Shimano Agent Suck!

[Schmaf]

Why didn't your lbs get in the car and go and fetch one from you??? I think Coolheat service has always been brilliant!!!!

[Big H*]

Instead of complaining about Wholesalers not being open and taking so long to deliver stock, why not ask your LBS why specifically they do not carry stock ? And secondly , why does everyone on this post comment anonymously, if you have a problem with a certain Wholesaler, why dont you man up and contact them directly and voice your concerns instead of hiding behind a little profile. ???

 

I have never once , on contacting a wholesaler and complaining , have them be nasty , burst into tears or threaten to take me to court just because i have a problem with their product. Instead, they investigate the situation and make plans to change how they do things and in the end , we all win because they acknowledge their faults and make amends .

 

Bike shops are very quick to blame wholesalers with regards to delivery and no stock of certain items , when in turn you should blame the bike shop for A) Not carrying enough stock and using the wholesalers as a quick back up in desperate situations and then have a problem when they hear that the agents dont have stock. And Sometimes they dont even phone the agents. (I have had personal experience of this and in the end , ended up phoning the wholesalers myself to double check)

Do you actually think that an agent would tell a LBS " Oh no we dont have stock and dont know (or care) when we are getting more in "? ....

That would mean screwing themselves and their client base (LBS) over.

 

So to summarise my little rant here. Wholesalers are also Humans, they do need to take leave and spend christmas with their families . They cannot be blamed for running out of stock , when in this day and age, peoples choice of products changes everyday and wholesalers cant be expected to carry 1 million pink bicycle pumps when next week the trend with change to orange.

Grow up, get on your bikes and stop writing pathetic comments about this Industry you so call "Love"

 

Is LocationSomewhere in Witkoppen????

[rouxtjie]

.....so lets say you buy ur chain on CRC, you install it yourself and hey presto your "just riding along" and you snap ur chain which in turn goes into your spokes in ur rear wheel and manages to wrap itself around ur cassette......What are you going to do ? Im just thinking logically here, ur gonna take ur bike to a LBS and say " i want a warranty on this chain , its just snapped and in turn broke my bike" , what do you think ur bike shop is going to tell u to do ?? First of all they gonna ask you where u bought the chain from, and as the words CRC come out of ur mouth....they are most likely going to laugh ..... i believe in shop loyalty and only buying from local agents because they can and WILL give you the back up service you need when it comes to a problem with your bike and parts....

Ok lets take your example, chain might not be the best example since its a consumable and proving a manufacturing issue and not user abuse could be tricky. Lets say I take a new chain out of its packaging and it has numerous stiff links and I am not happy to put it on my bike. I have absolutely no doubt that CRC will send me a new one if I inform them about the issue, I have had this happen with a garmin product I bought from them and they even sent me the replacement product before the problem part was back in their warehouse....true story, they are a extremely efficient and treat the customer like king. So what if I only get the part 5 or 6 days later, I will get it for cheaper and I know they will have stock.

 

I do try and support local(my LBS and CWC) but I am not going to get into an argument about why the retailer doesn't have a certain part I am looking for or phone the wholesaler and "bother" him while he is taking a dump. I maintain...the days of the wholesaler and retailer holding the consumer ransom are over...my crc purchase record proves this. Wholesalers and retailers that haven't recognized this, won't survive there needs to be value add or incentive for me to part with my ZARS because I can get it cheaper

[Kona Kula]

Ok lets take your example, chain might not be the best example since its a consumable and proving a manufacturing issue and not user abuse could be tricky. Lets say I take a new chain out of its packaging and it has numerous stiff links and I am not happy to put it on my bike. I have absolutely no doubt that CRC will send me a new one if I inform them about the issue, I have had this happen with a garmin product I bought from them and they even sent me the replacement product before the problem part was back in their warehouse....true story, they are a extremely efficient and treat the customer like king. So what if I only get the part 5 or 6 days later, I will get it for cheaper and I know they will have stock.

