Shop.Ford.com is Whack!!!

[901Kenobi]

So I have my order in, but have been occasionally browsing the web for locally available Mavericks. Shop.Ford.Com lists several Macericks in my area complete with VIN and Window Sticker... Turns out these listings are customer special orders. Maybe one or two are Dealer orders. Why would a customer’s special order Maverick end up listed on Shop.Ford.Com? It’s maddening!

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[TSAINTS1115]

Yes, that "Search inventory" feature is awful.

 

[Down]

Yes, that "Search inventory" feature is awful.

If we're to be honest, most all of the customer facing search/tracking/communication avenues that Ford provides are pretty terrible.

Few folks have wanted to see manufacturers move away from dealerships and towards a direct to consumer model more than I but man. Based upon what's available now, Ford has a looooooong way to go before they're ready for prime time, IMO. Quite a bit further, actually, than I would've thought even earlier this year.

 

[TSAINTS1115]

If we're to be honest, most all of the customer facing search/tracking/communication avenues that Ford provides are pretty terrible.

Few folks have wanted to see manufacturers move away from dealerships and towards a direct to consumer model more than I but man. Based upon what's available now, Ford has a looooooong way to go before they're ready for prime time, IMO. Quite a bit further, actually, than I would've thought even earlier this year.

The Ford system, like many other informational systems/websites, need to be redone as far as just because subject "X" is generated it does not mean it belongs in the results shown.

For example my former employer, UPS, has a system it provides to businesses so that as they ship their customers packages they can provide up to date tracking via a packages unique tracking number. The problem is when a shipper computer generates that tracking number as it goes through the process of creating the order the UPS system sees that number and then notifies the end customer their package has shipped when in truth it is not even close to being so. This leads people to being upset that they are not seeing progress on a package that could very well not even be boxed up yet much less in UPS' possession. The level of hate UPS gets every year, as well as sellers, by people declaring the "You ruined my Xmas!" is epic, lol.

The Ford system is similar. A vehicle reaches a certain level in it's creation and the Ford system shows it as available inventory even though it could be as early in it's manufacture as being in the "Dealer Ordered" stage much less anywhere near actually being on a lot.

 

[psuarmy]

MY guess?
The customer that ordered it didn't end up buying it
[/QUOTE

When I search in my area It shows trucks that are "dealer ordered" or Recently arrived". The rest seem to be customer orders. Almost everyone is listed as "In transit". So I doubt they have been turned down by the customer. It seems that every truck is listed regardless of its status.

 

[Down]

The Ford system, like many other informational systems/websites, need to be redone as far as just because subject "X" is generated it does not mean it belongs in the results shown.

For example my former employer, UPS, has a system it provides to businesses so that as they ship their customers packages they can provide up to date tracking via a packages unique tracking number. The problem is when a shipper computer generates that tracking number as it goes through the process of creating the order the UPS system sees that number and then notifies the end customer their package has shipped when in truth it is not even close to being so. This leads people to being upset that they are not seeing progress on a package that could very well not even be boxed up yet much less in UPS' possession. The level of hate UPS gets every year, as well as sellers, by people declaring the "You ruined my Xmas!" is epic, lol.

The Ford system is similar. A vehicle reaches a certain level in it's creation and the Ford system shows it as available inventory even though it could be as early in it's manufacture as being in the "Dealer Ordered" stage much less anywhere near actually being on a lot.

Yep, having worked at USPS for 8 years and another 20 years of IT work predominately supporting tracking systems, I don't disagree with any of that. There are always going to be constraints and timing issues. The number of times I tried to explain to someone that just because tracking showed "a shipping label has been printed", the shipper may still have it in their car, waiting to be dropped off was too damn high. Even if Ford/other industries were to redo their systems, there's always going to be JUST ENOUGH human intervention to make it impossible to be fool proof.

But outside of those kinds of issues, there are more fundamental issues at play here that I was referring to, the OP's point being only one. I'm BY NO MEANS some weird outlier, I've seen other folks in way more frustrating scenarios than me but just to use me as an example.

1. I ordered on 7/14 and STILL have not received a single email from Ford.
2. My vehicle has been "In Production" for over a month with no updates or movement.
3. Even though it's not built yet, as recently as 3 days ago it was STILL showing an ETA at my dealer of 11/10.
4. The only thing Ford can tell me is that my order started to get built last month and it should get here eventually.

Again, between this forum and reddit, I see SO MANY stories like this. Maybe I'm wrong but I'd guess that if the more folks were leaning on these systems, instead of just badgering their salesperson with questions nonstop and blaming them for the lack of updates, I think the shizz would hit the fan in microseconds.

 

[James St. Patrick]

I am going to disagree because that is how I found my Maverick. The dealership had 11 Mavericks in transit, and NONE of them were build orders.

 

[901Kenobi]

MY guess?
The customer that ordered it didn't end up buying it

Customer did pick it up. Yet it was still lingering on Shop.Ford.Com. Dealer emailed me to confirm this was the case. Why list it if it at all if it was a customer order? I would want any other customer to test drive my custom order so to speak.

 

[ReddWulf]

Bait and switch....that's just to get you into the dealer. "Oh sorry, that one is no longer available, but....." It doesn't differentiate between orders that I can tell.

 

[optikinescant]

I am going to disagree because that is how I found my Maverick. The dealership had 11 Mavericks in transit, and NONE of them were build orders.

I am in the same boat. I used the tool to hunt down every maverick that was near what my ordered spec list was and contacted each and every dealer. I'd say 75% were customer orders, or they were picked up by shoppers just faster than I was. That said, every conversation landed on -- if we get on that a customer does not accept, we will reach out to you -- that's actually happened a few times, but the distance to get it and/or mark-up was not where I wanted it to be. Eventually though, I found mine, just this past Saturday, and sure enough it was a customer order that was backed out on.

 

[csmith9058]

This is the truck I'm picking up today which was my bosses order. My salesman told me that as soon as it's built it automatically gets posted. It's been on their site for awhile now. And no after 2:30 pm est It won't be at the dealer anymore.lol

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