How hard can it be to work in an [online] bike shop?

Ordered a new helmet and another cassette from an online retailer which also has a physical presence.

They put the cassette in the same box that the helmet is shipped in (not their own box, but the one that says “Kask” in big letters on the side). Can’t see any dents to the helmet or squished corners on the box holding the cassette, but it makes you wonder about the mentality of the person who did it since there was plenty of room in the main box for it to go.

I’d normally return for a replacement as I’m not convinced that a helmet should be used as packing material for metal objects, but as it was a Cycle2Work order I don’t think it’s worth the hassle – unless you more educated people think that it’s a terrible idea to use it?

(not only that but it would go straight back into the warehouse and then be sold to someone completely unaware of its history)

It’s not that difficult, bit like flying a plane 🙂

Yeah, I had a bike shop send me a “new” helmet, without its retail packaging, in a thin cardboard box that it barely fit in.

I returned that, it wasn’t obviously damaged, but I wasn’t happy that it could have been transported safely like that. They subsequently ignored all emails asking them to refund my return postage.

Not just bike shops. We had a bathroom redone and the Mrs ordered a free standing mirror and a stainless door weigh from Amazon. I’ll not bother finishing that story.

I’m not sure what the issue is here?

Probably on minimum wage and under high pressure to get orders out, or told to put it all together to save costs. I doubt it is someone doing it incompetently because they can’t be bothered or lack intelligence.

Yeah I’d be annoyed about that too tbf

So let me get this straight..

Customer orders some items from what I assume was the cheapest source… Items turn up fine.. Customer complains because the packaging caused zero damage.

Go ride your bike.

Of course that is rubbish.

Did you shop on price?

Customer orders some items from what I assume was the cheapest source… Items turn up fine.. Customer complains because the packaging caused zero damage.

Well, that’s the thing, isn’t it? You can’t tell from outward appearances whether a helmet is damaged or not because it can be damaged but spring back after an impact.

Did you shop on price?

No, it was a cycle to work purchase and I picked one of the more expensive helmets in the category. Discounts don’t apply to cycle to work stuff. None of the LBS in my area offer the schemes for anything other than a complete bike so you do end needing to go online.

A spiky metal cassette rattling around in the same box as a helmet is clearly an issue isn’t it- helmets can be compromised without any visible damage or marks.

Reread tbe OP and the cassette was still in it’s box?

I’m with anderzz on this.

What kind of velocity do we think a boxed cassette weighing about 700g is going to hit when someone moves a box about? It wasn’t fast enough to dent the corner of the cardboard box.. So zero chance it did anything to a helmet.

Honestly people just love to moan about anything. We mourn the loss of countless cycle industry companies but want everything for dirt cheap and then complain to blag discounts on already discounted products.

What kind of velocity do we think a boxed cassette weighing about 700g is going to hit when someone moves a box about? It wasn’t fast enough to dent the corner of the cardboard box.. So zero chance it did anything to a helmet

This. Yes, helmets can sustain invisible damage but how exactly would a boxed cassette have done that with no damage to the box? Absolutely nothing to worry about, much less complain about.

People think working in an online bike shop is a bit like that scene from Ducktails where Scruge McDuck swims through coins, the coins being replaced by Hope hubs however they soon realise it’s just moving cardboard boxes round a massive damp warehouse like any other retail distribution job. Enthusiasm drops hard and fast.

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Why the assumption that people working in a bike shop with an online presence as well have no motivation and probably don’t GAS ? I think that it displays a certain arrogance and an , incorrect , assumption that the higher your salary the more your motivation

Why the assumption that it’s an assumption?

Maybe I’ve worked in bike shops with and without online department and in other retail shops with and without an online department.

Why the assumption that my assumption was aimed solely at you?

Part of my job is picking and packing bike parts to distribute to the trade. Given that we use a couple of standard UK couriers, I make sure that I pack my own orders in the way that I would like to receive them, ie tightly, with no chance of stuff moving about. It’s also prudent to take stock of the order before packing it and try to keep incompatible stuff apart. I once had to stop a new recruit trying to stick an 18” whicker basket in with a dozen 7spd freewheels that were only packed in ziplock bags.