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Backorders and Obsolete / NLA Items

We apologize for the inconvenience of backorders and obsolete parts, but hopefully this page will let you understand a little of realistically why they occur. 

We (and honestly you) could never afford for us to stock every part our manufacturers sell (even they don't stock everything) but we are dedicated to getting you parts that might be otherwise hard to find ... and the quick and easy ones, also!

 

Backorders

Why do backorders happen?  You can see the item to order so why don't we have it in stock!!!

Simply put, Salem Power Equipment offers COMPLETE catalogs of manufacturer parts, not only the ones you can afford for us to stock and ship daily.  In many cases of full catalog, deep service parts supply, the manufacturers don't even keep parts in the service distribution system warehouses ... or even the factory warehouses.

While we have built an extensive network of distribution support, including New Old Stock (NOS) inventory, many (maybe most) parts in a full manufacturer catalog are only stocked at factory warehouses ... and in many cases only on factory 'build to order' status.  Even major service distribution warehouses (servicing hundreds or thousands of dealers) don't hold this inventory as most parts are simply not economical to have in multiple warehouses, let alone sitting on a dealer shelf.

In most backorder cases, we work to expedite shipping from factory warehouses to you direct, or if necessary to our warehouse for quick turnaround.  In select cases, such as HydroGear, we are able to order factory expedited production, typically resulting in 15-20 day delivery on finished items which are never stocked, anywhere.

For fastest service and information, simply purchase online and we'll get to work on expediting and getting you the best communication we can.

All online orders are charged / paid for at time of online ordering.  

If you need to know supply timing first, please Contact Us with your part number, equipment model, and serial numbers.  We will work to respond quickly with information on timing for shipment.  On the 'easy' ones, of course we can say 'it's in stock and ships today'!  However, sometimes confirming inventory relies on us getting eMail replies from factory inventory contacts and may take 24-48 hours (if it turns out to be in stock, there's a good chance it would have been shipped by then!).

 Obsolete and NLA (No Longer Available)

Why can't I check out with an item?  The part is there on your website, but I can't add it to my cart?  Why did you refund an order after we placed it?  Frustrating!!!

We know that obsolete items can be frustrating.  However, we are committed to offering full catalogs of service parts on our brands, which in many cases have equipment and parts that are more than 50 years old ... we love quality equipment!

Where manufacturers have supplied Obsolete and Subsitution/Replaced By numbers, we build that information in to our website.  We do that for you ... so in most cases you can see historical pricing and part numbers.  Then using new Substitute/Replaced by numbers we'll get you the right parts.

Not all manufacturers have well published obsolete lists and in select cases we have extensive NOS sourcing which don't publish at all (one part at a time look up) so we can't always have up to date information.  This of course, might pleasantly result in finding a rare part in an NOS warehouse, or the disappointment of a cancelled and refunded order.  We try to process these as quickly as we can get information out of the manufacturers.

Parts go obsolete, every day.  Of course, with older products, a single puchase might make a part suddently obsolete (or at least out of factory stock).  Manufacturers will, in some cases, choose to have more parts built, or simply obsolete them when inventory is gone.  We would all like to have real time information on all that, but of course manufacturers don't publish neat little bulletins or IT data packets to all their possible dealers ... so there are times that we simply can't fulfill an order today, which might have been available last week. 

We apologize for the inconvenience, but we work hard to find the new parts you need, for your quality equipment.