acceptable but not perfect.
Years ago I was on my annual FL trip. I stopped at the huge motorcycle shop next to Rossmeyer HD just off I95. I needed to replace my ancient helmet at the time. A nice lady helped me try on a few helmets before I found a Bell Vortex that fit me perfectly. That is the way to buy a helmet. No more online for me for those 2 items.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,460
Likes: 3,723
From: backwoods
What a bunch of drama from you. Fail as a guy,
Online reflecting store inventory being wrong is not unique to harley. Some are better than others.
As for helmet sizing, they are buying from another company. Have you measured your head based on another companies sizing? How did the size compare to your other helmets? Could not even get it over your head? Is this teenager girl drama?
I get it is frustrating.
Online reflecting store inventory being wrong is not unique to harley. Some are better than others.
As for helmet sizing, they are buying from another company. Have you measured your head based on another companies sizing? How did the size compare to your other helmets? Could not even get it over your head? Is this teenager girl drama?
I get it is frustrating.