I wanted a certain Jeep item so I went searching. I found it listed in stock on ebay, Qtec, Amazon, and a few other places. Prices varied about $40, between $360 and $400, shipping was included on all.
After doing what I thought was decent research to start with, I called Qtec, and asked if it was in stock. No, it's not, next shipment is in 2 months! Ok, wow. Called some other places, 4WD, 4WP, etc. Nobody has it in stock. The local 4WP did take the time to call the warehouses and get told that it would come in 1-3 days before I really needed it - and they ordered a set for me with a little money down in case I couldn't find it elsewhere before then, they knew I was looking. Next step, Amazon, where they are in stock too. I email the vendor, yes, we have them was replied. I order it, and get an email saying out of stock - wait I just checked stock with you, you said you had them. No. Refund my money, done. I check on eBay, again I find a set. Email them, no reply. Call them since they are a 'store' and have a phone number. Talk to a nice girl, she looks it it, yes, one set left in the warehouse. Great, can I buy them now so I get that last set. Yes. I buy them. Three days later, email saying they are out of stock arrives. What?! Again? Call back, tell them to refund my money, got refund. In the end - the day before I leave on my trip, the first set from 4WP arrives at the store, I was lucky I called again to check on them because otherwise they would have been sent back to restocking because I wouldn't have picked them up until after I got home weeks later. I never got a call saying they had arrived.
Lesson learned - you always have to CYA and do the footwork to get what you want. It's easy if the product is common, it's a pain when it's not. I know this already, my customer service expectations are LOW. I'm impressed when something IS in stock and easy to order. In saying this, a few places were upfront about being out of stock, and were upfront in saying they didn't know when it would come in. 4WP did let me put a small amount down and place the order, knowing I may cancel it if I found it before then. They also warrantied the item out after it arrived damaged, and I had to return it after the trip - it was usable, just cosmetic. The Amazon dealer updated the listing to "out of stock" after I was refunded, at least they did that for others. The eBay dealer did nothing to their listing.
I do shop a lot of different stores - a lot see a little of my business.