Are Tredz.co.uk reputable?

nadnerb

I emailed them on Monday to ask a question with regards to sizing - got no reply.
On Tuesday I found the answer to my question on a manufacturers website so I went ahead and placed an order at about 10am for next day delivery.
Wednesday I stayed at home waiting but got a call from them saying that I, yes, I missed their midday deadline for next day delivery. (is 10am after midday in Wales or something?)
They said if I still wanted they would ship it out now so it will arrive on Thursday - I agree.
Thursday, today, I again stay at home all day waiting and 5pm eventually rolls around and no bike has arrived.
I decide to call Tredz to see if it was shipped next day or by regular 2-5 day shipping (they dropped the £10 next day charge so I guess there could be a mistake there)
First I call their Skype account - offline.
Then I try their website phone number - doesn't exist!
Then I try their shop no 1 number - doesn't exist!
Shop no 2 - error!
Admittedly I did use Skype to make the calls as I don't have a landline, but I'm sure Skype wouldn't lie to me!
I then tried the live chat on their site - off course it's not working (it hasn't since monday when I wanted to ask them a question)

So, has anyone ordered from Tredz before? I've only heard good things so I'd like to think they are a reputable company but from my experience thus far I'm not impressed and am rather worried at this point since they don't even post real contact info on their site :roll:

RhysD

eeek - doesn't sound good. but in my experience, they are fine. not used em for mail order (i'm in Cardiff anyhow) been to the shop lots o'times. Never had a problem ringing them either, at either store??? can't promise they are not all boarded up right now, but in my past experience, they are reputable, for sure.

dodgyknees

I ordered a bike from them last year and received it without any problems, although I didn't go for next day delivery.

They even sent a free helmet with the bike - not an expensive one but still I was quite impressed.

nadnerb

I think they have changed their P&P page now too.
It now says next day orders will be sent if the order is 'processed' by noon.
Whereas on Tuesday I'm sure it said if the order was 'received' or something to that effect.

nadnerb

ok tried from a mobile and it got through. :oops:
Bloody Skype!!

Apparently its on it's way, but still its 5.30 and I can't imagine many companies deliver after 6!

*edit*

so he just called back and now he says it's been damaged in transit and is being returned to them. 2mins ago he said they couldn't access tracking info as the office is shut!
Now he says they have to order another one in and I MIGHT get it on monday.

So what's that, almost a week for next day delivery? not impressed at all!

nadnerb

I think I've sussed it out - they don't have the bike in stock.

The first guy I spoke to on Wednesday didn't seem sure why my order wasn't shipped out and said something like it wasn't seen in time. Seen? He then said something odd like 'we actually have your bike here now, so it can be shipped today'

Now this guy today says the box was damaged in transit and they need to order another one (wait, its a 2008 bike and they will order me one, from where? besides, they say they have it in stock on their site, obviously a lie!)
If the box was damaged chances are the bike is ok, it is designed for rough terrain after all, but he seems to think that they will have to send me a whole new bike. Weird considering he hasn't seen the damage yet.

When you read this guys experience it kinda makes sense, they take orders (and money) for bikes they don't have in stock.
http://www.reviewcentre.com/review397796.html

grantway

I was talking to them today the number on there site is fine.
Also there was a problem with the site this week but all working now.

My advice is call them then do the buying over the phone and explain
your reasons why and ask for the same price.

nadnerb

grantway wrote:

My advice is call them then do the buying over the phone and explain
your reasons why and ask for the same price.

Well they've already taken my money - had it for 2 days now!

canada16

I walked into their shop in Cardiff, and it took 5 of them to decide what to do with a bike and were it would look best in the shop while leaving me to my own devices for 15 min, before I walked out.

I had my two year old daughter with me as well.

Very Very poor face to face service, better prices and service on line.

I hate that shop and wont go back.

SMITHY D

Interesting comments? I use Tredz (both cardiff & swansea) and they are very helpful.
I was wondering what (damaged) bike you ordered from Tredz, because i'm looking at a new bike and they are on my possible list to buy from?

cheers

Smithy

starsky007

I bought my giant trance 3 from cardiff tredz about 6 months ago, that was fine. took it back for a 6 week service and got good advice, didnt get any thing free when i bought it, but i did get it on the ride to work scheme.

nadnerb

Smithy, it was a Scott Aspect 45 2008.
I spoke to Tredz again today and they've given me a tracking number, should arrive on Monday. No real apologies or anything to sweeten the deal though.
I won't be buying from them again.

Where are my stabilisers?

