chainreactioncycles vs local SA bike shops/suppliers

[Thug]

My new bike was built almost exclusively from parts ordered through CRC over 3 shipments.

 

Only 1 hassle which they rectified by refunding me, which part I then purchased at my lbs.

 

I did also place an order at CWC for a RS Reverb which was cheaper than CRC.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Thug

[TNT1]

.

 

Dude. Your avatar? It's gotta go.

[TNT1]

RS Reverb

 

Sounds like the name of an amp.

[Stretch]

crc's build kits are a bit lacking on the mtb side at the moment. I am waiting for the uk winter specials

[EVOBIKES ONLINE STORE]

just bought a pair on shimano mt43 mtb shoes from CRC for R660.00. best local price Buycycle R800.00 plus about R75 for shipping. Plus ordered some other stuff from CRC as well and got R145 further discount.

Got someone bringing the stuff over for me as well so no import duties either.

 

And you have the audacity to smuggle items in and then use Buycycle as a reference as why it is cheaper!!

 

DUH - Maybe the local distributor declares his items and therefore pay the relevant duty etc...

 

Geez some people never stop amazing me...

[rock]

I'm a complete CRC fan. Price is my second priority - my first is range! There is no local LBS that can match CRC for range and stock. I'm like to buy "different" stuff and 9 times out of 10 when you phone a LBS shop they go "a what?". Then after explaining they promise to find it but don't/can't. No follow up - no return call.

 

It's far easier to do all my shopping on CRC and have it arrive in one go.

 

Normal stuff like tyres, patch kits, tubes etc I'll buy locally as LBS keep them in stock - eveything else - CRC!

 

totally almost everything i buy from CRC is cos I cant get it here, Id actually like to print our my purchase history and see if any shop can match those items, regardless of price....

 

by the way still waiting for a local online shop to return my email from 2 days ago...... (not CWC, they are good like that)

[Minion]

not CWC, they are good like that

I wish I could say the same for my email monologues to them.

[ThePubSA]

The problem with the "Lab" - kids working as salesmen...

 

Problem with the LAB is most of the staff still have their saddles up their assos.

Edited April 18, 2012 by 2nutz

[T.XTERRA]

Hey there Stump Jumper PM'd you.

[Li Mu Bai]

Tough call - strictly speaking clothing should attract a 40% (?) import duty so it may not be the bargain you think it is.

 

In terms of trustworthy - I've placed 10 orders with CRC and only had one minor issue. They sent the replacement item and told me to keep the wrong one! Service has slipped a bit - first 8 orders I received in under a week. Last 2 have been about 2 weeks from placement of order to delivered to my door. Orders over R3,000 get free delivery to your door.

 

I would not really say CRC service has slipped, but rather its a change in their free shipping policy. In the past we would gather enough items to reach the R3000 free shipping rule, and they would send it over via parcelforce with a tracking number. we would place our order on a monday or tuesday, and go and collect it at the counter at ORT on friday lunchtime. Now if your R3000 order weighs less than 2kg, they send it via Royal standard mail that takes a full 2 weeks and no tracking number. this costs them 5 pounds rather than 25. heavier bulkier items are sent via parcelforce and arrive within 4 days. It has become an excercise in economics for them, which in the current climate makes sense from their popint of view. shipping is still free for the customer, but they have the option of controlling what this free shipping costs them.

Buycycle and CWC would do themselves a HUGE favour in terms of gaining more business, if they negotiated with their courier, and offered us the option of free shipping for a certain amount of spend. How hard can this be?

 

CRC, Evans, Totalcycling, High on Bikes, Wiggle, Planet-X all have a HUGE variety of items and small hard to get spare parts, which immediately makes them more attractive than buying locally.

For example, I needed a rear derailleur hanger for my mtb bike. LBS A price was R445, and LBS B price was R380. www.Biker-boarder.de is asking 9 euro for this part. Does this make sense buying locally? not when you can almost get 4 for the price of one here. In certain ways we are really being ripped off horribly.

[Danger Dassie]

Bit of a stupid argument this really, I've used both online ordering and physical shops for retail etc ... Have had both positive and negative experiences with both.

More often than not it's been resolved as well.

 

The biggest blame is really at the door of the brand/manufactures, ship directly to SA as it's own distribution point and take us out of being held within a distribution network via Europe.