Just putting it out there (tin hat at the ready): Cycle to Work - is it normal practice to add 15%?

[smutchin]

felt like it was missing the point of the scheme

To be fair, the scheme is run for the benefit of the buyer rather than the seller, and the 'point' of it is neither here nor there to the shop, which has to think of its bottom line. Some shops may be prepared to take the 10% hit on the principle that a sale is better than no sale, but others may have tighter margins.

Probably worth doing some research on the RRP of the bike. If I were using the scheme to buy something like a Brompton, I would refuse to pay the extra 10% because I know that prices are set by Brompton, not by the retailer. If I were looking at a heavily discounted bike, I could understand why the shop might be reluctant to sell it on the C2W scheme.

Adding 15% definitely sounds way too much though, whatever the bike.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

NO WAY

 

[cyberknight]

Dolan used to charge 12% for taking halfords C2W vouchers.

 

[rozzer1971]

No such surcharge on my recently ordered Brompton through my local independent via CyclePlus. No discount either but the Brompton Bike Builder price, no more.

 

[ClaireSaud]

Looking at Orro terra 105, Cannondale CAADX 105, or similar.
Thanks for all responses, Cws still works out cheaper. Possibly psychological coming straight off pay as opposed to a direct debit.

I would steer clear of the Orro. I've had no end of problems with the BB on my Orro Via Terra (doesn't like wet weather)!

 

[kingrollo]

Don't underestimate the 0% credit card route. for example Halifax are offering 30 months interest free on purchases. With that card you can got to any shop web site and IME beat the cycle scheme discount. Set up a direct debit for 30 months and you're done.
Also don't forget the other add ons with cycle scheme - transfer of ownership.

I queried this once with cyclescheme - as shop told me they were forbidden from selling sale bikes on the scheme - Complete rubbish the shop can sell at what price they like - its up to them if add on the 10% (15%) or not.

Look at you're total layout - not whether the bike is on the scheme or not.

 

[damj]

I would steer clear of the Orro. I've had no end of problems with the BB on my Orro Via Terra (doesn't like wet weather)!

Hi, and thanks, I'd read your post a while back on your concerns. No better eh? I'm going to contact orro see what the position is. Thanks dj

 

[vickster]

Hi, and thanks, I'd read your post a while back on your concerns. No better eh? I'm going to contact orro see what the position is. Thanks dj

Quite a lot of bikes seem to have BB issues - much discussion around the forums. Pressfit seem the culprit

 

[damj]

Quite a lot of bikes seem to have BB issues - much discussion around the forums. Pressfit seem the culprit

Thanks vickster, I've had a live chat with orro, they've suggested an upgrade a Token threaded BB, £50. Something to think about. It likes to rain here in the north east.

 

[KnackeredBike]

I can't find the retailer terms online but I would be surprised if they were allowed to add surcharges. Also they should remember that C2W allows people to, realistically, buy a more expensive bike than they would otherwise afford and so they should realise they are getting a higher net profit even if it's a lower profit margin.

 

[L Q]

After using the scheme a couple of times, I have become accustomed to such annoyances!

So far, I have found out the following;

- Halfords scheme charge 15% to non-halfwords participating retailers, other cycle to work schemes charge 10%
- Some shops will be willing to work with you, some won't.
- It's not uncommon for some shops to add a percentage to sale items. For example if a bike is reduced from £1000 to £800, It wouldn't be uncommon for them to add 10% to the sale price so they're still getting their margin at sale price (costing you £880 worth of voucher) to me, that seems fair enough.
- It's not a "policy" in most shops. If they have an end of line or new old stock they want rid of and it suits you, they'll normally just give you the sale price
- Find the manager, ask really nicely. Even with the big chains, my best C2W purchases have been through cycle surgery and cycle republic, even though I try to give my day to day business to more local retailers.

What is it you're after?

I have had two bikes from Halfords on the cycle to work scheme.

My last one was 16 months ago and I got the CX team, the price if I remember correctly was £899 with a sale price of £699, it was then on sale with 10% on the website, I then ordered it online and went in and picked it up, I asked if I got the 10% for BC membership and got that off the bill as well, I also ordered a set of lights for it and they had a problem so I got them at a giveaway price.

Total all in was about £550, I thought they bent over backwards to help me out.

At no stage did they try and add on anything just because I used the cycle to work scheme.

 

[vickster]

You cannot use BC membership on C2W now. Maybe the rules changed? Or the Halfords in store guys don't know their company's rules (more likely)

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/halfords-discounts

 

[smutchin]

I have had two bikes from Halfords on the cycle to work scheme...
At no stage did they try and add on anything just because I used the cycle to work scheme.

Since they own the Boardman brand, they're not paying a cut to a middleman distributor, hence they probably have a much greater profit margin on those bikes and can afford to take the 10% hit even on a sale bike. In any case, if you're using Halford's own C2W scheme, they'd only be paying themselves the 10%.

[Edit: second paragraph removed because I realised it was nonsense.]

 

[Sandra6]

I was browsing in a lbs during their sale and I heard a salesman telling a customer that if she ordered the bike through c2w she wouldn't get it at the sale price, it would go back to full price. That seemed fairly shocking to me.

 

[vickster]

I was browsing in a lbs during their sale and I heard a salesman telling a customer that if she ordered the bike through c2w she wouldn't get it at the sale price, it would go back to full price. That seemed fairly shocking to me.

It's not unusual. As above, C2W is to the potential financial benefit of the buyer, not the shop, especially as the shops pay a fee to the schemes it seems