 

I do try and support local(my LBS and CWC) but I am not going to get into an argument about why the retailer doesn't have a certain part I am looking for or phone the wholesaler and "bother" him while he is taking a dump. I maintain...the days of the wholesaler and retailer holding the consumer ransom are over...my crc purchase record proves this. Wholesalers and retailers that haven't recognized this, won't survive there needs to be value add or incentive for me to part with my ZARS because I can get it cheaper

 

I agree, bike shops and local wholesalers/distributors are losing their place in the current market. If they want to survive they need to reinvent themselves (which some of them are doing). Gone are the days when I could be bothered to walk into a shop and be told that they don't have stock. By then its too late, I will order online for cheaper. I foresee in the future that bike shops will become service centers and all shopping will be done online. The wholesalers/distributors model may change as well and you could buy the necessary consumables directly (which would save you an extra margin too). The mass consumers are always right, and you can't fight the change. We will buy online if it is cheaper. So either the bike shops should get creative or lose out.

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Sounds like you ARE an agent or distributor hiding behind an anonymous nickname, not manning up and saying what you have to say in your personal capacity...

 

Um no thank you, cause then i would have to deal with us members of the public all day.....I have better things to do.....Like ride

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Is LocationSomewhere in Witkoppen????

 

Cape Town actually, but its more fun to hide behind a persona like everyone else

[Notaboredwannabecyclist]

Ok lets take your example, chain might not be the best example since its a consumable and proving a manufacturing issue and not user abuse could be tricky. Lets say I take a new chain out of its packaging and it has numerous stiff links and I am not happy to put it on my bike. I have absolutely no doubt that CRC will send me a new one if I inform them about the issue, I have had this happen with a garmin product I bought from them and they even sent me the replacement product before the problem part was back in their warehouse....true story, they are a extremely efficient and treat the customer like king. So what if I only get the part 5 or 6 days later, I will get it for cheaper and I know they will have stock.

 

I do try and support local(my LBS and CWC) but I am not going to get into an argument about why the retailer doesn't have a certain part I am looking for or phone the wholesaler and "bother" him while he is taking a dump. I maintain...the days of the wholesaler and retailer holding the consumer ransom are over...my crc purchase record proves this. Wholesalers and retailers that haven't recognized this, won't survive there needs to be value add or incentive for me to part with my ZARS because I can get it cheaper

 

This day and age, i do agree with you on the price thing. But me personally would rather spend my time and money at one LBS , because i know that they have my best interests at heart (even if it is my cash)....they support me because they know that i dont shop around and definately dont shop out of my home ,S.A .

[rouxtjie]

This day and age, i do agree with you on the price thing. But me personally would rather spend my time and money at one LBS , because i know that they have my best interests at heart (even if it is my cash)....they support me because they know that i dont shop around and definately dont shop out of my home ,S.A .

And that is what is all about...value add. They must not play the loyality card, I don't subscribe to that...rather make it hard for me to give my moneys to ireland. As soon as they cannot give me:

1. Good backup service / warranty
   
2. Good selection of stock
   
3. Sound advice from well trained staff
   
4. Competitive LOCAL pricing
   
5. Value add through various means(I am not talking freebies...skills clinics...groups rides...talks...presence at races)
   

Well then I am afraid Paddy from CRC is filling his pot-o-gold

[Konaman]

I agree totally with a previous posting. Always keep a few extra spokes at home. When i get a new wheelset, i will go from shop to shop till i get a few loose spokes.

Its sometimes not worthwhile for a bikeshop to keep a box of say +30 spokes, for every single wheel type and sizes, for that 1 day that somebody may arrive. However, the regular sizes should be kept.

 

In these days and times i also suggest that you keep at least a spare chain + links, maybe 1 extra tyre + tubeless valve and sealant.

I have helped out many people over the years over weekends , and then you sometimes battle to get the stuff back.