Merlin erractic pricing

white91

I am struggling to understand why certain options cost so much extra with the XT M780 groupset?

There is no difference in price between an 11-36 cassette and any other XT cassette, however with the groupset it is a +£35 option? The ice tec rotors are a +£30 upgrade, the retail difference is £10? Likewise a shadow+ rear mech is a +£35 option, when the retail difference is £28?

Why do they try and do this, previously the shadow+ was only £25 upgrade and the whole groupset was £25 cheaper too.

I may have to buy the basic groupset, upgrade seperately, then sell the basic parts off!

The Rookie

If it comes packaged as a whole groupset (I don't know if it does or not) then Merlin are stuck with adding to what they are paying for it....

white91

Yes but you do not get both original and replacement parts

rockmonkeysc

They probably bulk buy the standard sets to get them cheap so for any of the options you are paying full price instead of their discounts.

cooldad

Either ask them, or accept it. Simple.

white91

Merlin response The pricing is correct as we buy the groupsets in complete but with limited options. When you deviate from this we then have to split the groupsets and subsitute items from the individual stock.

Still a 11-36 was never a cost upgrade, shadow+ was £25 and the groupset was £499, so thats gone up £70 in a few weeks!

It means I now buy everything twice, not sure if the shadow+ is worth the extra either.

The Rookie

white91 wrote:

Yes but you do not get both original and replacement parts

No but they may have lots of 11-34 sets and few 11-36's or despite the asking price being the same they have lost of 11-34 cassettes and don't really want any more, lots of perfectly sensible and logical reasons if you think about it!

white91

Still probably the cheapest too, but Merlin should not take advantage of the situtation as they surely want return custom?

I will need to sell a the brand new 11-34 cassette for less than £13 to make the upgrade worthwhile

cooldad

Merlin get plenty of repeat customers, me for one.
If you can find a better deal somewhere else use it. If not, what's the point in whinging that the cheapest is not cheap enough for you?

rockmonkeysc

If you don't like it then you don't have to buy from Merlin

white91

That is true Bike.de are cheaper, and no extra charges for the cassette I want, my business is going there

The Rookie

And that's relevant how? You either accept Merlin's offer or go elsewhere, just because you don't want what is cheapest and they want more for what you want is irrelevant, either buy it with extra for options, or buy the option seperately and sell on the one you don't want.

white91

cooldad wrote:

Merlin get plenty of repeat customers, me for one.
If you can find a better deal somewhere else use it. If not, what's the point in whinging that the cheapest is not cheap enough for you?

So if Merlin continue to hike up prices on popular items you will continue to use them? Also CRC are much cheaper for individual items.

lostboysaint

white91 wrote:

That is true Bike.de are cheaper, and no extra charges for the cassette I want, my business is going there

I'm sure they'll be gutted.

white91

lostboysaint wrote:

white91 wrote:

That is true Bike.de are cheaper, and no extra charges for the cassette I want, my business is going there

I'm sure they'll be gutted.

I think you are reading this the wrong way, I will be gutted if I pay over the odds for what I want. Merlin will be fine with people blindly buying from them.

I like how Merlin price discriminate and everybody leaps to their defence, such a hostile forum at times

felix.london

Jeeves2 wrote:

Yes but you do not get both original and replacement parts

So (the OP should) order the groupset as is and buy the bits you want to add separately.

Don't get the point of this thread. Buy it from them or someone else or don't..who cares?

white91

felix.london wrote:

Jeeves2 wrote:

Yes but you do not get both original and replacement parts

So (the OP should) order the groupset as is and buy the bits you want to add separately.

Don't get the point of this thread. Buy it from them or someone else or don't..who cares?

Please keep off the thread if you have nothing to add

benpinnick

Actionsports.de is as cheap as merlin, more often than not a fair bit cheaper, and allows you to mess with the groupset options, you can have any combo you want and the price difference is marginal if anything at all when you swap from the default.

supersonic

Look at it the other way - they're offering a massive discount on some items, and not so much on others. Most shops do this! Would you rather the cheaper stuff went up to match to expensive options?! As Merlin say, is how they buy the groupsets, and some options come heavily discounted.

white91

benpinnick wrote:

Actionsports.de is as cheap as merlin, more often than not a fair bit cheaper, and allows you to mess with the groupset options, you can have any combo you want and the price difference is marginal if anything at all when you swap from the default.

Great price and can have the ispec shifters

benpinnick

Yep - always worth it to go iSpec.

cooldad

I'm a bit wary of buying anything outside the UK. I know loads of people use the German sites without problems (except for SS and his VAT diddles) but personally I'm happy to get a decent deal with CRC/Merlin/Wiggle (even though they are to blame for all the misery in the world) etc and know I can contact them easily, and their returns policies are simple and efficient.

rolf_f

cooldad wrote:

I'm a bit wary of buying anything outside the UK. I know loads of people use the German sites without problems (except for SS and his VAT diddles) but personally I'm happy to get a decent deal with CRC/Merlin/Wiggle (even though they are to blame for all the misery in the world) etc and know I can contact them easily, and their returns policies are simple and efficient.

It's much the same as buying UK - only used one German site (Action Sports I think) a couple of times (first to get Marathon Winters when they were unavailable here and the second for some brakes) - they were good but I made a minor error with my order which I think Wiggle would have been more sympathetic/helpful over.

But relocating all your business to Germany due to a weak Euro isn't a way to help the British economy so for that reason I'll probably get my SLX crankset from CRC unless someone knows of a cheaper UK source.

lostboysaint

Good fishing here obviously.

cooldad

Rolf F wrote:

cooldad wrote:

I'm a bit wary of buying anything outside the UK. I know loads of people use the German sites without problems (except for SS and his VAT diddles) but personally I'm happy to get a decent deal with CRC/Merlin/Wiggle (even though they are to blame for all the misery in the world) etc and know I can contact them easily, and their returns policies are simple and efficient.

It's much the same as buying UK - only used one German site (Action Sports I think) a couple of times (first to get Marathon Winters when they were unavailable here and the second for some brakes) - they were good but I made a minor error with my order which I think Wiggle would have been more sympathetic/helpful over.

But relocating all your business to Germany due to a weak Euro isn't a way to help the British economy so for that reason I'll probably get my SLX crankset from CRC unless someone knows of a cheaper UK source.

It's mainly returning stuff - I just stick it in the company mail, but they'd probably whinge if it was international stuff.

white91

Been to visit my local bike shop, they will price match Merlin, and will offer me iSpec, never thought that would happen!