I have had similar problems when ordering from smallish bike shops online. I understand that they don't always have items in stock etc because they are small but it really annoys me when they don't communicate with you about it :evil: Why do they advertise stock they don't have? and then when you order something they don't even bother to tell you it isn't in stock? :evil:

I could name about 3 bike shops I have used which have done this to me and I have never used them again! If there service and communication had been better, I probably would have used them again, but telling porkie pies to your customers earns you no points in my book!

Sort out your customer service and you'll get more sales - it's not rocket science :roll: !

canada16

Tredz is not small by any means.

The shop in cardiff is over two floors.

I have not seen the other shops though.

But they are still rubbish and wont go back, even though I only live down the street.

nadnerb

From a bit of Googling I found out that Tredz is run by only 4 people and gets all of it's stock from Wheelies, which I guess is the cause of the delay.

Father Faff

Now Mr Nabnerd why don't you find a nice friendly LBS and buy from there? A good one is worth its weight in gold and once they know you will almost certainly help you out and give you a good discount, face-to-face advice/encouragement/laugh-at-your-latest-mishap, do stuff and give you service that you will never get on the internet. I am sure Scott dealers are ten-a-penny and I know at least some of them are very good LBSs indeed (including my own who also stock things like Giant, Commencal, Orbea and would probably happily build up something if I turned up with some frame I'd bought elsewhere). While I might buy some accessories on the internet I can't see myself ever buying a complete bike that way.

cunning-stunt

Don't know if Tredz are reputable, but after spending 20 minutes mooching around the Cardiff store yesterday with not one staff member asking me if I needed any help I'm not that impressed.

christk

Quite right. They are part of the Wheelies Direct Group. I bought my bike from Wheelies direct. First they told me it would be 3 week delivery, a week later they contacted me to tell me it was now 7 week delivery. Believe it or not then had a call to say bike was ready for dispatch! because I live in Bridgend decided to travel to Swansea to pick the bike up. It was obvious that the guy didn't have a clue about the finer details of the bike, but at least the price was right and If I get a problem then I'll be straight back down to them. (bought an Orange 5 by the way)

nadnerb

Father Faff wrote:

Now Mr Nabnerd why don't you find a nice friendly LBS and buy from there? A good one is worth its weight in gold and once they know you will almost certainly help you out and give you a good discount, face-to-face advice/encouragement/laugh-at-your-latest-mishap, do stuff and give you service that you will never get on the internet. I am sure Scott dealers are ten-a-penny and I know at least some of them are very good LBSs indeed (including my own who also stock things like Giant, Commencal, Orbea and would probably happily build up something if I turned up with some frame I'd bought elsewhere). While I might buy some accessories on the internet I can't see myself ever buying a complete bike that way.

Maybe next time.
I did check all the LBS in the area and no one stocked Scott bikes, I suppose they may have been able to order one in, but I'd already placed and been charged for my order by Tredz.
Besides, Tredz were the cheapest by about £100 for my size.

Anyway, I finally got the bike today along with a 10% discount code which would have been useful as I need a lock, but I think I'll get that somewhere else!

Father Faff

Well if you build up a relationship with a good LBS chances are they will do a good deal for you. And even if they can't quite match internet prices you'll get decent pre and after-sales service! Worth having!

weapon

Bought a bike on monday with next day delivery, got an email later monday saying they didn't have any in stock and they won't have any until next week. I pointed out that they are still selling the bike on their site as "in stock" they said they would change that.

Today Friday, they are still advertising the bike as as in stock and i have now been told they will not get my bike from their supplier until at least the end of next week.

So i will cancel my order.

Seems to me that they allow people to buy bikes when they do not have them in stock as other people have commented on:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews179722.html

You have to call them as they do not reply to emails and when i tried to use the online chat tool, they answered my first question then shut down the session so i could not ask follow up questions!!!

Not happy camper :evil:

alfablue

I bought a pump off them last year.

After several days they emailed to say it wasn't in stock, would I like to cancel.

I said yes and bought it elsewhere.

2 months later they sent me the pump :evil: :roll:

They seem to (like some other e-tailers) take orders then order the item from their suppliers - obviously helps their cash flow, but leads to these issues. I also gather that advertising items that you do not have in stock is against the advertising code of practice. I am just speculating here - don't know for sure if they do this but I suspect so.

I won't touch them with a bargepole now (nor oither shops that behave similarly. . . JE J.. anyone?).

It is highly annoying when you waste 3 days of the week before they tell you it isn't in stock, then you have lkost the chance to buy elsewhere in time for the weekend outing!

slackin101

alfablue wrote:

I bought a pump off them last year.

After several days they emailed to say it wasn't in stock, would I like to cancel.

I said yes and bought it elsewhere.

2 months later they sent me the pump :evil: :roll:

They seem to (like some other e-tailers) take orders then order the item from their suppliers - obviously helps their cash flow, but leads to these issues. I also gather that advertising items that you do not have in stock is against the advertising code of practice. I am just speculating here - don't know for sure if they do this but I suspect so.

