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[Closed] Halfords vs CRC - what a rip off

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 Pook
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postage v pick up


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 3:55 pm
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£5. Hardly the end of the world.....


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 3:59 pm
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And Halfords have to cover their overheads like knowledgeable and helpful staff!


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:03 pm
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CRC have huge buying power and lower overheads. Is it really so hard to work out?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:21 pm
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lol @boxelder


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:27 pm
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Didn't actually look at the links then Boxelder 😉


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:30 pm
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I've got growing respect for Halfords, half the time it's as cheap to nip in there and buy something for the bike as it is to order it offline. Didn't use to be true...


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:35 pm
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boxelder:
CRC have huge buying power and lower overheads. Is it really so hard to work out?

The dangers of being too keen.


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:40 pm
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What rip off? So one retailer has something priced higher than the other. Happens all the time. Hardly a 'rip off'. Halfords could be clearing redundant stock or really nailed down the supplier on it.


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:43 pm
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CRC have to cover the cost of their flood insurance...


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:44 pm
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Buy it from Halfrauds then? What's to discuss?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:46 pm
 Pook
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Nice one boxelder. Field dressing for that gunshot wound in your foot?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:47 pm
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errr.

vote with your wallet then? it's pretty simple innit? it shows that price fixing ain't happening in this industry, (at least in this instance) which is great news for the consumer. I would be seriously worried if everything was exactly the same price everywhere you look.


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:53 pm
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Huh? That's nothing!

SID Team
SID Team

Most LBSs will be £640 too!

oos at merlin. It's easy to put these prices up if you've not got anything to sell. cf JEJames


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:56 pm
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ChrisE - Member
CRC have to cover the cost of their flood insurance...

Funny


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 4:59 pm
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vote with your wallet then?

I did - bought from Wiggle instead. You may be missing the point of this thread though. Also, why is tomhughes getting off so lightly compared to boxelder?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:02 pm
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don't knock Halfords - I bought f+r LX disc calipers and rotors for £10 in their sale bin.


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:03 pm
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CRC, Wiggle, Merlin, Halfords = Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons

They'll all have loss leaders, overstocked items to clear, higher margins on items they think most folks won't notice'


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:09 pm
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Also, why is tomhughes getting off so lightly compared to boxelder?

Good point.

tomhughes46:

And Halfords have to cover their overheads like knowledgeable and helpful staff!

Click first, read the links later eh?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:10 pm
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"CRC, Wiggle, Merlin, Halfords = Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons"

so who's Waitrose then?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:10 pm
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CRC pretty much price match any genuine deal anyway. If you find it cheaper at Halfords, then just buy it and be thankful that you can actually buy something on the high street cheaper than on the net!


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:15 pm
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Crikey!!! Stuff for sale at different prices from different retailers? SHIT THE BED!!!!

So does this apply to other stuff? If I go and buy say an apple at the ASDA round the corner I may not be getting the same price as I would from the Tesco across town? It could be more it could be less?

Shit I’m going to have to go round the lot and compare all of their like for like prices before I buy anything or I may not get the absolute best possible deals on everything I purchase!!!!

Bloody hell if only there was some way I could compare the cost of things from different retailers without visiting them all individually something like [url= http://www.google.co.uk ]Google[/url] but where would I find such a useful service?


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:26 pm
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cookeaa, you know what they say about sarcasm !


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:30 pm
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It really depends who "They" are...

If it's the voices in my head then they say a lot of things, some of them scare me to be honest, but they do chuckle when I'm facetious; I assume that translates to universal approval when mocking bed wetters who baulk at the price of everything.

Still we could all hold hands and tell one another we’re “special” that’d make for a barrel of laughs…


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:38 pm
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What a [s]fab[/s] pointless thread....... 🙄


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 5:50 pm
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The entire idea of scrabbling around trying to get the very cheapest prices at all costs just seems a but desperate and unseemly to me. FFS does a saving of a couple of percent really matter?! Those "where's the cheapest" threads get right on my tits as well - stop being so lazy and look for yourself if saving £3.72 or whatever is so ****in important...


 
Posted : 25/01/2010 6:41 pm
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YOu know what they say about looking after the pennies and the pounds will follow!


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 12:17 am
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Well I bought some shorts for xc from crc and found same in Halfrauds for half price 2 weeks later.

Cheaper turbo trainer in Halfrogs.

Depends what you buy/need and cost of postage etc.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 12:24 am
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I compared this recently
[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=11673 ]Brooks B72[/url]

[url= http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b11s144p682&rs=gb ]Brooks B72[/url]

I presume they rely on their general reputation and our apathy with none fast moving bike comsumables and products that are not on promotion. I don't have any complaints, it's up to you to shop around.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 12:28 am
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CRC - sells in the majority to dedicated cyclists who troll forums, buy mags etc.

