Halfords, I knew there'd be trouble!

I have recently been on the looking out for a new set of lights, nothing fancy, just good enough to get me from work and back.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_781905_langId_-1_categoryId_165636#dtab

Halfords had the Cateye el530 at such a good price i couldn’t resist. It only gave me the option to reserve it in my local store, which i did. Upon arrival Halfords showed there true colors, keeping me waiting for 30 minutes, before announcing the light should be in stock, but it wasn’t and had probably been shoplifted, then gave me a gormless smile, and returning to the bodge of his bike maintenance. So i rang up the only other store in the country i could find this product at, Wandsworth. They had me on hold for 15 minutes before informing me they had 2 in stock, but were unable tot ake an order over the phone and deliver this product. Are they mad? I want to give them money and they physically won’t let me!

So i rang up customer services for “Reserve and Collect” now just wait for this.

“Ah yes Lewis the El 530, this has actually been popular this question. Basically this item is seasonal, believe it or not and basically its seasonal to summer, in the winter months Halfords struggles to sell this item. Therefore now coming into winter months it will become obsolete.”

I questioned him a blunt and straight forward, Is There anyway i can purchase this light from yourselves.

He responded with yes Lewis, of course we can do that for you, although we can’t process this over any other method so you would have to visit one of the shops in Wandsworth, Manchester or Aberdeen.

Is this man having a joke, i genuinely hope Halfords go into liquidation soon, never have i had an easy experience with them. I suppose I’m to blame, Halfords only seem to employ morons these days.

some good, some bad yadda yadda yadda.

repeat to fade, or Google halfords bashing threads for more.

I personally would never wish people out of jobs, especially as I have a lot if friends who work there.

there Staines store is showing 1x in stock.

To be honest that light is getting a bit old now. Although the batteries last forever.

But I’d still be tempted to get something cheaper and probably brighter from dealextreme.

Obsolete product slowly being run out of stock, shocker.

Please inform me of the replacement of this model?

No, didnt think so.

i have one, wouldnt buy another.
its decently bright, but a very narrow beam, not much spread to it, no flashing mode either.

Yeah i’ve seen a few negative comments, but as a rule i think it will do the job, and its a decent price.

I’m not complaining completely at the fact they might be superseding the item, its the nature of there customer care.

I went get some conti barons from the bury store. Reserved them and they 7 in stock, drive 20 miles to be told they have non in stock! Idiots the lot of them.

We ordered a few bikes from them with our in house cycle scheme. Giving them money proved to be a bit of an ordeal. 🙄

The LBS on the otherhand couldn’t have been better.

What do you want?
When do you want it?
What is your credit card number?

Bought a spoke in Halfords last week, textbook purchase, no problems to report.

I’ve got one of those, do you want to buy it? I don’t use it anymore.

Please inform me of the replacement of this model?

No, didnt think so.

Any DX light at half the price?

If you reserve and collect it you get text saying XYZ is ready for collection, give them the ref number and they have it ready under the counter. Did you not wait for the text?

Only issue I’ve ever had with the system was getting some lightbulbs for the car, reserved some halfords own brand ones, none in stock, got bosch ones for the same price. Try getting an XT mech out of an LBS for SLX money!

I got the text and the email. They said they would have a look for the lght and get back to e the next day, they didn’t. I went in again to be told it must have been shoplifted.

DaveRubadar are you up for sending one this way, i’ve purchased it off Merlin who i get on well with, but another one wouldnt do any harm!

Do a price match at Evans or somewhere and have it delivered from someone that does do Internet shopping rather than just being a highstreet store with a webpage
Not really worth a poor 2/10 rant, just apply some logical thinking if your that desperate to pay over the odds on an old not particularly great light

Halfords Preston – brilliant. Ordered a bike (Boardy Pro HT) online at midnight a couple of months ago, picked it up at 4pm the next day, and it had 10% off list price. Gave me a free tin of GT84. Having the free first week service on wednesday. Cant fault em so far, beats Ribble for customer service.

It’s a poor light. I have one and the battery lasts ages, but so does a candle. Cateye stuff seems to be bobbins nowadays.

I’d maybe look at one of the Blackburn or electron lights at that price point.

I bought a continental tube and some finish line wet lube today. I paid them money, they took my money, and I took my goodies home. It was just like going to a shop!

Are they mad? I want to give them money and they physically won’t let me!

Are you?

so, someone stole the light, a conclusion he came to after spending 30 minutes searching the store for you. What I’d do is call into question his intelligence and skills at repairing bikes.

iain1775

I’ll tell you some logical thinking.

