I recently ordered a starter on line from NAPA, none of the local mcparts stores had it in stock. NAPA had a good price and very fast free delivery.
I took the old one to my local NAPA store and they could not process the core credit as the sale did not go through their store (franchise) I could have driven 50 miles to a corporate store but did not want to waste the gas or time.
I spoke to NAPA online and they emailed me a prepaid UPS tag, very nice. It was received by NAPA on FEB 18, and as of today no credit. They verified that is was received but not processed. They promised to do it in the next 24/48 hours.
The next time I order from them I will ship to my local store and pick up from them, they will be able to process the credit as the sale goes through them.
I never buy anything online and have it shipped to me when a core is in question, and since the local store did not receive the funds from the sale, they should not be responsible for the refund of the credit as it goes against their P&L statement, even if under the same company…
Would you be able to buy a hamburger at one McDonalds and return it for a refund at a McDonalds across town??
Yes, when a core is involved, either eat it, return it, forget it and hope for the best, or have it shipped to the local store so they get the credit… I buy almost everything online BTW…
I think OP is asking about process. Not whether others think it’s good/easy/difficult to buy stuff online. RA also mentions core charges on electrical stuff like alternators and starters. But I’ve never bought stuff like that from RA.
I would verify that with the local store just to be sure it works that way with their systems.
What surprised me is you had to ask for the core return. Most of the online stuff I buy, they already know it has a core and they send that by default inside the box the new part came in.
If the local Napa doesn’t have it, the warehouse is only 12 miles away. They send m3 to go pick it up. I have found the Napa site very hard to use and don’t use it. At any rate, for $100 or so, just wait it out. I waited seven weeks to get my car back from the transmission shop and 11 months to get a warranty engine replaced on my snow blower.