[Closed] Ordering bike parts from Amazon - I've never done it

It always tells you who the supplier is, just keep an eye on the estimated deliver dates though as some stuff comes from China but is listed on the UK Amazon site. Which is fine but might take weeks rather than same day delivery. May bike items are from UK shops though.

Have a think about ordering from a company who avoid UK tax, suppress unions, overwork their staff and damage High Streets and other retailers.

APF

Yeah fair points APF, especially since I could just order from BikeInn direct I guess...

Just looked and some of the options are sold and delivered directly by Amazon - no probs with import/tax etc and get it delivered next day.

i do it all the time for small bits. have prime, always pick fulfilled by amazon and if I order before about 8pm it'll usually be here midday the next day.

Its weird; i use amazon for loads of stuff but it has always been a bit poor for bike things. Never had a single issue with anything brought from them. Think the only items i have ever tried to return (one an OS map i brought the wrong one of) they refunded the money and said to keep the item.

I've bought a few odds and ends from them. Strangely, they had some good deals on tyres a while ago and I got a set of Shimano SPDs next day delivery that my LBS couldn't get hold of for love nor money. And they were not far off trade price, certainly significantly cheaper than LBS.

While I'd usually go to LBS and support him (he's a friend, it's only a 5 min walk away), given that he couldn't get them from the supplier due to stock issues, I just ordered off Amazon. Genuine pedals, full Shimano packaging.

Usually worth a look on there alongside CRC/Wiggle although you do have to check the descriptions very carefully. Some of the tyres I was looking at it wasn't at all clear which were tubeless, which were regular clincher etc.

Have a think about ordering from a company who

avoid UK tax - up to UK government to tax properly

suppress unions - don't care

overwork their staff - any evidence for this compared to say NHS

and damage High Streets and other retailers - high streets need to adapt or die

i always check if amazon has what i want so i can use prime but it never has done yet.

Have started doing it a bit more lately.

Just random bits, last order was an inner cable. They are often good for a random tools that I might need to get something done.

Most recently they were the only place I could find a 29 x 2.4" DHRII

I've bought a few bikey things from Amazon.  No dramas at all.  They seem to be good for Dakine clothing and bags and workshop tools in particular.

The also do 3kg bags of Wine Gums!

I try to use proper bike shops whenever possible but if I need it fast and it’s on Prime I’ll swallow my pride and buy from Amazon. However, even when using proper bike shops it’s usually Merlin, Wiggle, CRC or Tredz for the keen pricing and free delivery. My actual LBS is a miserable smug bugger and after he told me I had a bent axle after truing a wheel he can get in the sea. The LBS’s I’m happy to support are 40 miles away so I’ll only go to them for big stuff.

Before the 'rona I would shop for bike stuff like this
A bit of online research to work out what I want/need.
1 Try to get it from a real physical LBS
2 if no luck, try to get it online from 'smaller' online store
3 if no luck, try to get it online from 'large' online store (wiggle/CRC)
4 finally, amazon.

The same holds true now, but bypassing the LBS stage.
In the last month or so I've found amazon still has some stock whereas others suppliers are struggling.

Amazon have opened a couple of fulfillment centres in the region recently and a few mates have done stints there after being made redundant or furloughd - to my surprise, all have thought it was a decent place to work.

The tax thing is about government(s) allowing loopholes.

That said, if I can't get bike stiff locally I'll use the Merlin and Wiggles of this world rather than Amazon, despite having Prime.

Oh genuine question, if an item is sold on Amazon's UK site but comes from outside the UK do you still have to pay extra for import duty, VAT and processing fees?

I assumed that was all magically rolled into the Amazon price you pay? I've ordered a few items that originated from outside UK and EU but didn't have to pay any extra duty or processing fees.

Was that just because they were low value items so no duty was required? And nothing to do with Amazon auto-magically handling that side of things for you?

A bit of online research to work out what I want/need.
1 Try to get it from a real physical LBS
2 if no luck, try to get it online from ‘smaller’ online store
3 if no luck, try to get it online from ‘large’ online store (wiggle/CRC)
4 finally, amazon.

You don't use Ebay? Ebay is first on my list. A lot of sellers are small bike shops.

eg. Woollyhatshop - used to be the go to website for Shimano stuff. Now they're only on Ebay.

Good point on eBay actually, I'm usually wary because I'm too lazy to vet sellers, I just want to be able to click and go without worrying about condition etc.

I did see one of the saddles I wanted on eBay, might go and check again...

Woollyhatshop – used to be the go to website for Shimano stuff

It used to be the go-to website for getting a headache or epileptic fit. Good prices, though

I use Amazon all the time - the taxation thing, meh. That's an issue caused by our government, not Amazon.

Amazon get stuff to you quickly, tracking delivery is spot on so easy to arrange your day around the delivery if need be and returns are easy & free. I had to return a thing at Christmas time. Entered on the app to return said widget. Take widget in box to corner shop a mile away and show chap at the counter a QR code on my phone. He prints out a label and takes box from you.

Despite being the busiest time of the year, I had a pending refund showing on my bank account within about an hour and the funds available the following morning.

If shops are failing due to Amazon, they need to up their offering to that of similar or better level of service.

Well a sole voice of support for APF here. I haven't shopped at Amazon for years. Every pound you spend is a vote for the world you want to live in, and for me, that isn't one run by one massive monopoly with some very unpleasant ethics.

Be careful

I bought 2 Selle Italia saddles from Amazon, knowing one would go back.

Both said sold and fulfilled by Amazon

I did live chat to confirm uk stick and uk returns. They confirmed they were.

When items arrived, one had come from Germany, the other France.

At least I could return to a uk address

used to be the go-to website for getting a headache or epileptic fit.

One positive about them only being on ebay now then 😛

It depends on a few things for me;

If the item is Amazon Prime (free next day delivery) AND the price is good then Amazon gets the sale
If not Amazon Prime then Wiggle gets the sale as their free delivery only takes a coupe of days
If neither of those then eBay or Google to find a place that has what I am after

LBS is not an option as they a) tend to be clueless and b) are over priced c) are very slow. Other than for fixing peoples bikes who don't want to do it themselves they don't need to exist anymore.

Woollyhatshop – used to be the go to website page in the back of MBUK for Shimano stuff

FTFY!!!

Those were the good old days! Buying LX V brakes on my Mum's credit card, and giving her the cash!!

DrP

Woollyhatshop – used to be the go to website for Shimano stuff. Now they’re only on Ebay.

https://www.bikeparts.co.uk/

This is Woollyhatshop's website these days.