SJSC - so sloooooooooooowwww

[NickM]

Compare and contrast:

Dear xxxxxxxx
We have dispatched your Order - Invoice number nnnnnnn Which we recieved and processed on: 10/05/2008

Your goods have been sent via:- 1st POST Thankyou for shopping with St John Street Cycles
Wed, 14 May 2008 10:50:21

Regards
Ecommerce department
St John Street Cycles

with:

We have received your Online Order to Chain Reaction Cycles. 14/05/2008 14:22:37

All of the items in this order have now been shipped. 14/05/2008 17:35:29

Why the difference?

What a pity Chain Reaction don't do short spokes...

 

[Rhythm Thief]

My dealings with SJSC have been along similar lines. I've heard other negative things about them too.
And Thorn bikes are usually really ugly.

 

[RedBike]

Never had a problem myself. Yes it's nice to get the bits the next day; but having to wait a week is hardly unreasonable.

 

[NickM]

Never had a problem myself. Yes it's nice to get the bits the next day; but having to wait a week is hardly unreasonable.

Not only do SJSC take 4 days to send my stuff (compared with about 4 hours by Chain Reaction), but they charge me £2.50 postage! Chain Reaction not only gets the gear in the post the same day, but doesn't charge for postage, so it is hardly surprising that many of SJSC's (reluctant) customers are disinclined to cut them much slack.

 

[GrahamG]

They're a specialist retailer - they know that many things they stock are not widely available and therefore probably aren't too fussed about providing the next day service that online retailers do (they are a shop first and foremost). I'm convinced they make their money just selling ugly Thorns to retired folk - they don't even open on a Saturday FFS!

 

[palinurus]

I've found them very helpful with technical stuff when I've called or emailed. They stock a lot of things that aren't available on CRC/Wiggle etc.

 

[goo_mason]

Never had a problem with SJSC - orders usually arrive in a couple of days. I actually find Wiggle slow for delivery and for having a gap between order and sending out.

CRC are usually the fastest for delivery though, and I've had outstanding customer service from them when I've had order problems. They're my first port of call when I'm looking for bike gear.

 

[NickM]

And then when the package finally arrives, it is two spokes short!!

Looks like I won't be building that wheel this weekend, then...

 

[robbarker]

My recent experience has been very different - I ordered a complete set of new drivetrain and braking components for a 1970s Carlton that I'm renovating for a friend - some pretty obscure bits included (70mm drop brakes anyone?). I talked the order through for about 20 mins taking advice on the best compatible bits to buy. This was at about 4 pm. The big box of stuff arrived here in Wales the next morning. Thorn really deserve supporting for their expertise and good stock levels of hard-to-find parts.

Wiggle, on the other hand, (who, admittedly, are ususally excellent) have just taken 5 days to get a Hope 160mm disc rotor to me, despite their website saying it was in stock.

 

[hubgearfreak]

Thorn really deserve supporting for their expertise and good stock levels of hard-to-find parts.

+1

 

[Tynan]

all sounds acceptable to me, any retailers can be out of stock or have to order in, you can't do a like for like comparison like this, think I've used all of the above and found them all fine

 

[mickle]

SJSC won't let you combine postage on multiple eBay purchases neither

 

[Danny]

When I've place orders with SJSC they always arrived within a couple of days.

You actually placed your order on a Saturday and they shipped on a Wednesday which is only 3 working days later. Not ultra fast, but not terrible either.

If you ring them about the missing spokes they can probably send them off first class this afternoon, so you may still get them on Saturday.