CRC/Wiggle latest? risk a return?

What’s the latest for Chainreaction/Wiggle then? I believe they closed their Belfast store but are still trading in administration online. I have a potential return (£300 value), paid on Paypal. Would you risk a return or ebay it ?

I recently returned a pair of trainers I bought last October, took 7 days but got a refund.

I returned some forks about 10 days ago….it was fine

You risked spending £500 already…

Returned a jersey recently. No drama and full refund

I would say hold off, if its not too late, given today’s news.

I’ve got a chain going through warranty with CRC at the moment. Be interesting to see how it goes now…

Hopefully they’ll be pretty reactive.

They’ve had my ebike for 3 weeks now, what are the odds I’ll get it back.

I think if all the staff have been laid off then there’ll be no one in the warehouse to process any returns.

They’ve had my ebike for 3 weeks now, what are the odds I’ll get it back.

If the office cat is capable of packing it up and sending it, maybe

They’ve had my ebike for 3 weeks now, what are the odds I’ll get it back.

I’d be seriously tempted to drive over there and ask for it back if I were you.

Hopefully they’ll be pretty reactive.

Very good.

Unfortunately I sent the Lyrik fork (£300) back and it got delivered today to CRC at 19.20!! Doh! I paid originally using Paypal and have returned tracking details and a photo of it boxed up. What do you think the chances are here? Strictly speaking it’s not their property if they don’t refund it, but that’s not really going to help. Chances of raising this with Paypal for a refund?

Just raised a case with Paypal, might as well get in in their system. They will contact CRC in time, presumably if there is no response from CRC the odds improve in my favour ? Not sure this works as PP may claim their cover only covered the original transaction, not the return?

Was potentially thinking of returning a bike with a change of heart. Think that’s a no go now lol.

@coconut

From the story it looks like there’s probably a skeleton team still there so fingers crossed that stuff like this is part of their remit.

I expect they have a plan for this as the costs of dealing with the customer fallout in the form of calls/emails etc to the administrator would be significant if any volume of these isn’t dealt with when the final close happens.

@coconut I had this with another company a while back, they went under while my return was with them. PayPal refunded me in full when I opened a case, it was all very easy.

Good to know. I have opened a case and escalated on PP, will see how this plays out. Going to try and contact CRC tomorrow, don’t hold too much hope on that front. The news reports suggest a small staff group will stay on until all stock is sold off, this *could* (!!) allow a few more days/weeks trading, but that’s a total punt/guess.

i wouldnt risk a return, if anyone is looking to sell one of those fox38s 170 i’ll happily pay cost and pickup/ arrange shipping , (and the 3 speed nexus mach bike large) :0)

Had a helmet to return yesterday but was saved by the drop-off lockers being full. Wonder if it’s possible to cancel the return and get the postage refunded.

I’ve got a frame to send back but looking at the prices of them on pinkbike, ebay etc I may just shove it up for sale and double my money potentially :D

A positive result, CRC issued a full refund to me today (£295). They were very helpful and responded to emails quickly. Sorry to say… but stay well clear!! they are a big risk currently, I think they will be finished in the new few days/weeks.

Order put in late yesterday, showing as shipped this morning. Just saying.

Returned something on Monday and was refunded on Thurs – which is quicker than normal tbh…

Ordered one of those £70 exposure diablo sets yesterday with next day delivery and it is out to be delivered now. Cant say I’d risk it again unless it was a crazy bargain like the Diablo and I really wouldn’t risk a return anymore.

Iirc the ex employee in the other thread said they were keeping going until March with limited staff. When in march, who knows. I’m still happy to order but don’t think I’d risk a return now. I’m only buying stuff I know will be fine or is cheap enough not to be a worry

“Returned something on Monday and was refunded on Thurs – which is quicker than normal tbh…”

TBF my return was faster than normal and the emails were responded to. I notice they have given up the online chat function, likely a sign of very few staff left. Might be worth purchasing with credit card/paypal if it’s a huge price   reduction, but you will be risking having little/no warranty, backup/return option. I would definitely NOT return anything now.

Order arrived with parts missing…. great.

Anyone know if they have anyone manning the live chat or emails anymore following the latest round of redundancies?

Oh no! What parts were missing?

The Helmet Mount and Quick Release Handlebar Bracket from the Diablo front light pack. I mean I know it was a bargain at £70 but without the mounts it is a bit less of one. I mean I’ll not risk returning it anyway but still.

Yeah still a huge bargain but annoying!

There are a couple things I was looking at but not sure will bother now

I found it was only the email option, online chat seems to have stopped (presume due to lack of staff left).

The amount of people returning bikes / frames because they have changed their mind on here is interesting – I imagine another reason it’s hard for a business like this to turn a profit.

“The amount of people returning bikes / frames because they have changed their mind on here is interesting “

Agreed, but that was one of CRC’s selling points, they were offering 365 refund policy. It’s always a challenge for any retailer selling online. IMO the 365 policy was overly generous, I would stick with the distance selling regs of 14 days.

“The amount of people returning bikes / frames because they have changed their mind on here is interesting – I imagine another reason it’s hard for a business like this to turn a profit.”

Not really, every internet retailer assumes a rate of return in its business model. Remember working on automation at the Freemans Catalogue shed in Peterboro’ pre-internet days (lols) and they assumed a 20% return rate

They always seemed happy to sell the returns as if they were new so maybe not too big a deal to them. I recall some issues with forks and may explain those diablo missing parts.

Chat was working today. They said the exposure listing was wrong but gave me a voucher anyway so can’t complain given that takes it down to £53 for an Exposure Diablo!

“Not really, every internet retailer assumes a rate of return in its business model. Remember working on automation at the Freemans Catalogue shed in Peterboro’ pre-internet days (lols) and they assumed a 20% return rate”

A returned T-shirt or pair of trainers, chainring or a headset etc is a little different to a full bike I feel – I have returned plenty of small items before but wouldn’t order a bike unless I was 100% sure it was being kept / only returned due to damage or warranty.

When a full bike is returned though, surely these are un-opened bike boxes or do people have the gall to unbox a bike, build it, take a look at it and decide its not for them before cobbling it back in the box to be returned?

Im with crankrider on this one.