The site weldingsupply.com, and its affiliate weldwarehouse.com, regularly and knowingly employ bait-and-switch deceptive practices in pricing and availability.
After ordering some products from their website at competitive prices, and noting specifically in the order to "please call or email to confirm item availability and ship date," leaving the appropriate contact info. Instead, a day later, all I receive is a form email with the subject "Price Has Changed Order #****** Hold -- Please Reply!" The message goes on to highlight the fine print of the order terms, which does indicate that prices may change before shipping. The new prices given were as much as 50% higher. Finally, the message ends with an implied threat: "Thank you in advance for not reporting to third parties that you ordered subject to other terms, or we did not honor our required actual terms. You are personally liable for statements you make that are not true."
All of this in a form email smacked of a standard "bait and switch" modus operandi, so I called to clarify. Additionally, I checked the website for those items again, which were still listed at the deceptively (and falsely) low prices. On the phone, multiple representatives were very nonchalant about the pricing issue, even when I pointed out the low price still being advertised on the website, and my suspicion that this is not unintentional; their reaction also suggested the same. Although I was told the website takes a day to update, it is now days later, and the false prices are still posted.
Finally, the items were all listed as "in stock," though the representatives both confirmed that they never stock these items.
Do not waste your time with internet scammers like weldingsupply.com, or their affiliate weldwarehouse.com. I don't trust them as far as I can throw them, and like Ed Rooney, I really shouldn't be throwing anybody, anyway.
Dear Miller,
I would like to apologize for this inconvenience. We will do our very best to find a resolution to this issue. Please check your personal messages and get back to us at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Consumer Relations Team at CARID.com