Agree with the comments about Chesterfield branch. The attitude of the staff is really poor. I only go in if I absolutely have to. Would never buy anything big off them.
I regularly go into the Chesterfield branch for a browse. Bought some stuff from them but generally just mooch around. Have always found the staff friendly and helpful. They leave you to wander round without hassling you (I hate shops where the assistant is constantly by my side). When I have a question I simply go over to the desk and they are more than happy to spend time helping.
I would happily buy from there if they had what I wanted. Agree about the web site though – awful.
No problem with the Chesterfield store or the online service. Had a TCR from Chesterfield, £250 cheaper than everywhere else (inc on-line)and they had stock in various sizes.
I’ve always got on with the staff there, then again I’m not afraid to be quite assertive if I think someone could try harder (after too many years in retail management).
Interestingly, I have received an email from the Chesterfield store manager. Some of his comments follow :-
“I have been trying to put more emphasis on giving female customers that extra customer service because in a male dominated store I can understand why ladies would feel uneasy. I employed Clare in our road department last year and she has been great and I have ordered more ladies clothing as we know it is a growing area.
We are also getting involved more with ladies cycling clubs hopefully to build the profile and in the hope that more females will feel welcome.”
I have to give them credit for bothering to contact me, but unfortunately I’m now too far away to go in the store and check it out.
I work in Rotherham so can easily pop in to get bits. I’ve bought a bike, 2 groupsets etc without issues, and had a warranty claim dealt with efficiently, but sometimes things take time and seem a bit chaotic. Today I decided I wouldn’t risk stock in branch issues, difference between online and shop price etc so ordered my ghetto tubeless bits online. Ordered lunchtime, despatched 16:00. Not bad so far!
I ordered yesterday at midday, received email updates, then text updates from their courier, DPD, including a one hour delivery window. The DPD driver arrived 8 minutes into this window!
I am very happy with the service, and the forks were the cheapest I could find on the net!!
Finally, a year after starting, my summer bike will be completed very soon 🙂
And delivered today. That’s 24hrs from order to delivery, including the Royal Mail influence. I know there’s been issues in the past but the new combination of prices and delivery could well make giving them another go worth while.
Credit due to the manager at Chesterfield, he has been in contact with me also. If the result of this thread is that JE James becomes a better bike shop then it’ll have been worthwhile having a grumble. Fingers crossed
same here too. I had an email from Dean at the Chesterfield store. he got in touch to ask if I minded discussing the poor experience I’d had there.
When we spoke he sounded genuinely put out about what I told him and seemed like a good bloke. I was impressed that he’d gone to the trouble to get in touch to be honest.
