Wiggle/CRC - are forumites still using them?

secretsam

They're doomed

DeVlaeminck

It doesn't seem long ago that Wiggle seemed to be a huge success story. Just seems slightly surreal that we are now talking about it going under. I would have assumed its profile and economies of scale would have given it enough of a competitive.

rick_chasey

DeVlaeminck said:

It doesn't seem long ago that Wiggle seemed to be a huge success story. Just seems slightly surreal that we are now talking about it going under. I would have assumed its profile and economies of scale would have given it enough of a competitive.

My entirely uneducated guess is that the Covid supply chain problems, especially as they related to china, have disproportionately affected bikes and bike kit, and so the model that relied on stack 'em high sell 'em cheap falls over when supply chains are stressed for so long, doubly so as presumably covid created a bump in demand at precisely the wrong moment.

And that's before you get to the issue that the rest of the stuff that isn't Chinese is in the EU and Brexit yada yada.

I haven't bought from wiggle now since Covid. The prices are the same as going directly to the premium brands I like, and with the rise of vinted etc, it's never been easier to find basement bargains.

I picked up a brand new rapha jersey for £30, and the same for a pair of 100% S3 glasses that are both going for near £100.

kingstongraham

Where do the very cheap vinted items with tags on come from?

rick_chasey

kingstongraham said:

Where do the very cheap vinted items with tags on come from?

You can look the sellers up - most of them are just individuals who have been bought the wrong sized stuff.

kingstongraham

rick_chasey said:

kingstongraham said:

Where do the very cheap vinted items with tags on come from?

You can look the sellers up - most of them are just individuals who have been bought the wrong sized stuff.

Maybe I'm naturally suspicious.

rick_chasey

kingstongraham said:

rick_chasey said:

kingstongraham said:

Where do the very cheap vinted items with tags on come from?

You can look the sellers up - most of them are just individuals who have been bought the wrong sized stuff.

Maybe I'm naturally suspicious.

I've sold new stuff I was bought for winter. Seemed fine when I got them, then tried them on 6 months later and they're actually not right.

What am I gonna do? Sold them on vinted for 70% of the internet price. Better than nothing.

There's decent buyer protection if you think they're knock offs or stolen or anything like that - much more protection than you get on ebay. I think the price they add is quite a lot, a few quid, but the prices on there are so much lower than ebay.

The market is a little harder to use and is not as liquid or transparent so with a bit of knowledge you can find a bargain (or if you're feeling commercial, arbitrage the difference).

photonic69

rick_chasey said:

kingstongraham said:

rick_chasey said:

kingstongraham said:

Where do the very cheap vinted items with tags on come from?

You can look the sellers up - most of them are just individuals who have been bought the wrong sized stuff.

Maybe I'm naturally suspicious.

I've sold new stuff I was bought for winter. Seemed fine when I got them, then tried them on 6 months later and they're actually not right.

Yeah, I get that all the time. buy Winter stuff in the Summer and it fits great. Somehow when i put it on it Winter is has mysteriously become a size or two smaller. Weird, huh?

rick_chasey

Size bigger in my case but yes.