Cyclelab

[JJDT]

What started out to be excellent service initially is now poor.

I need a new BB for my MTB and I'm also in the process of buying extra parts that I will need in the next few months. Wednesday started browsing for parts and saw a statement by Cycle Lab stating that they will match the price with some T&C's. The online consultant explained the process and within 60minutes after providing the details I received an e-mail stating that the parts needed is in my cart(prices matched). Thursday morning proceeded with the order and a while later received an e-mail stating that not all the parts are at the Fourways store, but will be sourced at another branch and that there is a 48 hour turnaround time. I would've only managed to fetch the parts on Saturday so this would've been perfect. Never received a confirmation that the parts has arrived by Saturday morning and at around noon replied to the initial e-mail requesting feedback on the part sourcing as 48 hours has now been surpassed, but never received any feedback.

This morning received an exact e-mail that I received on Thursday morning stating that not all the parts are available in store and that there is a 48 hour turnaround time. Replied on the mail stating that I'm not happy, but still no feedback.

To summarise if I had place my order with the shop that I did my price match with, I would've received my order today and with shipping included I would've still saved R90 from the original CL price. The price match was for me the convenience factor that I was heading in the direction of CL and would just pop in and get my parcel.

The last 8 months dealing with CL with various issues that ended in chaos. Each time it was just a mess and this time I'm really calling it a day with them, even if they are closer to home I will rather plan and source my parts online even if it means that I will pay more with shipping it will beat the shopping experience of CL.

[Tiens Van Zyl]

Sho, I am having the exact same experience.

Bought items online from them on the 14th of January. Same email, some stock will come from Cape Town, Boksburg and some from Pretoria.

I received the Boksburg portion a few days later but being told that a lock is not in stock and supplier will only have stock beginning Feb.

Pretoria is telling me I have to pay in on a bag I ordered and paid for as the price on their website was wrong. I declined and advised that they advertised it at that price (thus the reason for the purchase) and that they will need to sort it out. Then got told supplier only has stock end of Jan and never heard back from the Pretoria branch.

Not sure how you put items up for sale, are happy to take our money and then just give us not proper communication (I had to initiate comms everytime) and proceed to tell us you don't have stock?

My amazon order from the US was delivered 4 days after purchase. I have always been an advocate for supporting local businesses but the service has been quite laughable.

I'm still waiting for my stuff going on 2 weeks this Sunday.
CL won't see my business again.

I feel your pain JJDT.

[babse]

I once ordered a set of rotors from CL and they sent me 2x chainrings.

Never had what i actually ordered and refund took another 2 weeks.

 

Last time i used them 🙂

[RobertWhitehead]

2 hours ago, babse said:

I once ordered a set of rotors from CL and they sent me 2x chainrings.

Never had what i actually ordered and refund took another 2 weeks.

 

Last time i used them 🙂

Well in their defense: both items are round

[PhilipV]

This is why I hate CL price matching. It takes turnover away from the lbs that had stock, with an honest margin, and turns it into more sales at the mega store with bad service, who won’t even remember your name in a few months. 
 

build a relationship with your lbs rather. Could have saved you a lot of las, and when you really need them, they’ll know who you are.

[HenkD]

Well i have a good relationship with my lbs but he knows he has to give me the best possible price when i walk in. He nows that if it is alot cheaper elsewhere i will buy it there. I recently gat a cassette and chain from CL(not pricematch just on special) and service was good and speedy delivery. But i will rather use pricematch from my LBs and support him that going to pricematch from CL. 

[BigDL]

3 hours ago, HenkD said:

Well i have a good relationship with my lbs but he knows he has to give me the best possible price when i walk in. He nows that if it is alot cheaper elsewhere i will buy it there. I recently gat a cassette and chain from CL(not pricematch just on special) and service was good and speedy delivery. But i will rather use pricematch from my LBs and support him that going to pricematch from CL. 

Price match is not always possible for a small LBS, so then you must decide if you’re willing to pay a premium to keep a local relationship. Before CRC fell to bits, my bike mechanic used to sometimes send me there to buy the parts for cheaper than his cost price and then he charged me his hourly rate to do the work 

[splat]

23 hours ago, babse said:

I once ordered a set of rotors from CL and they sent me 2x chainrings.

Never had what i actually ordered and refund took another 2 weeks.

 

Last time i used them 🙂

Why didn't you start a thread and trash them on social media while calling them thieves ?
🤡

[117]

I needed a back brake re-bled and called CL in fourways to see if they could help (only reason is that i was 2km away from them and it suited my route for the day). I know a brake bleed is not the end of the world so i gave them the benefit of the doubt. 

On the call i asked if it could be a wait for it job and they advised that due to being a little busy it'll be about a 2 hour or so wait. Win so far, i didnt mind that as i had other errands in the area. 

I promtly relieved a call shortly afterwards informing me i need this done, that done, some other sh*t done etc, to which i promptly replied back that if they didnt understand my first instruction then its best i draw them a picture what i wanted done instead. Fine, we move on

Get there 2 hours later to collect the bike and its plastered with CL stickers in case some parts go missing.... now i must clean that crap off 

I head over to pay and all is good. Im one of two at the counter and proceed to hand over a few beer coupons (not a bad proce i thought)

I then get lynched by the security on my way out insisting he checks my till slip. I demanded thay he first remove the tag off my bike before we proceed. Once done,  he checks my slip as if i am the criminal stealing and not to be trusted... its actually his job to make sure the tellers do their job but he makes it out as if you, the customer, is the criminal. 

