What the devil is going on with these online cycling stores?

[lejogger]

*Stands up*
My name is Phil and… (stutters) and I’m an… online purchaser.

I enjoy shopping around, finding the cheapest price and having items delivered to my door so that I can do my own fettling. It makes me feel like I’m getting the most out being a moderately self-sufficient cyclist. I would go to my LBS if the prices were the same and they had the same range of items… but they’re not and they don’t.

I’ve had a bit of a wild month in flexible plastic terms. I’ve bought a fair few bits and pieces, most of which are earmarked for the first week of April when I’m on leave from work and will be performing a full strip down on the commuter and cleaning or replacing all parts. I therefore have a specific date that I would like these items to be delivered for.

This is why I’m careful. I don’t usually buy things that say ‘stock due soon’ or ‘update me when stock is available’. I buy items that are clearly marked ‘in stock’. To me, ‘in stock’ means that they actually have the items in their shop/warehouse and they are available for dispatch as soon as my payment has cleared.

Now the first item wasn’t something that was for the commuter, so in this case it wasn’t an issue that it wasn’t ‘in stock’ because I wasn’t going to be using the best bike before March anyway. It was a luxury purchase of an SRAM heads up Garmin Mount and stock was expected early March from Wiggle. I was informed that my order was going to be cancelled within 20 days if my item hadn’t shown up, but then I found out that stock arrival expectation had changed to early April instead.

“This is silly”, I thought, and I had a quick Google. Tweaks Cycle store have this product ‘In Stock’, AND it’s cheaper. Wiggle order cancelled. Tweaks order created.

It was then that I received the email stating that stock for this product was expected by the end of April… later than the Wiggle order, but unlike Wiggle, they’d already taken the payment from my card. What a bunch of ars*holes.


If only this was an isolated incident.

I also ordered from Wiggle an SRAM PG 1070 cassette (which is for the commuter). ‘In Stock’ it said.
The chain I purchased at the same time was dispatched the very next day. I waited a week and a half for news of the cassette and nothing was forthcoming. Checked back on the Wiggle page and they don’t even offer the model I ordered in the same ratios anymore. I don’t really fancy my chances of receiving that anytime soon.

Quick Google revealed that Fudges Cycle Store have the same cassette ‘In stock’ and it’s also a quid cheaper. Brilliant! Order placed, Wiggle order cancelled.

I then receive the following email: ‘Your item states (stock arriving soon). We will contact you with a delivery date’.

NOOOOO! P*ss off!! It doesn’t state ‘stock arriving soon’, it clearly stated ‘IN F***ING STOCK’!!

RAAAAARRRGGGHHH!

 

[400bhp]

I think this stock issue is more prevalent now than previously.

Like you, if it says "in stock" I take that to mean they have it ready to be delivered. Does it really need a change in legislation on the wording on the retailers websites.

I've had a similar experience recently with wiggle and buying a turbo trainer. I think they changed the "stock expected" date 4 or 5 times. I wasn't in a rush as I had a £50 off voucher I wanted to use with them. It worked in my favour anyway as they received a reconditioned unit of the same turbo trainer which I bought for £100 less.

 

[Mile195]

I pretty much only ever order from Evans now. I've been mucked about with too much by other websites in the way you describe. The longest I ever had to wait for something from Evans was about 10 days. They aren't the cheapest, and they don't throw a bag of sweets in the box like Wiggle does, but they are very reliable when it comes to online ordering, and I've never yet paid for delivery on anything.

 

[lejogger]

I think this stock issue is more prevalent now than previously.

Definitely. It's a con though. Get the customers through the door with the promise of quick delivery for available goods, but in reality they can't afford to pay out for the stock they say they have and choose to order it in after the order is placed and paid for.

Does it work? Maybe, maybe not. Will I order from Tweaks or Fudges after this? Probably not now.

I pretty much only ever order from Evans now. I've been mucked about with too much by other websites in the way you describe. The longest I ever had to wait for something from Evans was about 10 days. They aren't the cheapest, and they don't throw a bag of sweets in the box like Wiggle does, but they are very reliable when it comes to online ordering, and I've never yet paid for delivery on anything.

I understand this. Evans and Cycle Surgery normally are excellent with the speed of their delivery, but they're probably much larger, and there's also a £25 premium on the cassette with Evans.
I haven't had a bag of sweets from Wiggle in any of my orders this year

 

[Mile195]

Definitely. It's a con though. Get the customers through the door with the promise of quick delivery for available goods, but in reality they can't afford to pay out for the stock they say they have and choose to order it in after the order is placed and paid for.

Does it work? Maybe, maybe not. Will I order from Tweaks or Fudges after this? Probably not now.


I understand this. Evans and Cycle Surgery normally are excellent with the speed of their delivery, but they're probably much larger, and there's also a £25 premium on the cassette with Evans.
I haven't had a bag of sweets from Wiggle in any of my orders this year

I haven't placed any orders with Wiggle this year. But if they've stopped chucking in a bag of sweets then I probably won't be... That's a deal-breaker for me...

 

[400bhp]

Demon Thieves are big lejog and I'm surprised they would do that kind of tactic. Bicycle parts are only a small part of their business and the cash generated from bike sales would have been insignificant in respect of the other stuff they sell, a lot of it which runs into thousands for one item.

The online selling will just get regulated more heavily in years to come.

 

[fossala]

I start getting annoyed when it hasn't turned up the next day. It makes post more fun though.

 

[Lee_M]

linking to another thread, these stores are obviously preying on the weak old and vunerable shoppers, and they should be ashamed of themselves

 

[400bhp]

My 4 year old now know that anything which comes in a box in the post will be for "papas bike". She does think all boxes come with sweeties in them though.

 

[400bhp]

linking to another thread, these stores are obviously preying on the weak old and vunerable shoppers, and they should be ashamed of themselves

Outrageous - someone think of the children

 

[akb]

stopped chucking in a bag of sweets

 

[davefb]

took payment, and changed delivery date?

think that'd be time to roll out the shouty voice...

 

[lejogger]

Taking inspiration from davefb, I contacted Fudges Cycle Store demanding to know what on earth was going on. 'Website says in stock.. blah blah blah, ....email says stock arriving soon... rant rant rant..'

Imagine my embarrasment when a polite reply from Fudges Cycle Store points out that my item is actually in stock. The wording on the email was 'IF your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date', not 'Your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date'.

Oh the shame. A shouty email and a Cycle Chat rant. All for nothing

What a pratt.

 

[Lee_M]

Taking inspiration from davefb, I contacted Fudges Cycle Store demanding to know what on earth was going on. 'Website says in stock.. blah blah blah, ....email says stock arriving soon... rant rant rant..'

Imagine my embarrasment when a polite reply from Fudges Cycle Store points out that my item is actually in stock. The wording on the email was 'IF your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date', not 'Your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date'.

Oh the shame. A shouty email and a Cycle Chat rant. All for nothing

What a pratt.

I assume you are going to go and beat yourself soundly with a used bike chain

 

[fossala]

Taking inspiration from davefb, I contacted Fudges Cycle Store demanding to know what on earth was going on. 'Website says in stock.. blah blah blah, ....email says stock arriving soon... rant rant rant..'

Imagine my embarrasment when a polite reply from Fudges Cycle Store points out that my item is actually in stock. The wording on the email was 'IF your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date', not 'Your item states (Stock arriving soon) we will contact you with a delivery date'.

Oh the shame. A shouty email and a Cycle Chat rant. All for nothing

What a pratt.

At least you're man enough to hold your hands up when you make a mistake.