Epic Wiggle Warranty Return Customer Service Nightmare
brightoncyclinggardener
Posts: 16
Epic Wiggle Warranty Return Customer Service Nightmare
So...I emailed Wiggle on 25th September telling them that my frame creaked. If you pushed the top tube and down tube together in your hands it creaked. Bummer.
They said I could return the frame. I boxed and returned it and waited. Gently annoyed not to have received confirmation that they'd received the frame (as promised) I emailed them. They had it (7th October) and it was in a queue for assessment. They'd let me know asap.
11th Oct I email for update. They say “they returned your frame to our supplier we're just awaiting for their assessment”. Brilliant. Thanks for letting me know, I think. They'll obviously let me know asap what they say...
18th Oct again I mail for update. 19th Oct email from them saying “before they proceed with a warranty claim they're insisting on return of the complete bike”. Grrr. So I package all the bits and send them back. I've now spent ~ £60 on shipping.
For 2 months (nearly 3 months since original contact) I chase them and every time I contact them they say they are waiting for news from the supplier. In the week before Xmas finally, they say, OK, pick a bike of same value and we'll send it out, should be with you before Xmas. Amazing.
This is where it gets interesting...
Later that day, they email me saying – it turns out that you are not the original owner and so the warranty is void and your bike will be returned to you. Brilliant. They have contacted the account holder to ask if he is the owner.
So, original owner? I bought the bike second hand (it was a year old), the original owner claimed not to know about the creak and said I could return it to Wiggle on his behalf as I had all the paper work. That's what I'd done.
So after Xmas I email Wiggle asking what's happening. Finally a manager gets involved and says that I should contact their supplier (Raleigh) directly and gives me their details. I speak to a very helpful man there who is surprised to hear from me (Wiggle apparently shouldn't have given me his details) and apologetic that I had had this wait. He then tells me that they only received the bike from Wiggle on 7th December, 2 months after I sent it to Wiggle! He says the bike is now in Germany with the manufacturer (Corratec) who are assessing it...
12th Jan I email Wiggle to let them know the useful information I'd got from Raleigh and ask why they'd told me for nearly 2 months that their supplier was assessing it when they still had it in their workshop. Also why had they waited 3 months before emailing the account holder.
13th Jan Wiggle email the original owner saying that the bike I chose before Xmas is packed and ready for dispatch. Amazing I think, bit miffed they'd not told me directly though.
18th Jan Wiggle email me saying that the delay had been because they were waiting for a return number from Raleigh, nothing about having misinformed me about it having been returned months previously. They said that the original owner had informed them that they were no longer the owner. Note: there was no mention of the bike that they had informed the original owner was being dispatched.
So...God I'm bored of this, thanks for sticking with me if you're still reading. I email them asking what's with the bike dispatch emails etc. They claim they have never had warranty return from someone who is not the original owner before (Really?). They do not tell me why they didn't email the original account holder at the start of the process rather than waiting 3 months. They tell me that the emails on 13th Jan about the bike being ready for dispatch were from the order made on 19th Dec and had been processed by mistake. Amazing. Does it normally take them a month to get a bike built and ready for dispatch?
So, despite 4 months of messing me around, lying about where the bike is, never once emailing me with any information unless I email them first, mistakenly emailing the owner saying that a replacement is ready they still won't take any responsibility for the situation. And I'm still without a bike.
Can anyone beat this epic (and ongoing...) tale of woe?
So...I emailed Wiggle on 25th September telling them that my frame creaked. If you pushed the top tube and down tube together in your hands it creaked. Bummer.
They said I could return the frame. I boxed and returned it and waited. Gently annoyed not to have received confirmation that they'd received the frame (as promised) I emailed them. They had it (7th October) and it was in a queue for assessment. They'd let me know asap.
11th Oct I email for update. They say “they returned your frame to our supplier we're just awaiting for their assessment”. Brilliant. Thanks for letting me know, I think. They'll obviously let me know asap what they say...
18th Oct again I mail for update. 19th Oct email from them saying “before they proceed with a warranty claim they're insisting on return of the complete bike”. Grrr. So I package all the bits and send them back. I've now spent ~ £60 on shipping.
For 2 months (nearly 3 months since original contact) I chase them and every time I contact them they say they are waiting for news from the supplier. In the week before Xmas finally, they say, OK, pick a bike of same value and we'll send it out, should be with you before Xmas. Amazing.
This is where it gets interesting...
Later that day, they email me saying – it turns out that you are not the original owner and so the warranty is void and your bike will be returned to you. Brilliant. They have contacted the account holder to ask if he is the owner.
So, original owner? I bought the bike second hand (it was a year old), the original owner claimed not to know about the creak and said I could return it to Wiggle on his behalf as I had all the paper work. That's what I'd done.
So after Xmas I email Wiggle asking what's happening. Finally a manager gets involved and says that I should contact their supplier (Raleigh) directly and gives me their details. I speak to a very helpful man there who is surprised to hear from me (Wiggle apparently shouldn't have given me his details) and apologetic that I had had this wait. He then tells me that they only received the bike from Wiggle on 7th December, 2 months after I sent it to Wiggle! He says the bike is now in Germany with the manufacturer (Corratec) who are assessing it...
