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

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Sara_H

Guru
I agree. If something states it's in stock, I take that to mean its in a room out the back and a chap will be ambling through to parcel it up and post it as soon as I've clicked the button and my payment has cleared.

Internet shopping is great when it goes well, pants when its not.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
I had a problem last week with an "In Stock" item that was actually out of stock. The retailer refunded me immediately. I had paid with PayPal so the refund went to them and PayPal put it on hold for a week before releasing the funds. I have just now transferred the money to my bank account.
 

phil_hg_uk

I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!
This also happens with 'Real World' shopping.

When I was decorating the living room I ordered the carpet 2 months in advance and paid for it as well. I organised everything so the carpet would turn up exactly when it was needed, only for the carpet shop to ring me the day before it was due to tell me they didnt have it :cursing: . So I told them to give me a refund and I would go elsewhere and I gave them a right gob full only for them to say 'well did you think we kept it in stock' well DUH yes considering i had paid for it 2 months ago, a few mins later they rang back to say they had found one and would be round after all :headshake:. It turned out that they didnt have the right width so had to use a much wider carpet to get it all in on piece so they had more waste than they wanted to have :rolleyes:
 

rb58

Enigma
Location
Bexley, Kent
And I've had the wrong item delivered from Wiggle on more than one occasion recently. It's hassle returning and waiting over for the right one. I think their systems are in meltdown.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
I ordered a new headset for one of my bikes, fairly rare and not cheap Dura Ace 7410. Said in stock at a particular seller, nothing, then about 3 weeks later, email - order cancelled.

Phoned SJS Cycles, their stock said 1 in. The guy checked, could hear him rumbling about, can't find it though. I will order you one direct from Madison. All sorted and delivered within a few days.
 

d87francis

Well-Known Member
Location
Oxford
I've ordered a lot online for my bikes and have similar feelings about LBS. Whilst I've had some bad experiences nothing compares to my recent online purchase of a ukulele.

Ordered from a shop in Brighton that said it was "in stock" (not the very famous music shop in Brighton!), hadn't turned up after a week and a half so I emailed to ask for an estimated delivery. Didn't hear anything for 3 days when I get an email apologising for the delay saying that the uke is due in stock any day and should be with me by next week. Waited over a week, no uke, send them an email don't hear anything for 2 days, decide to call them - can get hold of the shop but they have a separate number for the online shop and that person is out, I left a message asking them to call me. Heard nothing for another two days, when I get an email saying it'll be any day now.

I wait another week, still nothing, so I email and call, no one answers either. I leave another message with the shop asking to be called back, hear nothing. After 3 days of calling I get hold of someone who says they are still waiting for their order to come in that was initially delayed 3 weeks ago due to snow, we've since had over 2 weeks of no snow. They cannot tell me when this delivery of stock is due which I find suspicious. After waiting 5 weeks I filed for a paypal refund, which then takes a week to process.

I order a ukulele from somewhere else that said it was in stock and next day delivery. After 2 days I email to ask where it is and later that day receive tracking details for a 48 hour courier service. The uke turns up 2 days later and is broken. I had to post it back get a refund and then source another uke, which yet again takes 5 days to arrive when advertised as next day!

Finally 3 months after ordering my ukulele I have one. From this am I allowed to make generalisations about people who work in music shops?
 

Peteaud

Veteran
Location
South Somerset
I just pick up a telephone, call the lbs(s) and ask if they have one and the best price.

Then i go and get it.

No waiting about, no emails saying not in stock.


Yes online can be good, but as you have found out sometimes it is a pita.
 

davefb

Guru
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 :blush:

What a pratt.

haha, so when's it turning up then :smile:
 

400bhp

Guru
I've ordered a lot online for my bikes and have similar feelings about LBS. Whilst I've had some bad experiences nothing compares to my recent online purchase of a ukulele.

Ordered from a shop in Brighton that said it was "in stock" (not the very famous music shop in Brighton!), hadn't turned up after a week and a half so I emailed to ask for an estimated delivery. Didn't hear anything for 3 days when I get an email apologising for the delay saying that the uke is due in stock any day and should be with me by next week. Waited over a week, no uke, send them an email don't hear anything for 2 days, decide to call them - can get hold of the shop but they have a separate number for the online shop and that person is out, I left a message asking them to call me. Heard nothing for another two days, when I get an email saying it'll be any day now.

I wait another week, still nothing, so I email and call, no one answers either. I leave another message with the shop asking to be called back, hear nothing. After 3 days of calling I get hold of someone who says they are still waiting for their order to come in that was initially delayed 3 weeks ago due to snow, we've since had over 2 weeks of no snow. They cannot tell me when this delivery of stock is due which I find suspicious. After waiting 5 weeks I filed for a paypal refund, which then takes a week to process.

I order a ukulele from somewhere else that said it was in stock and next day delivery. After 2 days I email to ask where it is and later that day receive tracking details for a 48 hour courier service. The uke turns up 2 days later and is broken. I had to post it back get a refund and then source another uke, which yet again takes 5 days to arrive when advertised as next day!

Finally 3 months after ordering my ukulele I have one. From this am I allowed to make generalisations about people who work in music shops?

Well, you will order odd instruments. Just order a guitar in future.:whistle:
 
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