"Parts Train" PartsTrain.com : Web Glitch, Wrong Part, Tough Luck Internet

I used Partstrain.com to search for and buy a part for my truck. The website has a handy tool that allows you to select precisely the part you need based on vehicle info you enter. However, at the time I placed my order, they had an apparent glitch in their vehicle match tool, and the site suggested an incorrect part for my truck. When I received it, and found that it was incorrect, I immediately contacted them. At first it seemed the process for returns would be easy (it was all a surprise since they never provide a return policy prior to purchase, so you only find out upon needing to return something).

However, it ended being an asinine series of loops with customer service akin to that of negotiating with a 5 year old. I had the part, still brand new, still in the box they shipped it to me in, but I was told that box was not suitable for shipping the part back to them. Seriously? It was perfectly suitable for them when they shipped the part to me, but suddenly when I need to ship it back to them, the box is unsuitable? So they demanded I place the part in its original (remember though, unsuitable) box, into a bigger box in order to ship it back, or they'd refuse the return (well, technically they'd refuse the refund, but keep the return and restock it for re-sale per their email to me).

On top of this, they wanted me to pay the return shipping on the part being shipped back to them - the part that *they* mistakenly said fit my vehicle, and that *they* mistakenly shipped to me. Everything about the order was a mistake on their part, yet the burden of the return was placed on me as if I had made the mistake and completely inconvenienced them. Furthermore, upon contacting customer service, I went through a series of different people, giving the same scripted answers, having to explain the situation over and over to a new person. Finally someone replied with a relevant response that showed they actually read my message. However, after a back and forth where the person simply couldn't grasp the concept of Partstrain making a mistake, I was essentially told, tough luck. They weren't going to do a thing.

They had absolutely no interest whatsoever is rectifying the issue or providing even the most rudimentary customer service. I tried to keep communicating with them to resolve the issue, but they then just began to completely ignore every single message. I have emailed them every week for 6 months with not a single reply. They wouldn't know customer service if it bit them. With so much more trustworthy, fair-priced and reputable places to buy auto parts, like RockAuto or PartsGeek, there is no reason to waste your time on Partstrain and risk erroneous product orders and horrible customer service. I'm sure plenty of people have ordered just fine from them, but this childish behavior is indicative of a systemic problem within the company. Buyer Beware!