I won't touch them with a bargepole now (nor oither shops that behave similarly. . . JE J.. anyone?).

It is highly annoying when you waste 3 days of the week before they tell you it isn't in stock, then you have lkost the chance to buy elsewhere in time for the weekend outing!

I found the same with them. Contacted them through the live webchat thing to ask whether a few things are in stock and they never seem to have anything I ask about but say they can get within a few days. The one thing I did order on that basis was delayed.

They tend to be cheap though and it wasn't really any hassle because I wasn't desperate for the item (grips) so I would use them again.

underdog

Must say I have very good experience with Tredz in Swansea. Also people who are complaining no one came over to ask if they needed help, see that annoys me, if I need help I will find a memeber of staff and ask for it, if I am just looking then leave me the hell alone to look.

Guess different people see it different ways

alfablue

underdog wrote:

Must say I have very good experience with Tredz in Swansea. Also people who are complaining no one came over to ask if they needed help, see that annoys me, if I need help I will find a memeber of staff and ask for it, if I am just looking then leave me the hell alone to look.

Guess different people see it different ways

Underdog, I have heard very good things about their IN STORE customer service, our problems are with the online operation. I think this stock issue is common to many shops that try to do online also - they don't want to invest in piles of stock so they do this thing (which is against the rules) of advertising things they hope to be able to get from their suppliers, rather than things they have in stock. Not acceptable! However good the guys are face to face, if you can't do e-tailing properly and within the rules, best not do it! Your business and your customers will suffer.

Case in point: the superb John's Bikes, Bath - look at their web site, it shows lots of products but says that if you want to buy/order, "come in and see us" - they are the best LBS you could ever hope for, but despite the need for an online prescence, they haven't fooled themselves that becoming an e-tailer would enhance their business.

cooldad

Had a problem on a trip to Wales a few months ago, went into Tredz in Swansea - they were extremely helpful and friendly. Nicely set out shop, with a great selection, attentive staff. Maybe they are better at being an LBS.

alfablue

cooldad wrote:

Had a problem on a trip to Wales a few months ago, went into Tredz in Swansea - they were extremely helpful and friendly. Nicely set out shop, with a great selection, attentive staff. Maybe they are better at being an LBS.

From what I have heard I am sure that is the case, as Peters and Waterman said (In Search of Excellence) "stick to the knitting".

underdog

alfablue wrote:

underdog wrote:

Must say I have very good experience with Tredz in Swansea. Also people who are complaining no one came over to ask if they needed help, see that annoys me, if I need help I will find a memeber of staff and ask for it, if I am just looking then leave me the hell alone to look.

Guess different people see it different ways

Underdog, I have heard very good things about their IN STORE customer service, our problems are with the online operation. I think this stock issue is common to many shops that try to do online also - they don't want to invest in piles of stock so they do this thing (which is against the rules) of advertising things they hope to be able to get from their suppliers, rather than things they have in stock. Not acceptable! However good the guys are face to face, if you can't do e-tailing properly and within the rules, best not do it! Your business and your customers will suffer.

Case in point: the superb John's Bikes, Bath - look at their web site, it shows lots of products but says that if you want to buy/order, "come in and see us" - they are the best LBS you could ever hope for, but despite the need for an online prescence, they haven't fooled themselves that becoming an e-tailer would enhance their business.

Not sticking up for them, just throwing in my experience

Briggo

Ordered a FSR XC Pro bike last year, didnt have it in stock so I got a courtesy call to inform me it wont be available for several months.

Offered me a huge discount on a better bike (my stumpy), which I snapped up.

Brilliant service, albeit the website doesnt show correct stock levels

alfablue

underdog wrote:

Not sticking up for them, just throwing in my experience

No, sticking up for them is fine, and so you should. I just thought that there is a distinction between the web experience and the in-store experience, and it was the web experience that the OP was complaining about.

Gabe_62

They appear to operate from an industrial park unit in Swansea. They clearly carry very little stock and orders take an age. And for a reason that becomes obvious.... They don't offer next day delivery.

Made 2 orders from C/R and Wiggs at 8am.... Dispatched by tea time same day...and that's free delivery....!

Made order at Tredz day earlier, got email next day saying dispatch was estimated in 7 days time.

A week to dispatch....! So I may get it in 10 days time...? That's if they can get the stuff from their suppliers.

If not, I guess I get a refund in 7 days.... That takes 3 to 4 days through PayPal.... And then I need to re-source, order and await delivery.

So at may guess, it could take over 2 weeks to get the stuff.

Never again.

Use the big stores that only sell stuff they actually have in stock.... Who have real-time stock control.