12th Jan I email Wiggle to let them know the useful information I'd got from Raleigh and ask why they'd told me for nearly 2 months that their supplier was assessing it when they still had it in their workshop. Also why had they waited 3 months before emailing the account holder.
13th Jan Wiggle email the original owner saying that the bike I chose before Xmas is packed and ready for dispatch. Amazing I think, bit miffed they'd not told me directly though.
18th Jan Wiggle email me saying that the delay had been because they were waiting for a return number from Raleigh, nothing about having misinformed me about it having been returned months previously. They said that the original owner had informed them that they were no longer the owner. Note: there was no mention of the bike that they had informed the original owner was being dispatched.
So...God I'm bored of this, thanks for sticking with me if you're still reading. I email them asking what's with the bike dispatch emails etc. They claim they have never had warranty return from someone who is not the original owner before (Really?). They do not tell me why they didn't email the original account holder at the start of the process rather than waiting 3 months. They tell me that the emails on 13th Jan about the bike being ready for dispatch were from the order made on 19th Dec and had been processed by mistake. Amazing. Does it normally take them a month to get a bike built and ready for dispatch?
So, despite 4 months of messing me around, lying about where the bike is, never once emailing me with any information unless I email them first, mistakenly emailing the owner saying that a replacement is ready they still won't take any responsibility for the situation. And I'm still without a bike.
Can anyone beat this epic (and ongoing...) tale of woe?
Gary Fisher Big Sur
Raleigh M-Trax M7000i
Giant Cadex3
Viscount 600ax
Giant TCR
Raleigh M-Trax M7000i
Giant Cadex3
Viscount 600ax
Giant TCR
0
Comments
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Epic post.0
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I blame Wiggle!2019 Ribble CGR SL
2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4
2014 Specialized Allez Sport0 -
Also, if I were you, I'd be eternally grateful that they honoured the warranty at all.
It is my understanding that warranties are non-transferrable, so by rights, they could have told you to do-one.0 -
Cat With No Tail wrote:Also, if I were you, I'd be eternally grateful that they honoured the warranty at all.
It is my understanding that warranties are non-transferrable, so by rights, they could have told you to do-one.
this ^0 -
This. Wiggle or the manufacturer are not obliged to do anything for you. Sure the comms could have been better and much quicker, but you are very lucky you were not turned away at the start. Or unlucky it seems!Cat With No Tail wrote:Also, if I were you, I'd be eternally grateful that they honoured the warranty at all.
It is my understanding that warranties are non-transferrable, so by rights, they could have told you to do-one.0 -
supersonic wrote:
This. Wiggle or the manufacturer are not obliged to do anything for you. Sure the comms could have been better and much quicker, but you are very lucky you were not turned away at the start. Or unlucky it seems!Cat With No Tail wrote:Also, if I were you, I'd be eternally grateful that they honoured the warranty at all.
It is my understanding that warranties are non-transferrable, so by rights, they could have told you to do-one.
Very true, normally they just send you away straight.0 -
TW/DR (too whiny/didn't read)I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
Not sure of the exact details and how much the bike cost originally and what the warranty was (in length) but in principal I agree with the chap about his warranty claim.
If I bought a 12 month old car I'd expect the remainder of warranty to be passed on and I suspect if wiggle or another manufacturer were challenged in the courts then I expect they would find in the op's favour.0 -
I think you are wrong. The contract is between the seller and buyer. No one else.I don't do smileys.
There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda
London Calling on Facebook
Parktools0 -
In the courts he would have no chance, a warranty is in addition to your rights and is at the discretion of the manufacturer or retailer. It does form a contract though if offered. And in law he has no rights against either, but may have some recourse with the original owner.0
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Out of interest what bike is this?
From experience if the chap can prove how old the product is (having a receipt etc) and can show that there is a manufacturering error- the creeking, he probably would have a good case which is probably why the manufacturers are looking to replace the frame.
Re the length of time its taken... Well that's anyone's guess as to why.0 -
No liability to act as you had no contract with them.
We'd have to see the manufacturers ts and cs to see if they could be transfered or not. Car warranties are normally transferable from consumer on - bicycles are not cars there are legal precedents here.
It would seem to me that the best thing to have done is returned it to the seller and got them to deal with the process, particularly if they had sold you something as "under warranty". When you buy a used item you should work on the basis that the warranty will not be transferable and the retailer will not be interested in helping you, unless you have info to contradict this.
The warranty it self could be transferable, but the terms of the warranty may be impossible to comply with if it prescribes a process that involves parties who are not obliged to act.0 -
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So are you going to put this on every mountain bike forum you know of then. TBH, if I was Wiggle I wouldn't help at all now.0
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just STWBeatmaker wrote:So are you going to put this on every mountain bike forum you know of then. TBH, if I was Wiggle I wouldn't help at all now.
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic ... -nightmare"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Because I think your attitude stinks to be honest I've forwarded the link to this page to a friend who works at Wiggle in the same office as the warranty guys and managers. Hopefully it will help them decide how to deal with the issue.x
LOL"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Oh and Locked."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0
This discussion has been closed.
