Merlin prices

blablablacksheep

Is it me or are Merlin prices seeming to change rather wiedly.

By this i mean, before a "sale" some of the goods would cost a certain price - 10% VIP code.

But i have noticed some goods have their prices increased during "sale" periods so that you dont actually get the 10% VIP discount and so when you enter their sale code you get only that discount.

which useally means the items are the same price if not higher than if you were to buy them during a non-"sale" period due to VIP code.

I noticed this recently when i was looking at their wheels, before sale periods a set of wheels was £76 odd quid with discount code, but recently noticed during their "sale " period they are now £86 odd quid with sale discount

just seems that they increase the price of goods during "sale" periods so that the sale prices are offset.

cooldad

I blame Wiggle

Pudseyp

cooldad wrote:

I blame Willie Carsons Wiggle

FIFY

*AL*

cooldad wrote:

I blame Wiggle

All joking aside, I received a 10% discount code from Wiggle.

I needed a few things so I logged into Wiggle, loaded up my basket and applied the 10% code, but the total wasn't 10% less than before I applied the code.

It appears that as a gold customer who already enjoys an "exclusive 5% discount" I didn't get the full 10% from the discount code as my 'loyalty' discount is deducted from any other offers.....

cooldad

I just shop around and find the best price. Simple.
Maybe we need to start blaming CRC

Anonymous

I always blame CRC.

Though I still end up ordering from them.

Despite their continual rubbish delivery the 50% off next order was quite nice (have to spend a lot to get it though), though like everything these are never as amazing as they seem. I couldn't be bothered to compare all the other deal options to work out what's best. Probably numerous small orders each with a discount code works out better or something like that, but anyway. Made me feel I was getting carbon bars for half price anyway so happy.

One thing that bugs me with CRC (and a few others do it), is a product has a set price but particular sizes/specs of that product will vary in price depending how popular it is. Less popular or desirable and it's cheaper of course. Yeah, okay, supply & demand and all that. Just annoying when you search and it gives an attractive price, click and then find only the one you don't want is that price, everything else is twice as much.

supersonic

I noticed this with Merlin, the VIP thing is a bit of a con now. At first it was all items. Then a month later only some items. The you had to spend at least £50. Now is back, but the prices have gone up, and doesn't work in conjuction with their cirrent 10-15% off everything sale...

I ordered a set of wheels off them at 10% off with a further 10% off offer. Never arrived, all sorts of excuses, pretty obvious they didn't want me to have them! Got a refund.

johnsav

tossers!
im not surprised though. the manager there is a right cock.

supersonic

Yeah, they seem to have gone a bit downhill lately according to many sources.

blablablacksheep

Just to confirm i used a site which allows you to see old a older timestamped version of a site and sonic is correct, a LOT of their prices were discounted with VIP discount but it seems that was just to get people into the website as the prices are no no cheaper using VIP discount compared to "sale items"

Point is, they claiming "sale" items but they are not at all in any view reduced price as they have been price increased before the sale.....Tesco and other supermarkets/retailers do same thing with their "reduced discount, but increased price a week earlyer system"

very anoying and i cant wait to hear back from the customer focus people as they looking into short term price hikes followed by sales....it feels like DFS only £500 reduced from £3000......and who bought it for £3000 i ask

hope merlin addressed this before it goes downhill

spongtastic

not just you.

The clearance Avids I ordered with 20% off don't seem to exist and the offer's ended.

johnsav

great way to keep a customer base. NOT!

delcol

i thought it it was me being a bit thick...

i got the vip email and thought oooooooohhhhhhhhheeeeeeermmmmmm, went on and got vip discount and the 10% off to making a nice order...
nexttime i order i just assumed the discount for vip would be added i never even thought about it and ordered, then i checked i did the maths and couldnt figure i had my vip discount, but not the other discount and the price was inflated.....

i know it the usual retailers trick to make it look like a good offer when it actually aint... come on merlin the bikers of the uk need a cheap reliable shop... dont go downhill (unless it's on a sunday and you racing.)

Chunkers1980

I think that was the idea behind the VIP scheme so they could get all the email addresses of customers for mail shots. For that they needed and incentive for people actually do it. But since then they've changed it so much from everything, to VIP compatible, to now having to spend £50.

How about just being the most competitive on price with no gimmicks. This is what I used to ike about them as, as mentioned above CRC use the low headline figure but that's only for XXS and then you see the ones most people would want to be significantly higher...

Something has changed with them, was simple market leading pricing not working for them or do you think they used to sell a lot of grey market goods that are becomeing harder to come by as manufacturers wise up?

blablablacksheep

^^ +1

It was a marketing gimic and im sure others like myself didnt care much about it as merlin used to have competitive prices but as of late it has started to just copy prices listed by the other brands like evanscycle and such.

Feels like going to the supermarket now shopping at merlin, sure the prices are the lowest online, just as CRC,Wiggle,evanscycles and all the other retailers.... feels like the great cheese and milk fix of 2008(tesco and co)

hopefully they just go back to comepetitive prices without all the gimics

wordnumb

Also, why name a bike shop after a mythical, bearded wizard?
It makes no sense.

bails87

Well, that explains why my "Jesus & sons Bike Emporium" failed.

delcol

bails87 wrote:

Well, that explains why my "Jesus & sons Bike Emporium" failed.

should of been a good name for a mtb shop,, seem though he so called died on Golgotha...

supersonic

Jesus got confused with the Cross in XC.

bails87

He'd refuse to sell 'cross bikes, I suppose.

cat_with_no_tail

Delivery should be quick though, what with his dad being omnipotent and whatnot.

Wonder if instead of free Haribo, you'd get a fish butty?

Back to the subject, I was on there recently and noticed their range seems to have shunk a fair bit (specifically, down to 7 groupsets)

supersonic

Behold the Christmas Sale! Automatic 2,4,6,8,10 or a whopping 12% off AUTOMATICALLY DONE in your basket (depending how mych you spend...)

But... VIP dicounts? Gone. This means most items now cost MORE.

kenan

But they have a 2012 reverb for less than £200, must resist.

Chunkers1980

This is now taking the piss. How can you just scrap a scheme and not make regular lookers/buyers suspicious. Something I was looking at now has only 6% off rather than 2 days ago 10%. What is going on?

blablablacksheep

Chunkers1980 wrote:

This is now taking the wee-wee. How can you just scrap a scheme and not make regular lookers/buyers suspicious. Something I was looking at now has only 6% off rather than 2 days ago 10%. What is going on?

Merlin have gone downhill with relation to their prices .

They used to be competitive with all their prices allthough selective and not as wide in stock terms as other sites but at least what they sold was good and well priced...

Then they introduced their "VIP" thing ie "get your email addresses" and it looked even better...

Now it clearly just a drive to get email addresses so they can spam some newsletters and such, and tbh the prices arent even that great with discounts anymore, no more better or worse than the typical online shop.

they have lost their edge pure and simple i say.