Number 1. Evans do not sell this light, therefore please ensure your witty comments are correct before making them.

Number 2. No company, whatsoever will price match a company who does not have the light in stock.

Next Time, try think logically rather than a poor 1/10 witty comeback.

All those criticising the light, I have always used cat eye’s and am a big fan, I’ve also seen the El530 0n a friends bike and am particularly impressed with it, the light is irrelevant to the point

What do you want?

Soup!

When do you want it?

Now!

What is your credit card number?

Can I not just pay with cash? I mean tbh it’s actually a lot safer these days you’re more likely to be credit card frauded than mugged. 😐

And it’s like that.

What amuses me with some people on this forum, is the way they argue with everything.
If you want to question my point about him bodging the bike, I’ll tell you about this.

He was clumsily attempting to remove a Tyre with a set of spoons and failing miserably.

The man was unwelcoming, and half an hours searching after i had driven 45 minutes to go pick the light up? Not much of an ask is it.

Anybody else wish to argue?

What would you like to argue about?

(Be prepared for the fact that you will lose, mind…)

Borrrrrrring
Hmmmmmeeee

Why didn’t you buy a Dealextreme, internet bish bosh job’s a good ‘un, and save yourself the problems of having to interact with people?

yes you are. well done! My local Halfords is pretty ace, the main mechanic bloke is a proper lithe mad roadie with loads of bikey knowledge. He’s happy to chat about bike lube for ages, cos I’m a bit wierd like that and swopped out a BB for free. I’m a bit scared of how much he knows about bikes though, so I just nod.

What, no argument?

Ah what, I was looking forward to it too… 🙁

Ha my mothers brothers father in laws dog is really funny aswell.

Hmmmmmeeeeee. Boring

Oh Don Simon you little keyboard warrior

Given how charming you appear to be, judging by your op and responses here, I just can’t understand why the Halfords staff member wasn’t more helpful in your quest to buy something from them. How dare he take 30 minutes off working to look in the warehouse for the lights? The other store too, keeping you on hold to look for the product? The liberty! Then adhering to company policy by n ot taking a payment over the phone or agreeing to send the product to you. Can’t he bend the rules, just for you? I’m sure you’ll sort him out when he gets in the doo doo for it.

With regards to your opinion of the quality of staff in the national chain with hundreds of stores and thousands of employees in the UK and Far East perhaps if they really do only recruit morons you should submit an application?

You drove 45 mins to pick up a £30 obsolete light…are you mental?
I have one of these lights too, and they are not that good. Well they are OK, but theres better thats half the weight and size.

You do come across as a bit of a moron. Unfortunate if they’re unable to find the item they have stock for, but an online stock checker will never be 100% accurate.

The EL530 really isn’t very good, it wasn’t when it came out about 6 years ago, and it’s not changed, whilst everything else has. An Exposure Flash or something would probably be better, or any of the DX ones mentioned.

Seems you had made up your mind about Halfords before you went near one.

lewismorgan – Member
Please inform me of the replacement of this model?

Aha!

You work on our IS desk, don’t you. Will you fix my **** VPN?!

Matbee if you really have the time to write an abusive response with no relevance to the op like that then tbh your a bloody moron yourself

Hmmmmmeeeeee. Borrrrring

Unfotunately there are sometimes issues with the stock levels in that the web says they have stock but the store doesn’t. You shouldn’t of been sent confirmation unless they had picked the order for you though. On a lighter note though nice to hear roulercoaster I used to work at the preston store, glad everything went well for you

Not much relevance to the OP but what is hmmmmeeeee? Genuine question.

lewismorgan – Member
Please inform me of the replacement of this model?

It’s the EL540 by the way, not widely available yet, but check the Cateye website…

Not much relevance to the OP but what is hmmmmeeeee? Genuine question.

Perhaps it’s the latest new thing to say after taking a pasting for being a bit of an obnoxious pratt on the forum?

hmmmmmmeeeeeee

what a tool

lewismorgan – Member

Ha my mothers brothers father in laws dog is really funny aswell.

Hmmmmmeeeeee. Boring

Oh Don Simon you little keyboard warrior

Oh Lewismorgan, you’re sole objhective seems to be to cause trouble, not for the first time is it that you’ve come here with a question, or in this case an unprovoked attack on Halfords with a customer is king attitude, you will learn as you enter adulthood that the world is not here to service people like Lewismorgan.
I offered you genuine advice and you insult me by calling me a keyboard warrior, wtf?
Clearly from your arrogance and attitude here do indeed have problems with social interactions.
I am only a keyboard warrior because you are hiding behind yours.