Ford Apologizes To Delayed F-150 Buyers With Amazon Gift Card

Jul. 10, 2021 11:51 AM ET by Sebastian Cenizo Industry News / 6 Comments

The chip shortage is costing Ford in more ways than one.

Like so many other automakers, Ford has been hit hard by the global semiconductor chip shortage. This issue has forced delays of the Bronco Sport along with delays of the standard Bronco and the Mach-E. For buyers of the Mustang Mach-E, Ford has made amends by offering them $1,000 back on their purchases along with double the free charging they were originally promised. However, the regular Mustang, F-150, Explorer, Escape, and Bronco Sport have all seen production at eight North American plants halted, and that delay is going to be significant. In order to try to make up for this, Ford will be offering F-Series customers a $100 Amazon gift card.

This was learned through a bulletin sent to dealers on Tuesday that reads as follows: "The Ford F-Series Team is providing a letter template for select customers who are experiencing an extended delay on Retail Orders due to the global semiconductor shortage. The letter includes a special link to redeem a $100 Amazon E-Gift Card to offer appreciation for their patience and loyalty."

No mention is made of how buyers of the other affected vehicles will be compensated, if at all, and we can't help but think that a $100 gift card is a bit of a weak effort. But Ford knows that its F-Series buyers are obsessively loyal, and this delay is unlikely to result in the loss of many customers.

Still, Ford was offering a $1,000 "Retail Order Bonus Cash Certificate" in June, for which the F-150 qualified. That incentive came to an end on Tuesday, and with the wording in the bulletin making mention of compensating "select customers who are experiencing an extended delay", it does make us wonder if it's worth placing an order for an F-150 or other F-Series truck right now.

Hopefully, this shortage can come to an end quickly or manufacturers can find a workaround, because in the meantime, a lot of people are being inconvenienced. Hats off to Ford, though, as not many brands are offering to compensate buyers for circumstances out of the manufacturer's control.