I will do my utmost to avoid them in future, much like the same treatment you get at builders warehouse on exit

I should have rather supported an LBS in the area, they don't give you the same **** treatment as CL does. 

 

Rant off, bye bye CL

 

[The Ouzo]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:03 PM, HenkD said:

Well i have a good relationship with my lbs but he knows he has to give me the best possible price when i walk in. He nows that if it is alot cheaper elsewhere i will buy it there. I recently gat a cassette and chain from CL(not pricematch just on special) and service was good and speedy delivery. But i will rather use pricematch from my LBs and support him that going to pricematch from CL. 

by doing this you are not supporting your LBS, to pricematch a big store like CL your LBS is most likely making nothing on the part. 

[HenkD]

By pricematch i give them the opportunity to know what they are up againts. If i buy from the i am supporting them. They dont have to give it you me they are welcome to walk away. Sometimes they do someimes they dont. If the money goes in their till its supporting them. No business man just match a price and walk out with no profit

4 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

by doing this you are not supporting your LBS, to pricematch a big store like CL your LBS is most likely making nothing on the part. 

 

[Super Sywurm]

I sent CL/CWC (can't remember which one) an online chat on their website about a bike i am interested in.  A month later, I am still waiting for a reply.

It seems that they don't need my money.

[Bike Dewing]

These cycle lab stories all start with price matching with an agent for an online order and then disaster ensues.. but yeah, if cycle lab is closest then surely mellow velo, BSC and even Cycloworx are convenient options🤙🏻 and they are solid shops..

[The Ouzo]

2 minutes ago, HenkD said:

By pricematch i give them the opportunity to know what they are up againts. If i buy from the i am supporting them. They dont have to give it you me they are welcome to walk away. Sometimes they do someimes they dont. If the money goes in their till its supporting them. No business man just match a price and walk out with no profit

 

you are mistaken. I'm willing to bet that by price matching they are making little to zero profit on that item in the hope that they keep you as a customer and you possibly buy some more stuff from them. They probably also need to move a certain amount of stock from each supplier in order to secure more stock.

If you really wanted to support the LBS and keep them around you'd pay asking price or meet them somewhere in the middle.

 

 

This is not directed at you specifically.

People keep bargaining business down for better prices, price match this, price match that, but when the business closes down because they are not profitable then its all "oohhs and ahhhs and why did they close, what went wrong. 

businesses take profit to keep the doors open, that profit is built into the goods and services. You are feeling the pinch, and so are they.

[HenkD]

1 minute ago, The Ouzo said:

you are mistaken. I'm willing to bet that by price matching they are making little to zero profit on that item in the hope that they keep you as a customer and you possibly buy some more stuff from them. They probably also need to move a certain amount of stock from each supplier in order to secure more stock.

If you really wanted to support the LBS and keep them around you'd pay asking price or meet them somewhere in the middle.

 

 

This is not directed at you specifically.

People keep bargaining business down for better prices, price match this, price match that, but when the business closes down because they are not profitable then its all "oohhs and ahhhs and why did they close, what went wrong. 

businesses take profit to keep the doors open, that profit is built into the goods and services. You are feeling the pinch, and so are they.

You would be loosing the bet as  hae had this discussion with my LBS and you are more tn welcome to contact him. CYCLEZONE. Sometimes he give me a price which is 5 or so percent more and i buy from him. Sometimes he tells me buy from x y or z. Then he fits and charge me. 

 

I also buy all my kids(3 and 😎 bikes and parts from him. Dont walk into Game and makro for them. Never once did i negotiate a price on that. But a 10k cassette or 15k wheelset, or a 20 fox fork. Yes i walk i with a price and give him the opportunity to make some money even if its less than what he wuld normally do. If i just buy it over the internet then he makes no money. 

So you saying i dont support him but completely disagree and he will to as he always gets the opertunity. 

I do hear what you are saying ad it might be true in loads of instances but not when it comes to my relationship with my LBS

[Pandatron]

1 hour ago, 117 said:

I needed a back brake re-bled and called CL in fourways to see if they could help (only reason is that i was 2km away from them and it suited my route for the day). I know a brake bleed is not the end of the world so i gave them the benefit of the doubt. 

On the call i asked if it could be a wait for it job and they advised that due to being a little busy it'll be about a 2 hour or so wait. Win so far, i didnt mind that as i had other errands in the area. 

I promtly relieved a call shortly afterwards informing me i need this done, that done, some other sh*t done etc, to which i promptly replied back that if they didnt understand my first instruction then its best i draw them a picture what i wanted done instead. Fine, we move on

Get there 2 hours later to collect the bike and its plastered with CL stickers in case some parts go missing.... now i must clean that crap off 

I head over to pay and all is good. Im one of two at the counter and proceed to hand over a few beer coupons (not a bad proce i thought)

I then get lynched by the security on my way out insisting he checks my till slip. I demanded thay he first remove the tag off my bike before we proceed. Once done,  he checks my slip as if i am the criminal stealing and not to be trusted... its actually his job to make sure the tellers do their job but he makes it out as if you, the customer, is the criminal. 

I will do my utmost to avoid them in future, much like the same treatment you get at builders warehouse on exit

I should have rather supported an LBS in the area, they don't give you the same **** treatment as CL does. 

 

Rant off, bye bye CL

 

Im lost, you had to show security your till slip as per most warehouse type stores in South Africa.

Your Google reviews must be scintillating

 

 

 

Edited April 29 by Pandatron