Merlin Cycles & The Classified Forum

Gazzaputt
Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
edited June 2011 in The bottom bracket
Why o why aren't people checking out online prices, especially Merlin Cycles, before posting their items for sale?

It can seem petty and interfering when someone points out that someone is only asking £10-20 less than item can be bought new with a warranty but it does need pointing out imo.

Should the seller be free to chance their arm? Is it ok to post pointing out price discrepancies?

Comments

  • Rule74Please
    Rule74Please Posts: 307
    PS most of the products from merlin are not supported by the manufacturer.

    Be careful as a lot of it is grey import and as such the warranty can be null and void.
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  • Gazzaputt
    Gazzaputt Posts: 3,227
    Rule74Please wrote:
    PS most of the products from merlin are not supported by the manufacturer.

    Be careful as a lot of it is grey import and as such the warranty can be null and void.

    Yes but you still have a warranty from the retailer.
  • Rule74Please
    Rule74Please Posts: 307
    Try getting warranty on a commencal frame!!!
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  • sheffsimon
    sheffsimon Posts: 1,282
    Gazzaputt wrote:
    Why o why aren't people checking out online prices, especially Merlin Cycles, before posting their items for sale?

    It can seem petty and interfering when someone points out that someone is only asking £10-20 less than item can be bought new with a warranty but it does need pointing out imo.

    Should the seller be free to chance their arm? Is it ok to post pointing out price discrepancies?

    I think you have answered you own question.

    If someone wants to sell something at a particular price, and someone else is happy to buy at that price, mind your own f00kin' business IMHO.
  • mossychops
    mossychops Posts: 262
    I have seen it work the other way too when someone has been offered a bike and several people have commented on how good a deal it is and how good the seller is (as a professional bike shop person). I would tend to hope that noone was out to rip anyone off on this forum and people would hope to get a good deal, otherwise you might as well buy from eBay.

    Tricky one that, you should double check prices before you buy, but everyone on here should try to help others as most do (one of the friendliest forums about - check out hotukdeals for people getting ripped apart)
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    Rule74Please wrote:
    PS most of the products from merlin are not supported by the manufacturer.

    Be careful as a lot of it is grey import and as such the warranty can be null and void.

    I thought that 'grey imports' were a thing of the past. Certainly if goods have come from the EU the warranty stands AFAIK.
    Re Merlin I've found them to be first rate.
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  • Rule74Please
    Rule74Please Posts: 307
    A lot of cheap stuff from Merlin is out the back door of an OEM.

    Some brands are now considering Merlin the first owner and you as a buyer of a second hand part.

    Not doubting Merlin as a supplier just remember there is a always a reason something is cheap.
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  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    I just bought a 105 groupo from Merlin, great service and great price.

    However

    No boxes so I'm assuming this is OEM stuff that would otherwise be used on bikes. I would assume that a full year warranty would still apply as when purchasing your contract is with the retailer.
  • Rule74Please
    Rule74Please Posts: 307
    correct but if for some reason supply is restricted from them (as per commencal) you are between a rock and a hard place
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  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    What's the deal with the Commencal thing?
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I bought some Formula disc brakes for my mtb from merlin, they weren't boxed, but were clearly new and supplied by Formula (or the importer) and Formula honoured the warranty on a manufacturing fault, with no questions.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Yossie
    Yossie Posts: 2,600
    Bits aren't received in the manufacturer's boxes from CRC most of the time either, but I've never had any issues with them.

    Admittedly I've never used Merlin, but I wouldn't worry if stuff arrived in clear packaging/bags.

    So long as it's a legitimate shop (ie not some bloke in a lock up in Hull who you can only contact through the public phone box in his local) the manufacturers will generally honour warranties (all normal caveats applying of course).

    Moral of the story: do your own research before parting with wedge.

    Re price - exactly as Sheff Simon said - prices paid are between the vendor and the purchaser - no one else's business at all who pays how much to whom for what and when.

    Re pointing out price differences on sometimes sale advert - no. Very bad taste and very bad form IMHO. Big no - no.

    But that's just me.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    Yossie wrote:
    Re pointing out price differences on sometimes sale advert - no. Very bad taste and very bad form IMHO. Big no - no.

    But that's just me.
    Big yes yes for me. Often I will be attracted by the advert title only to find something grossly overpriced compared to a new item from a retailer. I point out the difference so that the seller has the chance to revise the price to capture my (and maybe others') interest. Soemtimes they do, sometimes I then buy.

    One could argue "let the buyer beware" and all that, but hopefully we are not eBay style sharks on this forum and I woud not feel good about an unwitting buyer paying well over the top whilst we all watch in silence. This place should be about fair prices for fair people, the more ambitious should sell on eBay.
  • kieranb
    kieranb Posts: 1,674
    well as this is a public forum I would think unless you are lying I see no reason why some one can't point out an over priced 2nd hand item, it's a community service if you like, and helps stop new people from getting ripped off. It should also help the seller set a more realistic price and make a sale quicker, some items in the for sale section don't sell simply because they ask too much and are basing their price on either the original price they paid for it or the current RRP, which in reality is usually more than you can get it new.
  • carrock
    carrock Posts: 1,103
    kieranb wrote:
    well as this is a public forum I would think unless you are lying I see no reason why some one can't point out an over priced 2nd hand item, it's a community service if you like, and helps stop new people from getting ripped off. It should also help the seller set a more realistic price and make a sale quicker, some items in the for sale section don't sell simply because they ask too much and are basing their price on either the original price they paid for it or the current RRP, which in reality is usually more than you can get it new.

    Exactly. I pointed out that someone was selling a secondhand bike on Ebay, and blatantly lying about the price it cost new. Although I was accused by some of being a curtain twitching old granny, the seller revised the advert and hopefully the purchaser was not connned into payer over the odds.......
  • apriliarider
    apriliarider Posts: 222
    The warranty lies with the retailer, no matter if the parts are OEM or from Mars, as they are the sellers, but in any case pay with your credit card and you will be covered under section 75 - its then up to the rtailer to argue with your CC company after they have refunded you.

    OT - in certain circumstances (dealing with bona-fide retailer) you are now also covered with section 75 if you use a CC to fund your Paypal purchases.

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