Whats the deal now with chainreaction returns? I see on their website it says something along the lines of “pay for returns where applicable”?

returns are a mess at the moment. They have a new online system but I couldn’t get it to work (last week), sent them a message and they told me to return and scan a receipt to them and they would refund postage. Don’t think that’s a sustainable long term model!

Pay via PayPal and use their refund process
https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns

Wiggle and crc now charge

There is a pop out on this page that worked for me last week. One of the return optionsxwas free
Its hard to tell if the option is still available without an order number
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/customer-service/returning-an-item

I agree, it’s poor and a shock to me the other day to pay 3.50 or similar for the collect+ service. The only free option was via Asda I think, which is bloody miles away. Will be thinking more carefully about purchases, especially clothes if this is going to be their attitude/policy.

What Superstu said.
Their site says go to a Parcel Shop, show them the Q code and they will print a label.
Parcel shop doesn’t have a Q code reader, I used my phone -Q code unknown.
Contacted CRC …. Oh we don’t use Parcel Shop …. yes you do… send them a screen shot of their own website…. oh That’s ADSA…… er no its Parcel shop …. That’s what the words say.
And it wasn’t even me being picky, they sent and charged me twice for the same £75 order.

Will be thinking more carefully about purchases, especially clothes if this is going to be their attitude/policy.

🤔 Well, quite. It’s a bit unfair to expect retailers to bear the costs of folks using their home address as a mail order-changing room Shirley?

I’m with Kayak with this; I’ve used it (probably abused it, actually) so much in the past that I do feel I’ve taken advantage of the service. If nothing else it will slow down my bike part purchaes!

Think we had it good for a while – it’s not really the norm to expect the retailer to pay for unwanted returns, is it?

However, I though CRC’s returns process was one of the best/simplest. Would’ve been happy if they continued using that process but applied a small charge, rather than the new process – which I’m assuming is the same as Wiggle’s which is utter crap. Unsure the Wiggle staff I communicated with understood it either. Requested I paid for return of a helmet which arrived damaged/broken, then they’ll reimburse me. But then when I went through the process I found the free return option via Asda drop off which I’ve used.

I think this is good news LBS’s? You can try in store, unless the shop becomes the changing room for online purchases

as whatyadoinsucka says – claim process is pretty simple with Paypal. I think I’ve had about 10 refunds from them so far.

You can try in store

Only in the unlikely even that your LBS has a decent selection

a shock to me the other day to pay 3.50

Aw, poor you.

Thks for that paypal info whatyadoinsucka – just bought some poorly described wheels from planetX that I need to send back.

The ASDA Toyou return system is a joke. It says something along the lines of it can take up to 16 working days to get it back to CRC and then it’s up to a further 14 days to process a return. Also at my local ASDA you scan the pre printed thing on your phone, it prints a sticky label which you attach then just dump it in a giant parcel bin which anyone could walk up to and take anything they want out.

Given the fact that the big online shops have cleaved the local bike shop market in two I think it is totally fair to use CRC/Wiggle as an online changing room. If there’s doubt about the size buy both send one back. They can’t have it both ways of undercutting the hell out of everyone and then not covering free returns. My LBS hasn’t got the resources to stock EVERY size of EVERY item I want to try.

CRC used to be ace with returns, then Wiggle bought them and I’m guessing amalgamated two separate systmes into one shit one.

I bought two pairs of gloves sent one back two months ago. The Toyou tracking reference still doesn’t show it as arrived at CRC. Eventually I gave up waiting and whinged to the Customer Services who refunded it anyway. Bring back the old Royal Mail Tracked 48 returns, I used to get a refund email within 4-5 days of sending it off.

I reckon Wiggle are trying to shut CRC down, look at how little stuff is in stock since Wiggle took over. Useless.

I agree, it does look like they will eventually kill off CRC. Wiggles entire model gets worse for consumers year on year. Last year it was ditching DPD for Hermes/Yodel and still charging the consumers the same fee for a substandard service (for most as some areas have good depots)

This is an opportunity for the likes of Sigmasports to increase their catalogue and include a lot more MTB kit. They are so much better than Wiggle now. Still use decent couriers, great customer service and also offer discounts based on yearly purchase and they also price match! Could be the eventual downfall of Wiggle.

There have been a few articles recently about the % of online returns, the current model is not sustainable.

Also Wiggle has been run at a loss for years as it has expanded and acquired market share, recently it has stated an intention to return a profit so accountants will be looking at things like this to reduce costs.

You can try in store, unless the shop becomes the changing room for online purchases

Shops I used to work in stopped stocking clothing because of this, people used the shop to try for size, then they bought the same item online, some people would even scan the code and order online in the shop on their phone! Some people would also ask you to warranty online clothing purchases as they did not want to pay postage and the shop stocked that item.

Nothing wrong with buying online, I do it all the time (its cheaper and easier most of the time), but I dont waste hours of somebodies time I have no intention of buying from.

I’ve been a wiggle platinum customer for years, but recently my discount stopped. I’m still buying as much kit, so rather than just going to wiggle, clearly i’m finding better deals elsewhere.

The only thing that I could rely on with wiggle was the returns, which has in the past meant buying stuff from wiggle at a slight premium. If thats no longer the case, I can’t see me using wiggle/crc too much in the future.

I’ll second the sentiment about Sigma Sport. Excellent service.

Cynic that I am, has Wiggle not bought out its rivals to the point of near monopoly?

Now, having operated at a loss for years to drive out the competition, their VC / PE backers start to switch the operating model.

Increase prices, reduce costs (no DPD, paid returns) and repay the investment. And the costumer has nowhere else to go.

It’s the Amazon model.

And is something to consider as we watch the High St go to the dogs.

Received a survey from Wiggle yesterday, with questions about how I perceive it’s stock, delivery, returns etc to have changed in the last six months…

My recent experience was OK actually, returned grips that i’d Ordered incorrectly via Asda. Slight issue with finding someone competent with Amur reader at Asda, but apart from that it all went through ok.
I am fortunate to live near enough to Asda and could cope without my 30 quid for a week though.