online bikeshop poor service

bianchimoon

last friday morning ordered a pair of Ultremo R1 tyres from an online retailer (No they're not to blame), after pressing the buy button the message says, this make take upto 14 days (i needed within a week). So phoned and emailed the retailer and asked if i would get them in time, both replies in the positive, still not turned up today so i phoned up to ask if they would definately be here in time for my event, answer was "should be with you before weekend". Hang on a mo that's not what your colleague said last friday, his answer was ell were busy. What a lousy way to treat a first time customer - disgruntled of North Yorksire

giant_man

please name and shame, it helps all of us .....

rabk

Have to admit, my recent experiences with 4 different online retailers have all been the same

Very poor

All have the same excuse.......

The double bank holiday has given them a backlog of work

Infuriating when you anticipate that you will receive something quickly and it takes

6 days and still not arrived
9 days
22 days
26 days (to be fair this item was not in stock, but I was ssured it would be available within the week)


Not happy

Maybe I have been unlucky :shock:

I will not however name them as I have previously received very good service from them in the past

bianchimoon

Try to use LBS if poss, but no one had the R1's in stock within 20 miles. Have used Wiggle, CRC and Slane with very good results, but this time tried JE James, like i said to the second guy i spoke to, product was in stock why didn't you just post it. Bottom line is 6 days after order they still hadn't despatched it, or contacted me to say it wouldn't arrive before agreed time, unacceptable business practice

bianchimoon

after i cancelled the order received a confirmation email
"Further to our phone conversation I can confirm your order cancelled and online payment aborted." no apology at all. I run a business and wouldn't dream of being so impersonal to a customer. A simple "apologies" at the end of the mail would have made the world of difference

benno68

bianchimoon wrote:

Try to use LBS if poss, but no one had the R1's in stock within 20 miles. Have used Wiggle, CRC and Slane with very good results, but this time tried JE James, like i said to the second guy i spoke to, product was in stock why didn't you just post it. Bottom line is 6 days after order they still hadn't despatched it, or contacted me to say it wouldn't arrive before agreed time, unacceptable business practice

I was messed about by this company last year. Not used them again.

bianchimoon

Benno68 wrote:

bianchimoon wrote:

Try to use LBS if poss, but no one had the R1's in stock within 20 miles. Have used Wiggle, CRC and Slane with very good results, but this time tried JE James, like i said to the second guy i spoke to, product was in stock why didn't you just post it. Bottom line is 6 days after order they still hadn't despatched it, or contacted me to say it wouldn't arrive before agreed time, unacceptable business practice

I was messed about by this company last year. Not used them again.

perhaps we should have a rating system for bike shops (online and local) on the forum?

solboy

I think that many of the on line shops have limited or no stock and what they do is they order stock in once you have placed your order hence the delay in deliveries. Just need to be carefeul about exactly what "in stock" means as i think it sometimes means in stock at the manufacturers or distributors - not the shop.

benjboy

Benno68 wrote:

bianchimoon wrote:

Try to use LBS if poss, but no one had the R1's in stock within 20 miles. Have used Wiggle, CRC and Slane with very good results, but this time tried JE James, like i said to the second guy i spoke to, product was in stock why didn't you just post it. Bottom line is 6 days after order they still hadn't despatched it, or contacted me to say it wouldn't arrive before agreed time, unacceptable business practice

I was messed about by this company last year. Not used them again.

Same here for me bought a groupset of them waited about 10 days.I then phoned them to be told it was in there other store and would have to wait till they got it before they posted it to me.So have not used them again bad store bad store.

ajb72

benjboy wrote:

Benno68 wrote:

bianchimoon wrote:

Try to use LBS if poss, but no one had the R1's in stock within 20 miles. Have used Wiggle, CRC and Slane with very good results, but this time tried JE James, like i said to the second guy i spoke to, product was in stock why didn't you just post it. Bottom line is 6 days after order they still hadn't despatched it, or contacted me to say it wouldn't arrive before agreed time, unacceptable business practice

I was messed about by this company last year. Not used them again.

Same here for me bought a groupset of them waited about 10 days.I then phoned them to be told it was in there other store and would have to wait till they got it before they posted it to me.So have not used them again bad store bad store.

+1 here too. Messed about so badly with items supposedly in stock, then wrong items being sent. Will not use again, too many other alternatives.

I am the god of hell fire

I have had far more poor experiences with JE James than good ones
In fact Im not sure if Ive even had a good one thinking about it

Anonymous

I just got mega p'd off with Rutland Cycles. http://www.rutlandcycling.com/

Ordered a Limar Ultralight helmet that was showing in stock. They took my money.

Got an email today saying it has been discontinued and they had raised me a 'customer service ticket' (WTF?!)

The login to the customer service site didn't work.

Tried to ring them. No answer for 10 mins and it tripped to answerphone. Left message.

Rang again and got through. They weren't in the least bit ar5ed about the fact they'd messed me about.

Will never use them again.

