Chain Reaction Cycles pulling a fast one

redddraggon

Two weeks ago I ordered a £70 Kryptonite Chain lock from CRC, a few days later a small parcel arrives containing an £8 combination lock but I've still been charged £70.

I get in touch with CRC and they say they will dispatch the lock that day, an hour later I get an email saying they haven't got any stock but they'll send one out when they get one in. Fair enough.

A week later, my bikes still aren't secured properly, so I want a refund but they refuse saying "We can't offer a refund as we are sending out your order free of charge".

"Free of charge"? I've already paid for the lock you dodgy dirty dealing thieves. Still they haven't got the lock - am I rights to get my money back?

If I'm still getting agro, who do I get to sort the buggers out?

AndyManc

Yep, there have been numerous reports about CRC and their dodgy dealings recently.

I've stopped using them after they sent me the wrong gear when the stock I ordered had run out, once you get your money back , steer clear.

Brian1

Callling a very respected company like CRC dodgy Irish B@st@rds on a bike forum will hardly resolve the problem.Having read many of your posts which include lots of valuable help to many members I am surprised at your attitude

AndyManc

" Callling a very respected company like CRC "

They're not anymore . :shock:

pedylan

redddraggon wrote:

"Free of charge"? I've already paid for the lock you dodgy Irish b@st@rds. Still they haven't got the lock - am I rights to get my money back?

If I'm still getting agro, who do I get to sort the buggers out?

1. If they'd happened to be based in Birmingham would you have called them dodgy English b@st@rds? You wouldn't have : so consider your choice of nationality adjective as an insult.

2. if you want to deal with CRC from a stance where you can demand a refund based on contravention of your basic consumer rights, then the website below should give you a pretty detailed idea of how to tell CRC if they are obliged to offer you a refund and what to threaten them with if they don't. Specifically what you can do within 7 days of ordering.

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

pader

would dodgy brummie b@st@rds be OK ?

Croxted Avenger

redddraggon wrote:

I've already paid for the lock you dodgy Irish b@st@rds....blah blah blah

Whats their nationality got to do with anything?

redddraggon

pedylan wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

"Free of charge"? I've already paid for the lock you dodgy Irish b@st@rds. Still they haven't got the lock - am I rights to get my money back?

If I'm still getting agro, who do I get to sort the buggers out?

1. If they'd happened to be based in Birmingham would you have called them dodgy English b@st@rds? You wouldn't have : so consider your choice of nationality adjective as an insult.

Well if they were "dodgy English b@st@rds", why not? But in my experience the English don't tend to be as bad as the Scottish or Irish I still can't see what's so offensive about calling them "Irish", because they are, and they are getting dodgier by the day.

redddraggon

Brian1 wrote:

Having read many of your posts which include lots of valuable help to many members I am surprised at your attitude

You're suprised I'm more than annoyed that they have taken my money and not provided the product, which means I haven't got my bikes locked up properly?

I guess i should accept that they've stolen my £70, and let the Chav thieves nick my bikes then?

Croxted Avenger

...or you could stop being such a drama queen and use the link pedylan gave you.

just a thought

robbie the roadie

redddraggon wrote:

Brian1 wrote:

Having read many of your posts which include lots of valuable help to many members I am surprised at your attitude

You're suprised I'm more than annoyed that they have taken my money and not provided the product, which means I haven't got my bikes locked up properly?

I guess i should accept that they've stolen my £70, and let the Chav thieves nick my bikes then?

I think you've missed his point.

If you paid by credit card you can get them to take it up on your behalf. Though I think legally their allowed 28 days to pay you back

DavidBelcher

AndyManc wrote:

Yep, there have been numerous reports about CRC and their dodgy dealings recently.

I've stopped using them after they sent me the wrong gear when the stock I ordered had run out, once you get your money back , steer clear.

This surprises me - never had any problems using CRC in the past. Has the business changed hands and/or management recently?

David

chuckcork

Personal experience of mail order recently is that if there is a "comments" field on the order page for the website, ask them to double check that the goods supplied are as ordered.

I've recently had CRC supply the wrong brake blocks (no prob, I'll use eventually, but then again I had to order again), had dolphin fitness supply a second bike kit for the wrong type of HRM (more expensive stuff than I ordered too), and had similar other "close but no cigar" encounters as well.

At least if they eventually supply something you'll have something. Its where companies supply the wrong goods, and then in taking it back expect another order and/or don't refund often high postage costs on the initial order that really gets me.

Or where the goods supply fail in short order and they then say its nothing to do with them, contact the manufacturer/distributor instead....

redddraggon

Ahh it's all been sorted now, they are giving me a refund.

Parker's have got the next model up for the same price, so I'll be placing my order with them.

