[Closed] Wiggle buying CRC?

edit: [url= http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/breaking-news-wiggle-set-to-buy-chain-reaction-cycles/ ]STW front page[/url]

http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/breaking-news-wiggle-set-to-buy-chain-reaction-cycles/

that's one way to negotiate a discount on their Collect+ returns bill

Never helps competition when one large company buys it's most powerfull competitor... 🙁

well thats 'interesting'.

No one else was anywhere near as big as those two were they?

Wheres the monopolies and mergers commission to save us from exploitation!

OH! wont someone think of the [s]children[/s] middle aged audi driving wood buring hebtroco wearing IT managers !

Darn, just when I noticed CRC started to offer decent shipping rates for continental Europe.
I'm on "don't buy from" terms with Wiggle, so I guess that's it then.

Wiggle and CRC tend to price match each other so this may not be great news?

I slightly prefer Wiggle. My wife doesn't mind the purchases so much if I give her the Haribo.

maybe LBSs are suddenly back in the game? or will we all just shop in germany?

As long as my vouchers are still valid and they improve their (wiggle) web site i'm not bothered.

Evans price match both.

Don't CRC own Vitus, Ragley, Hotlines and probably a few other brands?

I assume they are getting them thrown into the deal?

scotroutes - Member
Evans price match both

But wiggle's range is comparatively lousy (for mtb certainly, might be ok to good for road)

No one else was anywhere near as big as those two were they?

No but it never stopped Merlin, Ribble, Parkers etc price matching or just being cheaper anyway. So there's still competition.

But wiggle's range is comparatively lousy (for mtb certainly, might be ok to good for road)

Makes me wonder if Wiggle will acknowledge the issues around staffing conditions at CRC now, or pull the blinkers down further...

Just sayin.

Have been using Merlin & ActiveSport a lot more recently, very good service from both.

issues around staffing conditions at CRC now

I thought this was more a case of all large companies [s] online retailers[/s] and not just crc, very much a case of "I'm an over worked number not a valued member of staff and nobody cares"

CRC's brands are little more than a label they stick on catalog parts anyway

I think this is a good thing. It's one less website for me to look at when buying something. It's not like CRC and Wiggle are the only options. I also buy from BikeDiscount, Evans, JE James, Merlin and Wheelies depending on what I need, who has it in stock and what it costs (and of course how quickly I need it). One less option to look at would help.

To be honest Wiggle are good for road bike stuff and crap for mountain bike, whereas Chain Reaction are good for mountain but crap for road. Not sure why. Maybe by combining they can turn into a real world wide force.

The big shame is that somewhere lots of people will be losing their jobs. They won't be keeping two warehouse structures in place for long. If so much of their business is overseas then it will be the Northern Ireland business closing as Wiggles new warehouse is much closer to international airports and therefore cheaper shipping rates.

I used to work for a company owned by Bridgepoint, it was very aggressively managed to lower overheads, lower staff numbers, maximise profit, yadayada

I'd heard Wiggle had been looking at taking over the shop at glentress but this is a bit of a bigger step!

Must admit Wiggle's distribution HQ is pretty impressive http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2015/09/28/pictured-inside-the-enormous-wiggle-warehouse-in-bilston/

If only it was open to retail customers 🙂

chain wiggle or wiggle reaction? 😯

Merlin are good.

Is it only me who'd have expected it to be [i]CRC buying Wiggle[/i] if anything?

Both have lost a lot of business from me in the last year as I've discovered just how good the Germans are. I don't see this changing that too much.

Didn't expect that.

Can't say either are much on my radar these days when it comes to buying bike bits, whereas previously they've both been my go to sites at one point or another. Will be interesting to see what changes are made.

The latest Nukeproof, Ragley and Vitus stuff definitely seems to be good-quality products and moving forward at a great rate so hopefully they'll keep that up.

jekkyl - Member
chain wiggle

Conga?

[img] [/img]

Well that happened quicker than I expected.

allyharp - Member
Is it only me who'd have expected it to be CRC buying Wiggle if anything?

Probably. CRC, still family owned, would never be able to raise the capital to buy Wiggle, owned by a venture capital firm. Whereas Wiggle's owners probably have that kind of cash spare.

Wiggle staff on FB saying they've been told this isn't true.

Someone at ST need to update their story as Wiggle is owned by Bridgepoint, not Bridgeport.

Is it only me who'd have expected it to be CRC buying Wiggle if anything?

Yes Wiggle are now the bigger player with an experienced group of folk at top clearly looking to further expand.

In December 2011, the company was sold to Bridgepoint Capital for £180m.[6] Bridgepoint specialises in investing in middle market businesses, and Wiggle were able to launch 11 new websites for overseas consumers in 2012.

Bridgepoint also own fishers

ninfan - Member
Wiggle staff on FB saying they've been told this isn't true.

Beyond what's on the Internet (which must be true!!!) I know nothing but, if the brief to staff went anything along the lines of "there is nothing to worry about/your jobs are safe/the rumours you may have heard are just that..." experience tells me the opposite is likely the case.

Those sorts of denials are as much a part of the course as denying your intentions to run for office are a part of the us presidential race.

prezet they're back online again now. I suspect they were simply transferring the hosting of the site to someone under the control of Wiggle rather than CRC, hence the brief downtime.

New logo just been announced

[img] [/img]

Bridgepoint also own fishers

😐 yes they do...

[img] [/img]

FAO Darrenspink - is that a clip from a Coen Brothers movie by any chance ?

Ah, the delightful Bilston. A cultural epicentre of wonder.

Nooooooooo!

I've always bought from CRC and have done since they were a small local bike shop. I admired them for growing the business from that to what it is today. I'd seriously reconsider purchasing from them if it turns out to be true. Certainly won't if they close the facilities they have currently.

Lack of competition won't help pricing I'm sure.

Edit.... Echo in here

Edit.... Echo in here

Must be the cave you've been living in if you think CRC are a paragon of virtue 😆 . See previous posts on crap treatment of staff and other (often cheaper) mega-retailers in Europe.

Nearly a year since I stopped buying from CRC due to years of terrible service.

Wonder if Wiggle taking over would remedy this? Always been on the ball as a company.

Now, let's see if they can buy Px and sort them out 😉

Nearly a year since I stopped buying from CRC due to years of terrible service.

Wonder if Wiggle taking over would remedy this? Always been on the ball as a company.

My experience is pretty much the opposite. CRC are only rivaled by Merlin among the online retailers for customer service IMO.

Their staff are always friendly and helpful when I call. They sound happier than most call centre staff, so I hope they are treated fairly.

Wiggle won't even let me call, which I find a bit arrogant.

I've bought from Europe too, but CRC have always had brilliant service any time I dealt with them.

As for the posts about staff treatment, I've read them all but as I'm only hearing one side of the argument I tend to take it with a pinch of salt. I know a lot of people who work for them and do genuinely love their work. I'm sure they aren't perfect, I'm yet to work for anyone who is.
I've met the Watson family a few times and you'll never meet nicer more humble people.

I think the big question is will we get Haribo with a CRC order now or lose it from Wiggle?

Got to agree with cha****ng, not helped by Wiggle using the shower of shit that is DX. Their customer service has been awful when I've needed it, let me down really badly and you can't contact them on your terms that easily, they've become supplier of last resort.

CRC stock is getting a bit cack, with cheap stuff being on weird sizes but when I've bought from them they've been reliable. Both are put to shame by the Germans, Ribble and merlin though.

Had poor service form Wiggle and i normally avoid, CRC have gone off the boil and I more or less use Evans most of the time as they price match and deliver to store!

Rich