CJ Pony and CJ Offroad warning!

[MACCTM]

Just a heads up to the group in case this hasn't been mentioned or needs reminding. I ordered some parts from CJ Pony and got an email the next day from Extend Shipping Protection saying thanks for paying additional money for shipping insurance. I didn't remember asking for it and didn't want it. I called to remove the additional charge and they said it was too late, that the items have shipped. They said there is a small check box on the bottom of the order that is automatically checked unless you unchecked it. Kind of scammy in my mind. So just be aware.

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[JDoc92]

I have seen that "extended shipping protection" from other vendors as well, even none Bronco related sites.

 

[SuperDave150]

Lots of websites automatically have stuff checked. Must be detail oriented & diligent. Always. (My health insurance company is the worst.)

 

[vrtical]

its a new trend and by default its on. Not only them but several other vendors including some one here.

 

[Fly by Nite]

I checked the CJ Pony site, added an exhaust to my cart.... a pop-up appeared from Extend asking if I wanted additional (warranty) insurance. Easy to opt out, but there may also be additional Extend Shipping insurance (I didn't get that far) applied.
Maybe it's not a bad thing for the buyer or seller. I'd guess damaged/stolen packages is a headache when it happens, especially for the seller. Might be worth a few bucks, but the seller apparently needs to make the extra charge more visible.

 

[Tricky Mike]

CJ doesn't have the best rep in general anyway, it's best to prepare for the worse with them. I haven't had an issue yet but many people do.

 

[StinkBug]

This is becoming a common program with online vendors of all types, we have it on our site as well, and I'll explain why. Not only is shipping expensive, it also doesn't offer much in the way of insurance. UPS it's $100 unless you purchase more. What's worse is the extra insurance offered by the shipping carriers is not only an additional fee, but they also make it virtually impossible to collect. UPS loves to play all sorts of games requiring both the shipper and the receiver to submit documentation, pictures, etc. just so they can pay out a fraction of the actual value. It often costs us more in labor dealing with a claim than it's worth. USPS is even worse, as they frequently mark things as being delivered in the tracker, even though they haven't been delivered. Most of the time stuff gets delivered the next day, but when it doesn't they automatically deny your claim because the tracking shows delivered. It's a real problem for both customers and companies.

I can't speak for CJ, as I have no affiliation with them whatsoever, and honestly know nothing about them, but as a small business owner I know the struggles of trying to do right by customers without losing my shirt when someone else drops the ball. Most of these shipping insurance programs are very clearly marked on the checkout page (at least ours is) so you can decide if you want to pay for it or not. From our side it goes directly to a separate insurance fund, that is not dependent on UPS, USPS, FedEx or anyone else. If there's a problem with your order we have MUCH more control over it and can help you out a LOT faster. When someone who chose not to insure their order has a problem, they have to deal with the shipping company and often wait a month or more for maybe a partial resolution. If the order is insured you deal with us directly and we solve the problem ASAP.

As for having it automatically checked, you can say it's scammy, but on our side we have to choose one way or the other. I find that customers get a lot more upset when a problem occurs and I have to tell them they are SOL because USPS denied their claim. I'd much rather just say "I see you bought the insurance, we'll get a replacement right out to you". The other option we as the seller have is to simply add extra into our shipping charges or product prices, which means everyone is forced to pay the fee. Instead a lot of companies are giving you the option to choose. Ultimately you have the opportunity to uncheck the box. It's your money and you should be looking at the total before clicking submit on the order.

As an example here's a screenshot from our checkout page. As you can see the shipping protection box is a lot bigger than the checkout button. IMHO there's not a lot of excuse for not seeing it, though some sellers may choose to hide it more.

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