Chainreaction cycles.

newoldieroadie
newoldieroadie Posts: 28
edited September 2009 in Road buying advice
hi
what do you all think of CRC customer service, mail order service & do they really give tracking numbers etc for UPS

tried emailing them for my bike order no answer which in my book is terribly ignorant and i spent nearly £800 with them on a Beone storm bike

looks like alfords for me

yikes!!



Stan
:evil:
«1

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Most (read virtually everyone) have really good experience with CRC. Shame.
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    did they give you a tracking number i suppose it depends on the delivery service you asked for
  • adamlloyd
    adamlloyd Posts: 7
    used chain reaction for several years now and never had bad experience. on 2 occasions when they made mistake, i was contacted by customer service and problem resolved in one phone call and full refund given and my postage and packaging for sending back included. more than happy to keep using.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Used them lots, always very good service imo. Reasonably quick.
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    thanks for replies will try other suppliers though
  • sods_law
    sods_law Posts: 161
    Used them many times, always had top class service. Recently had a problem with my rear hub, replaced the hub no questions asked...
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    One of the best and usually the quickest. I guess there'll always be the occasional problem, but if you're anything like me you'll be back when you spot a bargain (and CRC have plenty of those) :)
    More problems but still living....
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    yeh maybe but i'm not the most patient when you put 800 sovs on the net to a company that dont answer simple questions by email why has my order not been despatched when placed 18 hrs before the 3pm gmt cut off time for despatching in stock gear not unreasonable of me i dont think to expect them to do what they say

    they changed my order status just after i sent my email so i could not cancel funny i think
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    I've used CRC lots of times for smaller items and never had a problem.

    It also depends on how long you've waited if you've had no answer. In my honest opinion if CRC had received your email, they'd probably has responded. Have they also debited your credit card?

    At £800 I'd phone them and not trust email - but that's just me being suspicious about spotty faced kids in the IT dept. :wink:
    CAAD9
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  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    yes they replied once when i had a sizing query so they have had my emails
    will phone them tomorrow

    these seem to me to be peoplle in a call centre and havent got a clue because its just a job to them. maybe

    the bike i'm waiting for is the BeOne Storm 2009 as recommended by bike radar/cycling plus

    and CRC are the only distributor for these outside Holland& belgium

    my hands tied eh
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    In my experience CRC are pretty good on the phone (although it can sometimes be hard to get through). In fact, when I had a problem with my 2008 BeOne Storm I was put through to the workshop to talk to the guy who was testing the suspect parts.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • HonestAl
    HonestAl Posts: 406
    another positive vote, never had a problem, always had fast service
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    ok then they dont obviously respect customers who are outside uk then

    just because i'm 2000 miles away dont mean i dont come back to britain

    i've got legs !!!
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    I've had a problem with them too. Only once like but I have placed loads of orders with them.
    I like bikes...

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  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    like NapoleonD said, ive had great service with crc tho i do live only a few miles away from their place. dont give up hope, definitely phone them.
  • Monkeypump
    Monkeypump Posts: 1,528
    newoldieroadie wrote:
    ok then they dont obviously respect customers who are outside uk then

    I certainly wouldn't assume that.

    Give 'em a call - always very helpful in my experience (plenty of orders, only once did items not turn up next day). And it's normally nicer to speak to a real person instead of relying on email.
  • System_1
    System_1 Posts: 513
    Why are people so afraid of using the phone these days? I know most people like to deal with emails but can you imagine how many a company the size of Chain Reaction must get every day and the logistical nightmare of organising/dealing with them all. It's not unimaginable that one or two get missed.

    Personally I'd pick up the phone and speak to someone before dismissing them. They're very pleasant and helpful. As well as the dozens of items I've ordered from them which have been delivered promptly, I had a frame returned to them under warranty which was replaced within a week. They're my preferred online bike shopping place.
  • donnie murdo
    donnie murdo Posts: 986
    I have been using them for 5-6 years without any problems. Great service and they do reply to emails in my experience.

