Has anyone else had a bad experience with Evans Cycles mail order? I just got a pair of Time Roc Atacs that I ordered via their website and they’ve been used!! Not heavily used, but there is dirty grease on the pedal threads and marking on the pedal bodies – it looks like someone fitted them to a bike and had a try out.

They’re not damaged or excessively worn but all the same I feel a bit put out – I’d have bought from the STW classifieds if I wanted something used (and wouldn’t be paying the new price).

What did Evans say ?

Presumably you have already contacted them regarding your problem.

Yeah, I tried but speaking to their ‘contact centre’ but it was a frustrating experience…. basically they want me to sort it out myself and take it back to the nearest shop to be exchanged (which isn’t particularly convenient).

They won’t give out the manager’s email so no chance of contacting someone who might be able to offer a better solution. Frustrating…

I ordered a pair of PI bib shorts and was sent a PI top that was used.

Several other issues too boring to go into.

I see Evans as a better version of Halfords and for me personally, just too much hassle to use.

Just send them back for a refund: http://www.evanscycles.com/help/returns
Then buy them elsewhere

I’ve been sent used stuff by Evans before. Properly worn out too, not just “nearly new”. I wonder if it’s a deliberate tactic, on the presumption that they’ll get away with it often enough for it to be worthwhile, or if there’s simply a couple of bad eggs in their warehouse.

On the rare occaision I still use them I opt for the Ship-2-store option now, so I can hold then to account upon receipt of the dodgy goods. Oddly enough I’ve never had an issue with a ship-2-store order…

Papa_Lazarou, after this I agree with you, they are too much hassle to use. It’s not just the initial problem but the difficulty of being able to contact someone who might be able to resolve it.

I found this email address in the Evans Chalk Farm thread: community.manager@evanscycles.com so will give that a try.

Interesting to see that some other people have had the same thing happen!!

Easy to happed if the monkey who handles returns is having a bad day,

Some low life orders pedals, uses them, then just sends them back in the box saying “unwanted gift”. monkey receives box quick look inside. Not a cyclist so doesn’t check 100% and puts on shelf.

Easy to happed if the monkey who handles returns is having a bad day,

Just perhaps the person who packs the stuff up and sends it out, is between skiled jobs, is stressed, or haveing a relationship breakdown, then he reads about somebody haveing the wrong parts sent out, from the returns pile instead of the new pile.

Just perhaps he or she may well vent in public without giving the customer the right to put things right.

…….if the monkey who handles returns……

Or maybe they just read comments like this online, and then go to work and think……

“Monkey eh ??? **** it, I’ll just send this used stuff out to the ungrateful twits”

I orderd some GORE ride on cables that were super cheap from Evans. Came without cables and the box looked like it’d been used as the lunchtime football. Phoned up, sent back, got sent brand new box, no probs. Will shop again.

Ordered bars off JEJames, arrived looking like someone had completed a season in the Alps using them. Sent back, refund, won’t bother with them again.

I remember someone on here getting a well worn saddle from them. Clearly taken from a demo bike.

Curiously, I’ve ordered quite a few odds and sods from Evans and apart from the black hole that is their email server they have been pretty good. No second hand items, prompt delivery etc.

They sometimes have dangerously low prices (which they honour) and can have items in stock when the other big names have sold out.

Probably because no-one buys from them 🙂

I agree with rocketman….another advantage of using Evans is when the staff don’t know the difference between 2011 and 2012 stuff and pricematch 2011 stuff….BIG savings!!

Got sent out a pair of shorts without the liner that was meant to be included. The packaging had clearly been opened, and I presume, the liner removed. Many futile attempts to contact their customer service* via phone and email resulted in me giving up. Won’t be bothering to shop with them again, that’s for sure

* the word is used figuratively in this instance, and in no way indicates any actual ‘service’ real or implied

Hi eccolafilosofiadelpedale, it’s James here from Evans. I’m really sorry if you got some used pedals – it’s obviously not meant to happen. If you can email me your order number (james.backhouse@evanscycles.com) I’ll ask one of the team to get in touch and sort it out.
Cheers,
James

Thanks for the reply James, I did get a call back late yesterday afternoon from Evans and an offer to send another set of pedals out and refund me the postage for returning the used pair.

I would like to ask –

Why did I have to escalate this to a manager before a reasonable solution was offered? Shouldn’t your contact centre staff offer this as a matter of course?

Quite a few other people seem to have had a similar problem – do you know why this is happening, and are Evans taking any steps to address it?

Presumably you have already contacted them regarding your problem.

here we go response within 24hrs?

edit just seen OP’s post and did get a direct response faster than the tracking of stuff on here

Merlin do the same. Equipment obviously fitted sold as new.

Must admit I’ve had nothing but excellent service recently from evans – hope you get the pedals sorted out.

another advantage of using Evans is when the staff don’t know the difference between 2011 and 2012 stuff and pricematch 2011 stuff….BIG savings!!

Yup have noticed this as well. There are also err…opportunties in the tyre section

Merlin do the same. Equipment obviously fitted sold as new.

Difference between fitted and used though, no?

Quite alot of cheap OEM shimano stuff has been fitted to a bike, I know CRC used to sell this and Merlin do too occasionally, though most of their cheap shimano stuff comes in official boxes now.

I don’t think that OEM means parts that have been fitted to and removed from a bike – I’ve always assumed that it is bought in bulk to fit to new bikes, then what filters down to Merlin, Chainreaction, etc is excess stock that was not used.

Anyway, what happened to James from Evans? No reply from him on this thread or by email….

maybe he got bored of trying to write your username (on here, at least)?

Hi eccolafilosofiadelpedale. You’re absolutely right, we should really have sorted it out immediately for you.

It’s a very small fraction of our orders where we have an issue, and we’re doing our best to reduce it even further. When we do miss things, we will of course exchange it. Hope you have some good riding on your pedals when they arrive

Cheers