Service: Bike24 vs Uk store

[reohn2]

I ordered an item from Bike24 in Germany mid to late afternoon on a Tuesday total cost of item including postage was €28 plus cents,postage costs were €5 of that total.
The item was sent by DHL and was in my hands on Friday morning,I was able to track the item every step of it's journey and got an email with a time slot to deliver on the day .

I ordered another item from a well known west country online retailer(who also sell over priced touring bikes) on Monday this week,total cost £28 plus pence,including £3.50p delivery,on Tuesday I received an email with a tracking number.
On checking the tracking number this morning (Friday) I get the message from Royal Mail 'the sender has let us know this item will be with us soon'!!!!!!!!!.
That message was dated Tuesday(the day after my order was placed).
I have no idea where the package is or when I'll receive it

This isn't the first time a German retailer has both been cheaper including postage(sometimes as much as 25% but never less than 10% )and by far quicker than UK retailers.
What are UK retailers doing???????????

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On a completely unrelated matter,we went to the UK Caravan and Motorhome show yesterday at the NEC.
As we have German made caravan we tend to make a B line for the German caravan makers stands.
Whilst in one of the caravans I got chatting with a chap and commented on how they're a cut above UK 'vans but you pay a premium for that.
He told me he'd had the same Hymer caravan for 17 years and was looking to buy a new one,and that the caravan he was interested in was £34K at the show,but he'd checked prices with NL dealers and found the exact same caravan to buy there was £25K.
I checked it out this morning and he's right!
What's going on???????
BTW we both agreed it's likely to get worse after brexit

[reohn2]

I emailed the Uk shop today to ask where my item was,they told it'd most likely missed the 'scan point' and the tracking would most likely show up in a 'few day's,but in case it's got lost They're sending me another and if two turn up to keep both of them,all well and good but I only want one in a reasonable time after I've ordered it.
I fairness I don't know if it's the retailer or Royal Mail's fault,but I've never had a problem dealing with German retailers

[PH]

Sounds like a RM problem and I've had a couple of issues with DHL on German orders, including one where they were insistent it had been delivered and I'm sure the supplier still thinks I scammed them. IMO delivery is logistics rather than service, I assume you bought from that UK supplier because it's a hard to find item. They probably would have also had the answer to any questions you had about it and the knowledge if it was the right item for your requirements, be quick to answer them by phone or online and easy to deal with if you have a future problem, that IMO is service
I read review after review where the most important aspect seems to be how quickly it arrived, like kids not being able to wait for Christmas morning... I don't think I've ever needed a part next day, partly due to forward planning and partly because I have more than one bike and one out of commission for a few days is no big deal. A bit of communication so I know when to expect it is appreciated, but I don't need anyone rushing round to meet the cut off or having to work late or weekends, thanks. I tend to use them a fair bit, items usually dispatched the day after ordering, delivered a couple of days after that. And always well packaged unlike some mudguards from Bike24 (Not available elsewhere) loose in a box and bent in transit

[reohn2]

Sounds like a RM problem

Quite possible.

IMO delivery is logistics rather than service,

As I mentioned in the OP,when I order from the two main German dealers I get good prices and efficient service along with almost instant updates on where my item is in the chain.

I assume you bought from that UK supplier because it's a hard to find item

.
TBH it was on recommendation from someone on the forum and because it so came high on the Google search,I did't know if Bike24 or Rose stocked them.just checked,they don't

They probably would have also had the answer to any questions you had about it and the knowledge if it was the right item for your requirements, be quick to answer them by phone or online and easy to deal with if you have a future problem, that IMO is service :wink

:
TBH it's not nothing complicated just a pair of crosstop levers,I know what they and what they do and know who has them.
The problem is efficiency of the item getting from them to me.

I read review after review where the most important aspect seems to be how quickly it arrived, like kids not being able to wait for Christmas morning... I don't think I've ever needed a part next day, partly due to forward planning and partly because I have more than one bike and one out of commission for a few days is no big deal

I can wait,don't particularly like Chrismas and I can ride the bike they're intended for and also have other bikes I can ride,my gripe is how long it's taken to reach me,presently 5 working days and counting.

. A bit of communication so I know when to expect it is appreciated, but I don't need anyone rushing round to meet the cut off or having to work late or weekends, thanks

I ordered it on Monday this week,it's now Friday evening,no weekends involved.
My daughter and SinL run an online business that ships far more items a day Monday to Friday than this retailer,they manage to turnaround any order within the working day up until 4pm,it can get hectic,I know I've worked for them when they're short staffed due to illness,etc.
But seem to manage 99.9% of the time.

I tend to use them a fair bit, items usually dispatched the day after ordering, delivered a couple of days after that. And always well packaged unlike some mudguards from Bike24 (Not available elsewhere) loose in a box and bent in transit

I've had waiting issues with them on occasion though I agree their packing is alway first rate.
If I had to complain about Bike 24 it'd be packaging though not the same problem you've had,mine was a seat collar that I couldn't get anywhere in the UK,it's makers packaging(Salsa) was the size of a matchbox which was in turn packed into a 30cm × 20cm × 10cm box with a square metre of crumpled brown paper inside to stop it rattling around in there .
Even the DHL man was so surprised when I told him,he checked if he'd given me the wrong box!

[Cyril Haearn]

I ordered a book from Berlin, it did not arrive for over a week so I sent a mail to ask

The seller explained that he had forgotten to send it, I received it later, he made no charge for book or post, the Germans are so correct

DHL means "dauert halt laenger" (just takes longer) or "die halbe Leistung" (half the service)

[deliquium]

Wiggle 'acquired' Bike24 last year

https://road.cc/content/news/231147-wig ... ite-bike24

[reohn2]

Wiggle 'acquired' Bike24 last year

https://road.cc/content/news/231147-wig ... ite-bike24

Bit of a surprise,is that,though with brexit looming on the horizon maybe not.

[reohn2]

Update on the situation.
I phone the West country outlet last Friday and the pleasant lady on the other end checked and told me they'd been posted to be on the safe side she'd post another pair off and meanwhile if the first ones came to keep both pairs.
The one's posted on Friday arrived Monday and predictable the original order came Tuesday .

PH was right it was Royal Mail's fault.

Hands up I was crying before I was hurt,and full marks to SJS cycles for their customer service and generosity.

BB7 MTN/V brake crosstop levers now fitted and working great

[PH]

Update on the situation.
I phone the West country outlet last Friday and the pleasant lady on the other end checked and told me they'd been posted to be on the safe side she'd post another pair off and meanwhile if the first ones came to keep both pairs.
The one's posted on Friday arrived Monday and predictable the original order came Tuesday .

PH was right it was Royal Mail's fault.

Hands up I was crying before I was hurt,and full marks to SJS cycles for their customer service and generosity.

BB7 MTN/V brake crosstop levers now fitted and working great

Glad it got sorted and those spare levers may become much sought after, as far as I can see Tektro don't have them listed anymore and SJS seem to be the only ones with stock.
I'm not always impressed with SJS, they're not often the cheapest, the postage sometimes seems excessive, they can be rigid in their opinions (That's the politest way I can say that!) but service is one thing I'd usually give them top marks for.

[Cyril Haearn]

Opinions?