Great Success

SteveR_100Milers

FWIW I don't use them anymore after being messed around with a faulty saddle and being abruptly informed that despite the saddle being faulty I would not be reimbursed the special delivery charges I paid to get it quickly nor the return postage.

robmanic1

I've always found CRC to be spot-on, and Wiggle for that matter

brucey72

I have used CRC and had no problems either. I bought some wheels from them recently as well as a new bottle cage. The front wheel was quite badle marked so I returned it. They sent me a replacement wheel imediately, re-imbursed me the cost of postage and refunded me the cost of the bottle holder!

It seems to me that every on-line retailer has bad press at some time.

Gussio

CRC have always been spot on with my orders. They are competitively priced and next day delivery has been the norm. Likewise with Wiggle. In the one instance when I had to return something (my fault for ordering the wrong sized mitts :roll: ) the process worked smoothly.

aracer

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

the special delivery charges I paid to get it quickly

What are they then? I've always just used free delivery from them, and have got it next day 100% of the time.

I'm sure they have their problems, but IME they are a huge amount better than most. I'm certainly not put off using them by this story (which would have been better without the emotive appeals about it being their fault the bikes aren't locked up properly - which makes me wonder what was securing them before).

redddraggon

aracer wrote:

which makes me wonder what was securing them before

Nothing because they were in my flat in the living room, which they aren't now because I'm back at my parents.

Hence my thread of two weeks ago: http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12571658

Sfelt

"Well if they were "dodgy English b@st@rds", why not? But in my experience the English don't tend to be as bad as the Scottish or Irish I still can't see what's so offensive about calling them "Irish", because they are, and they are getting dodgier by the day.[/quote]"

I take it you left the Welsh out because, Ah yes the name does give it away,

pedylan

Sfelt wrote:

"Well if they were "dodgy English b@st@rds", why not? But in my experience the English don't tend to be as bad as the Scottish or Irish I still can't see what's so offensive about calling them "Irish", because they are, and they are getting dodgier by the day.

"

I take it you left the Welsh out because, Ah yes the name does give it away, [/quote]


You're right, looks like he might be a bit of a Celt. Although he's not showing a great deal of solidarity with the rest of the Celtic populations of these islands. Maybe he wasn't studying geography or history.

redddraggon

I really don't know why people get offended so easily.

Brian1

For me mate I think because it seemed so out of character compared to your other posts which offer lots of help and advice although I know how the red mist can sometimes decend!![/b]

top_bhoy

About a year ago, they sent me a set of forks which were the wrong ones I had requested and completely useless as they were for deep brake tourers. However, after a single phone call and some instructions, I received the replacements in Oz 7 days later and a refund for my postage costs for returning the wrong set. This was on a set of forks which it was noticed they were the wrong type - after the steerer was cut They've done OK by me.

phelim

how's it going reddragon you stupid welsh ba@@ard.nationality has nothing to do with level of service.

redddraggon

phelim wrote:

.nationality has nothing to do with level of service.

Did I say it did?

SteveR_100Milers

aracer wrote:

SteveR_100Milers wrote:

the special delivery charges I paid to get it quickly

What are they then? I've always just used free delivery from them, and have got it next day 100% of the time.

I'm sure they have their problems, but IME they are a huge amount better than most. I'm certainly not put off using them by this story (which would have been better without the emotive appeals about it being their fault the bikes aren't locked up properly - which makes me wonder what was securing them before).

Same as Wiggle offer, indeed like the majority of online retailers - you pay extra for a guarenteed next day delivery. It wasnt the lack of refund, it was the manner in which it was dealt with that was disappointing. Up until that moment, I had only good experiences with CRC.

blorg

I have 12 orders with them over the last 18 months or so. Last order was a new wheelset only a couple of weeks ago. They left out the rim tape but apologised as soon as I got on to them and sent me out some Velox next day.

They can be a bit difficult to get hold of sometimes but in fairness to them they have always replied to any post-order issues (and they have always been minor) very quickly and sorted them - it's the pre-order questions I find it can be hard to get a response on. I've gotten refunds from them no problem; they are not slow to refund in my experience.

Personally I am highly biased against English people, especially those from the south of England, but still find time to shop at Wiggle often enough :twisted:

redddraggon

blorg wrote:

Personally I am highly biased against English people, especially those from the south of England, but still find time to shop at Wiggle often enough :twisted:

Don't worry sorry am I, I only give those from the North West a bit of slack. I rarely shop at Wiggle now, they seem to be quite expensive, I seem to spend a lot at Ribble now.

redddraggon

blorg wrote:

Personally I am highly biased against English people, especially those from the south of England, but still find time to shop at Wiggle often enough :twisted:

Don't worry so am I, I only give those from the North West a bit of slack. I rarely shop at Wiggle now, they seem to be quite expensive, I seem to spend a lot at Ribble now.