    Between them and Wiggle they are the best online bike retailers I have come across.
  • Vino2007
    Vino2007 Posts: 340
    Best online cycling store in my opinion, never had anyproblems. Competitive prices, excellent selection and fast and free P&P!
  • lingwoodmick
    lingwoodmick Posts: 17
    I have found them better than most.
    The only one I have ever had problems with is Wiggle and that was to do with card fraud! But i still keep using them!
    If you avoided CRC you could miss out on great offers. Or perhaps you move from CRC to say Evans and then get porr service by Evans. Then you go from Evans to Primera and you get more poor service. etc etc
    What does that tell you? Every retailer will have some blips in service, its whether you can get over it and use them again.
  • sods_law
    sods_law Posts: 161
    newoldieroadie wrote:
    yeh maybe but i'm not the most patient when you put 800 sovs on the net to a company that dont answer simple questions by email why has my order not been despatched when placed 18 hrs before the 3pm gmt cut off time for despatching in stock gear not unreasonable of me i dont think to expect them to do what they say

    they changed my order status just after i sent my email so i could not cancel funny i think

    FFS, chill out! I bought a bike from them, it took 3 days to arrive. So what if they didn't get it in the post on the same day? Maybe they had a busy day! Is one day going to make a difference?

    Your getting it shipped abroad, so its not exactly going to arrive next day is it...
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    none answering of emails is a problem

    by the way no need to resort to swearing

    ok
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I can imagine that if you're in Crete then email is a lot cheaper than phoning them, but if you're really concerned I'd give them a bell and speak to a human.

    I have dealt with several well respected suppliers of bikes, frames and parts, and the phone is always the best way to get a quick answer. Frequently non-urgent emails have taken 2 or 3 days for an answer, but that's OK by me; I just imagine it's due to the number of emails they sometimes get vs the number of hours in a day. I wouldn't read anything sinister in to it.

    What's Crete like for winter cycling??
  • FOAD
    FOAD Posts: 318
    newoldieroadie wrote:
    none answering of emails is a problem

    by the way no need to resort to swearing

    ok

    Your lack of patience and willingness to cry about it here rather than do something about it would drive most to swearing! :lol:
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Not sure about the customer service side of it, but for basic component purchases I find CRC to be the best cycling Etailer - good prices, fast delivery - prefer CRC to Wiggle/Parkers.
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    edited September 2009
    got an email from CrC wanting proof of who i was for fraud purposes
    which is fair enough
    they were processing the first before asking for proof which they waited 2 days before emailing

    rang them up spoke to the girl called J asked what they required she said they would dispatch today no problems if my docs were in order asked her to email me to say she received them she said she would

    no she didnt so i rang again she said oh yes i got them thanks thats great your order will be sent today i said good today yes she said asked for some pedals to be added no problem we sent it as urgent today

    gets an email to say picking order now a 1511 today saying it will be sent tomorrow


    cancelled the order by phone

    after trying to get through for 15mins

    lots of complaints no doubts

    i rest my case

    ps they took my money first before asking for proof and said i have to wait 5-7 days for a refund
  • thelasersailor
    thelasersailor Posts: 106
    I've also never had a problem with CRC. I guess some people are just unlucky!
    If every mistake you make is a new one ... cheer up, you're making progress!
  • newoldieroadie
    newoldieroadie Posts: 28
    yes youre right
    maybe

    Evans here i come

    i'm gonna come to England and bring the bike back myself

    none of these mail order monsters ever again
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    +1 for CRC - I've always found them efficient & cheap. I'm sorry someone had a bad time with them, but the evidence suggests that, statistically speaking, they are not a "crap company".
  • Tacx Boy
    Tacx Boy Posts: 35
    Always found CRC excellent. I'm sure they'll be delighted to do without your custom

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