Halfords - sells in majority to the family cyclist who wants general gear rather than very dedicated cycle products.

Therefore Halfords are probably likely to sell more of this type of product than CRC. If you looked at Halfords as a single entity to compare directly with CRC and you could see how many of these Halfords and CRC sell in a year, I suspect that Halfords would sell many more of this item, thus they can get a better price from the supplier and so sell cheaper.

If Halfords say sold XTR cranks I suspect that the price differential would be reversed as very few Halfords cycle customers are likely to be looking for anything so high end. So in this case CRC would get the better wholesale deal and so retail it cheaper.

IMHO

No rip off involved, economies of scale.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 1:07 am
 Bez
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[i]You may be missing the point of this thread though.[/i]

Well, I certainly am.

Is it to burn off excess internets?


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 2:32 am
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It's a bracket for a childs seat. I'm off as I don't give a ...


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 3:18 am
 aP
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Is this just a thread to demonstrate how database programmers know the cost of everything and value of nothing?
It was only about 6 months ago that people were making disapproving remarks about one of those two companies' business practices when they unilaterally cut a fairly hefty percentage off all their suppliers prices.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 7:39 am
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[i]So does this apply to other stuff? If I go and buy say an apple at the ASDA round the corner I may not be getting the same price as I would from the Tesco across town? It could be more it could be less?

[/i]

support your independant retailer! it'll be fresher (as they keep less stock so quicker turnaround) it'll be better quality (indy shop lives or dies by it's reputation) and you'll feel all warm inside as you engage in a bit of banter with probably the owner of the business rather than some bored teen/chav on the checkout*

*yes i used to have my own greengrocer/florist empire


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 9:26 am
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What I find interesting/annoying is the price comparisons with the SID's. To be fair it's been a few years now since I've seen a Fishers trade price list, but if I remember right an LBS can get RockShox forks for about 30% less than RRP, it may even be less than 30%. That obviously means that an LBS buys in that fork for about £450, Merlin Cycles were selling them at £369.95 and obviously making a profit, but even more annoyingly that means that for Merlin to make just 10% profit (I'd imagine they make more) they bought them for £333.

If a manufacturer/distributor can sell a product and still make a profit on it for £333 (remember they probably sold it to Merlin for less than that), why are they taking the pi$$ out of LBS's and us with trade prices of £450, and RRP's of £640?


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 10:06 am
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I'm sure if your LBS rolled up to Fishers and ordered 300 pairs of forks they'd get a better price than they woudl for just the one.

Merlin CRC et al buy big and pass the saving on (just like Tesco's vs your local corner shop). It may not be palatable if you're the small guy but it's the way business works.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 10:11 am
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wwaswas - Obviously in business there will be quantity discounts offered to customers. I work for a business that supplies coffee to every size of business, from Tesco's to your cafe at the bottom of the street. The difference in margin between our biggest customer, a supermarket, and our smallest customer is 11%.

A conservative estimate on the difference between what Merlin pays and what an LBS will pay is 26%.

Now if we don't rip off the little business just to keep the big business happy then why do they do it in the bike trade?

LBS's are the life blood of the bike trade. As far as I'm aware it's one of the few remaining retail sectors where the independent traders still have a significant percentage of the market. If manufacturers/distributors carry on taking the pi$$ with LBS's then they will cease to be. I don't know about you but I get a shiver down my back when I think of a future where the only place where you can throw a leg over a bike before you buy it is Halfords.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 11:04 am
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Ive just had a cup of coffee in my lounge- I bet it would have cost more at Starbucks 👿


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 11:19 am
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Jim...suprised at that 11% difference...assumed Tescos et al would screw you for far more off!..do they get longer payment terms etc?

Looking at where you live can see where you are going with LBS's you can't get anything remotely technical round here!

p.s if you fancy a spin locally get in touch


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 11:54 am
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[url= http://www.amazon.com/KETTLER-KETTCAR-Nevada-Pedal-Car/dp/B001AOJPN8 ]****YEAH!!!![/url]

[url= http://brandzdirect.com/Kettcar-Kabrio-by-Kettler/M/B00005LBZO.htm ]cheap at twice the price![/url]

[url= http://www.bugatti-configurator.com/bugatti_en.html ]Piss Off Grandad![/url]

IT'S ALL BOLLOCKS you toadying miserly skinflints!!!


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 3:38 pm
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Online is usually but not always cheapper than high street. Shop around find the best price and then buy it.

End of discussion.


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 3:43 pm
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I find the odd thing at Halfords quite good but save loads with CRC like cassettes and Merlin cycles is good too.

ALways shop around!


 
Posted : 26/01/2010 5:20 pm
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