Online bike shops - do they actually have anything in stock?

[MadDad]

I am busy looking for a lightweight pair of wheels and a new pair of mitts after mine fell apart. I have been surfing the 'usual suspects' on line and have noticed two things; the heavily discounted items are only at the discount price for the XXXL or XXXS sizes - the ones you might actually want to buy are at (or close to) RRP, secondly; the decently discounted wheel sets still show with a heavy discount but are not available, however they are sandwiched between other cheap sets that I have never heard of but might just buy......

Am I the only one beginning to get totally pished off with the large chains playing silly buggers with their pricing and marketing? I support my LBS as often as possible, but every now and again it is just easier/cheaper to get it online. However, recently I have placed a couple of orders with a couple of the big chains who have sat on my cash for a few weeks, before getting in touch to let me know that the item is no longer available and I will be getting a refund, so I then find myself back at my LBS......

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the change over the past couple of months??

[agentnomad]

I have used Google shopping to search to find the cheapest and then look to see if they are in stock etc

I also use Planet X a fair bit as their web site does list what is in stock but as you say sometimes the headline is from £???? and then there is only one size at that price but they are normally cheaper than most of the others and normally have a lot of stock. I know they had a delivery of over 800 pairs of wheels so there should be something for you there.

[Rouleur]

Wiggle, CRC, Merlin, Ribble, PX... all display whether or not items are in stock, and I've never had any problems with any of them. What kind of wheels are you looking for?

[anonymous-user]

never had a problem with the likes of CRC or Wigglein five or six years, though it is getting to sale season so they might be holding some stuff back and/or waiting for 2013 stuff in all sizes/styles etc. have had a problem with the smaller places like sigma in the past but they are smaller and probably dont have the stock control like wiggle et al

[ben_h100]

Had this only this week with a retailer that sounds similar to 'Heads'

Ordered a jersey showing as in stock, two days later I call to confirm order (no dispatch email received), they tell me "Oh we were about to email you it's not in stock but we are getting it from the supplier". Oh really. It arrived this weekend over a week later. For some reason (mainly price), I ordered a set of bibs and a jacket - same issue.

For clothing I like to go online for the price. For bikes and small items (bottles/drinks/gels/bars) I go to the LBS.

[aclivity]

My LBS is Winstanleys. They seem to do a lot of online trade, as the shop part is about the same size as a large wardrobe, and they have two huge warehouses full of stock.

[spongy]

The best site for me has to be wiggle,they have touch wood never let me down yet,but you are correct about things not being in stock when they say it is,not happened to me at wiggle but it has at other outlets.Local bike stores will be gone soon......its a real shame but they just cant match online prices example
my local shop
felt ar4 in a 58 £2600.....2-3 week waiting time
wiggle same bike £1950 to my door 5 days.
now i tried to haggle with my local bike store just to get near to the price but the chap said buy online if you can get it that cheap ?.What was the final nail in the coffin for me was the guy would not let me test ride a bike instore as i had no ID on me even thou i had a 4 grand bike in the shop at the time that i have bought from there......plus i have spent about 5 grand on other bikes and bits over the last few years....so off to wiggle i went.

[donfisher]

In general I’ve had problems with buying stuff online over the last year or so.

Smaller physical shops with an online side seem to be a bit cr4p at maintaining their stock. It’s not the end of the world but I got a bit fed up after two shops in a row took the order and charged me for it then came back 24hours later apologising that they no longer had the stock and I’d be refunded. I was refunded and of course was grateful for the apology. It’s just annoying that you then have to go and buy it again. Registering again. Working out delivery times etc etc. Online trade might be the key to keeping LBSs in business – who knows, they just need to sort it out.

Then there’s the big players who as the OP notes seem to offer links to items that are no longer for sale. Recently they’ve seemed to sit on your cash and take their time sending your items out for no real reason I can see. Not a big problem in the big scheme of things but irritating.

Adding in The Royal Mail’s SE London policy of only delivering a card through the door so you have to go to the depot on one of the two times per week that are practical to do so and I’ve had enough. For the sake of a few quid or for something I need urgently – give me a physical shop. Places like Cycle Surgery will often price match online retailers I’ve found.

[Engineer1]

aclivity said:

My LBS is Winstanleys. They seem to do a lot of online trade, as the shop part is about the same size as a large wardrobe, and they have two huge warehouses full of stock.

Winstanleys was the shop that sprang to mind when I saw the title, the amazing deals they list that 3 weeks later turn out not only to be out of stock but also discontinued have meant I now no longer look at them for anything. That may sound daft but in my experience by the time you find out the steal at winstanleys didn't exist the other shops have stopped their deals too.

[spongy]

I suppose this is why bike shops dont tend to price match as they know this happens.My local shop is a really nice shop but i have been charged some silly prices in the past when i needed a part asap.I think for a few £££££s more its worth buying local but when it runs into hundreds you would be silly not to buy online(if they really have it that is )

[MadDad]

So, just to balance my original moan about the way some of the bigger online chains use underhand tactics to get you onto their web sites in the hope that you will buy something other than what you originally went their for, I have to take my hat off to Planet-X.

Yesterday afternoon I ordered a set of Shimano RS80's, some rim tape and a couple of CX tyres - all of which showed as in stock. Went through the payment process and received a couple of automated mails confirming receipt of my order, then this morning received a mail with tracking details of the consignment. Later this afternoon I received a text and eMail confirming they will be delivered tomorrow AM. Good service, well informed (even if it is all automated), and I saved a small fortune on RRP.

[aclivity]

Engineer1 said:

Winstanleys was the shop that sprang to mind when I saw the title, the amazing deals they list that 3 weeks later turn out not only to be out of stock but also discontinued have meant I now no longer look at them for anything. That may sound daft but in my experience by the time you find out the steal at winstanleys didn't exist the other shops have stopped their deals too.

Perhaps the fact that I can walk over to them and sit in the shop for a chat helps; I've done well out of it by getting a discount on the web price on my last bike - I went in for a cheaper bike, but they offered me a better specced bike for about the same price, which I later found out to be almost £150 discount.

[itsnotarace]

Bike shops I won't ever order from again:

Rutland Cycling
Winstanleys
Shiny Bikes
JE James


Shops I order from often and fully trust to not cock things up:

Ribble
Planet X
Wiggle
Merlin Cycles
Bike-discount.de
PBK
Sigma Sport
Westbrook Cycles
Fudges Cycle Store
SJS Cycles
Fatbirds
Pedalon
Clee Cycles
Bromley Bike Co

[TonyHetherington]

Ever used evans? I've found them really, really good. Also ProBikeKit too.

[itsnotarace]

Evans always too expensive, I know they do a price match but they only price match on in-stock items elsewhere so I don't really see the point, I just save the hassle of requesting a price match and ordering from elsewhere in the first place

[ChrisMCoupe]

Whilst I fully trust the likes of Wiggle/Planet X to deliver promptly, I have started using Evans a lot more now for the smaller items.

They price match even on sale items in my experience and because my closest store is bolted on to their main warehouse, they always have everything in stock seemingly. Call me old fashioned, but I personally like the idea of going to pick something up in person, also means you can try things on rather than run the risk of sending items back.

[MadDad]

Almost as if to prove a point I ordered and paid for a pair of Castelli race mitts on Saturday from Sigma Sport, this morning I received a mail to say that they were no longer in stock and would I like something else from the store!

FFS, that is twice now in two weeks I have ordered a pair of mitts from large online retailers who have sat on my money for a week before contacting me to tell me they no longer have my size in stock!