Chain Reaction Cycles - What's the catch

[Plentipotential]

Prices to make your eyes water. Sooooo cheap. Ordering enough stuff to get free shipping/post. What's the catch, anyone get shafted by them?

[IdeJongh]

Just remember VAT and duties (in some cases) and thats it.  Good deals.  Only catch - after sales service a problem with your supplier in another country.

[rouxtjie]

All the above +, dont order something that is out of stock, it could get quite complicated with money being deducted from your account and you getting increasingly frustrated with shipment not arriving.

[Dirtbreath]

You get told off for being unpatriotic and not supporting the local cycling industry.

[Canaris]

Prices to make your eyes water. Sooooo cheap. Ordering enough stuff to get free shipping/post. What's the catch' date=' anyone get shafted by them?[/quote']

 

Mainly your LBS, like cyclelab, FPC, coolheat, ext.

[Weight Weenie]

Basically you should stick to bike parts as these attract only 14% VAT here (all their prices are VAT free)

 

Clothing, helmets, sunglasses abnd such carry extra 30-40% duty as to protect the local industry (what industry ? We don't make Bell helmets in SA ?) BUT sometimes your order might come through and you dont pay the extra duties on the clothing stuff.

 

Your allowed to import 3 times a year, max R500 so sometimes they might tell you you need a clearing agent to get the stuff, contact ngala 24 then, costs around R300. 

 

But search the forum there are many threads

[Oldschool]

Just make sure on the duties, bought some bike bags, 30% duty that, could have gotten it at Chris Willemse for the same price, for the rest super sweet deals. 

 

I also had an issue where they did not send all the stock as listed, but they have been great and I picked the rest up this morning.

 

Just remember to manage your order well if you choose out of stock items, I emailed them and cancelled some items to get it sooner.Good luck

[Plentipotential]

Good to hear, and sound advice, thanks guys. As for local is lekker, none of this stuff is local anyway, lekker is the extra cash in my pocket.

[Flea]

The VAT is basically done at about 16% for some reason?

Also if you buy the "wrong" product, can be an issue - I bought a 2.2 tyre, but when I put it on looked too skinny, so bought a 2.4 from my LBS at only about R70 premium.... so anyone want a 2.2 Mountain King 29"?

Otherwise the order arrived - all correct and a lot cheaper - you must check the prices though

[Weight Weenie]

Exactly, with the money saved you can almost buy a new unit, anyway bike stuff mostly doesnt give problems and Im willing to take the risk for a cheap price.

 

ie I ordered a garmin from crc, R2k cheaper than local retail, so I can ad a few rand and buy a new unit with the money saved if something goes wrong.

[nikki]

Yes, the prices are cheap. That's because the local retail industry here is ripping the average Joe, like you and I, off big time

[Weight Weenie]

TRue, but what I want to know is - is it the retailer or the supplier who is ripping us or both ?

[headhunter]

TRue' date=' but what I want to know is - is it the retailer or the supplier who is ripping us or both ? [/quote']

 

 

 

Both.

[MTBer]

It is amazing with all the comments, questions about the average Joe being ripped off by the retailer/supplier/importer that none of them comment in defense of the comments against them.

[Santa C]

No catch!

I have bought from CRC/Evans/Cyclestore etc on many occasions without any problem!!

 

Agree when buying shoes/clothes/helmets...My mate brings them back for me every second month.

 

Better prices and less hassel !!Simple

 

[patham]

As with all aspects of life, mistakes happen and CRC are no exception.

 

They have sent me the wrong tyre before. However their customer service is great. After notifying them, they gave me the choice of a refund or sending out the correct tyre, AND I could keep the original one. So its now lined up as my experimental one for ghetto tubeless conversions....