I've had only good experiences with online retailers (and I've bought freaking LOADS of stuff) until this shambolic outfit.

tri-sexual

my first experience with jejames was a few years back,
ordered a pair of carbon shoes in silver, waited ages then finally contacted them only to be informed that they never received the order (they blaimed the floods that was hitting the uk that year) and i had to re-order, i did but silver was out of stock so had to buy it in black
i havent used them since, then i read this thread (a few hours ago) and looked at their web site, i ended up spending ALOT in their sales.
whoever said there is no such thing as bad publicity may be onto something
just checked this thread again only to discover more horror stories, hope they dont mess me about this time round

Monty Dog

If I'm not mistaken, Chris James of JE James is a member of this forum?

Anonymous

I thought JE James had addressed the stock issue after feedback a year or so ago so there is a big red zero if there were none in stock?

I bought my first good road bike from them. Had good service.

giant_man

Ime Rutland Cycling aren't that good with their stock showing on their web site and not actually being in stock. Diesel Dog on here works there if it helps.

bendertherobot

I limit myself to the following:

Prendas
Wiggle
Ribble
Planet X
Merlin
PBK
Always Riding

Then

highonbikes and absolutecycles on ebay

And that's pretty much it. And every one of them is flawless.

anyuser

I have given up on Rutland cycling. Every time I have ordered they take the money from my credit card immediately and then send an email saying the item is discontinued and to contact them for an alternative or refund. This has even happened on their special offer emails which I have now unsubscribed from. The refund comes through quickly once you have contacted them but they really should not charge for items they do not have.

bianchimoon

that's good feedback, i have an even better picture of which retailers to avoid or only use if the 'special' offers are outstanding and i would be prepared to put up with a bit of hassle.
I am sure there will be people who have had nothing but good experiences with the bike shops mentioned. Also must mention local bike shops who don't come up early on the search engines. For example the tyres i wanted I chose JE James because after a cursory search they were best price and reasonably local. After i realised i wasn't going to get the tyres tried Westbrookes cycles in stokesley who had them in stock for cheaper than i found online and they turned up this morning less than 24 hrs after ordering.

Gazzaputt

Like to big up The Bike Chain.

Only bought some energy bars but I was called to tell me one I ordered they only had 3 instead of the 4 I ordered. Very polite.

Nice little note when delivered thanking me for accepting the substitute bar.

Added to my favorite online retailers and will be using again very soon.

DuD3

Biketart.com although a relatively new company are pretty handy and super helpfull if you give them a call. all reasonably priced as well about the only online shop i use anymore.

ShutUpLegs

bendertherobot wrote:

I limit myself to the following:

Prendas
Wiggle
Ribble
Planet X
Merlin
PBK
Always Riding

Then

highonbikes and absolutecycles on ebay

And that's pretty much it. And every one of them is flawless.

How much stuff do you need!?

JST

Buying online can always be a bit of a gamble as any shoddy outfit can have a slick looking website...

Always riding have been very helpful in the past when I had questions about sizing before ordering. Quick email responses.

I have used Highonbikes on ebay a few times now and their stuff is well priced and usually turns up the next day.

choirboy

Ordered a seatpost from JEJames earlier this year. Their courier couldn't deliver, didn't leave a card and then sent it back. Not JEJames's fault per se but when I phoned to find out what was going on the bloke who answered the phone said "It's only me here, the other guy just quit and there's a big pile of stuff to go through. No idea when I'll find your stuff." Well at least he was honest but it didn't inspire confidence so I asked him to cancel the order which he did. Won't use them again.

Never had a problem with Wiggle before but at the moment they seem to be snowed. Ordered stuff on Wednesday and they haven't even processed the order yet which is very unlike them.

bendertherobot

Aye, not all's well at Wiggle.

1. Haven't processed my return

2. Haven't sent my gear hanger, (Wednesday)

3. Sent me an Assos Brazil jersey (the old version not the new one) that they don't even STOCK!

benjboy

I blame Speed-King :twisted: .

choirboy

Am expecting mucho Haribo as compensation....

wicked

Add Discount Supplements to the blacklist. What a bunch of tossers. I ordered some gels from them and never received them or the the "replacements" after 3 weeks!
After loads of emails and numerous phone calls I told them to stick it and wanted my money back, they did (after chasing them twice) and when I checked they had refunded the money but £5 short ! When I asked why I was told that I had given them the wrong postcode and this was the "admin fee", this is something that I just cannot check as there is no facility on their website to check the order and there was no email confirming the order.
Wankers. Will never use them as long as I have a hole in my arse.

Ordered some from Evans and were on my doorstep 2 days later.

bendertherobot

My fun with Wiggle today was over the Assos Brazil Jersey. Ordered Wednesday, came today.

Anyhow, it's the OLD version, which Wiggle don't actually sell. Leading me to believe that they may not have hte new one and the listing itself is an error.

Cue big email exchange where, rather than check what jersey they DO have they will look at mine and compare the other one when mine gets back to them.

In the meantime other customers may well get the old one.

Not great that.

Chris James

Monty Dog wrote:

If I'm not mistaken, Chris James of JE James is a member of this forum?

Nowt to do with me!

Anonymous

My LBS are www.Cyclestore.co.uk
I often go in and see the chaps that work in the online bit (and have ridden with them).

They work damned hard and they have a big reminder on the wall saying 'TELL THE TRUTH'

It's madness in there but they are a great bunch and highly recommended.
[/shamelessplug]