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Buying online?


keith

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Hey guys which online shops could you recommend that are here locally? I am keen to buy a chain so I went to my LBS and was shocked at the price. So I think online is the way to go. I know it is not supposting our local shops (which I always do) but crisis it was like R100 more than online (including postage). Who should I be checking out that are reliable? Thanks.

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Thanks Mampara.

As always, one piece of information raises a question or series of questions. (My mind is like a sponge. I love to absorb information, but have difficulty retaining it.)

 

How reliable is it to buy online? 

 

I would also like to get some idea as to why it is cheaper to buy online. Is it because online stores do not have the same rental costs as LBSor are the LBS just rip-off artists? (Yeah, I know, not all, just some.)
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A lot of on-line stores also have a brick and mortar shop as well, thats the same for local or international.

 

As to why on-line is cheaper, well its a combination really, mostly its because a shop is local, so usually only draws local custom, an on-line facility reaches the world with no extra cost, (the rent etc is paid) and thats a big market, so there is a certain saving to the business which can be passed on, plus increased sales means a better purchase price can usually be negotiated which means lower costs all round.

 

A web based retailer in the SA market will get really a small exposure to a bigger market, (ie) international, but could do well with a increased local market like CWC who seem to have embraced this well.

 

South Africans are still hesitant to buy on-line, plus they still like to go to the store and look around, its a culture thing now but slowly it will change, I read somewhere that internet sales accounts for at least 60% of American companies retail sales.

 
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Hey guys which online shops could you recommend that are here locally? I am keen to buy a chain so I went to my LBS and was shocked at the price. So I think online is the way to go. I know it is not supposting our local shops (which I always do) but crisis it was like R100 more than online (including postage). Who should I be checking out that are reliable? Thanks.

 

Hey Keith

 

Which shops did you try? I bought an Ultegra chain at Leighs yesterday for R 300. Online they are about R 264 and if you add postage then it is going to cost you more.

 

My opinion is if the difference is less than R 100, support your LBS. If you save a couple of hundred or thousand, go the online route. Comobike gave me good service when I bought a groupset from them.

 

Enjoy your shopping.
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Hey mielies I went to them yesterday and their Ultegra HG93 chain was R375!!! From CWC they are R231 (including R50 postage makes it R281- so very different to R375).

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How reliable is it to buy online? 

 

I would also like to get some idea as to why it is cheaper to buy online.

The main reason that online shops are cheaper than SA shops is due to the distributors.

The local shops get their stock from the local agents, while places such as CWC get it direct from oversees suppliers. The reason local agent prices are more expensive has been a source of heated argument on the Hub in the past.

 

Provided you go through a reputable supplier such as CWC, Chainreaction or Totalcycling, then shopping online is pretty reliable. Even the postal service has only ever managed to lose one of my orders (and that was over ten years ago)

 

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Hey mielies I went to them yesterday and their Ultegra HG93 chain was R375!!! From CWC they are R231 (including R50 postage makes it R281- so very different to R375).

 

Interesting, HG93 is the 9speed chain right... I bought the 10 speed though, seems the older parts are more expensive than the newer ones now...
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Some Internet sites mention for example XTR cassette without specifing the exact part nomber.Xtr cassettes are available as CSM960 (Old discontinued model) which have been replaced with a new model CSM970.

rgds sm

 
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I am on my way to get my new Dura Ace group from CWC.Cant wait for them to put it on my Cervelo . My own X mas box.

 

From me to me.
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