Possible demise of CRC / Wiggle

[It seems that orders are still getting delivered. Has anyone ordered a bike recently? Is it worth the risk? The bike in question is a Vitus, and I accept that the warranty will probably be worthless. If you use a credit card you will be covered right?]

It seems that orders are still getting delivered. Has anyone ordered a bike recently? Is it worth the risk? The bike in question is a Vitus, and I accept that the warranty will probably be worthless.

If you use a credit card you will be covered right?

If the item is over £100 and between £100-30,000 then yes you are protected.

Even if you bought an item for £10k paying only a certain amount as a deposit on your credit card you are covered to the full amount. I had to claim back in that way when something went wrong on a car I bought years ago, small hassle.in that instance but got the full amount paid back plus all investigation costs.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/section75-protect-your-purchases/

The bit I wonder about is whether the credit card company is liable if the goods are ordered after the company has been put into receivership?

after the company has been put into receivership?

Why would they not be? The company is still trading and you entered into a contract of sale with them. If they fail to fulfil that contract then the same consumer protections apply regardless of their being in receivership.

Point of order too, wiggle crc is in administration this is not the same as receivership.

I would think exactly the same they are still trading, in administration which could last 12 months or longer should they request an extension. So they are still trading, could change at any moment but they are trying to restructure/sell.

^^^^

That’s good to know….  and thanks for putting me right about Administration versus Receivership…  fair point.

Just all those who ordered get a satisfactory outcome.

To be clear about section 75, it makes the credit [card usually] issuer “jointly and severally liable” that is to say they are responsible for fulfilling the contract one way or another if the retailer doesn’t.

It is not a right to get your money back from the retailer. It is not a way of getting your money back from the retailer.

As such the status of the retailer makes no difference, you’re holding eg visa liable for completing the contract when the retailer fails to do so.

If it qualified for s75 in the first instance your “concern” is eg visa going bust a well as the retailer.

There are posts on the EMTB forum saying deliveries of ebikes are being cancelled.

Every cloud has a silver lining then🤩..

ebikes are being cancelled

I was going to buy several items from CRC, none of which are >£100 so not covered by section 75. If they don’t turn up because crc\wiggle are properly gone pop, will a chargeback work?

I found out today that their returns system has been broken, by removing all but “Christmas Island” from the countries pull-down, so it is not possible to return anything.

I was going to buy several items from CRC, none of which are >£100 so not covered by section 75. If they don’t turn up because crc\wiggle are properly gone pop, will a chargeback work?

In theory no.

In practice the CC companies often don’t differentiate between a transaction value and and item value but, and it’s a big but, what they do whilst a company is trading (and they cab just deduct the value, +££££ in admin at the next settlement) and what they do when a company isn’t trading and it’s their money are not the same thing.

I found out today that their returns system has been broken, by removing all but “Christmas Island” from the countries pull-down, so it is not possible to return anything.

Covered a page or two back, maybe even on this one. They know and area “fixing” it, what that means of course it’s anyone’s guess.

Gah, have a voucher to use (only £20) was going to put it towards some shoes.

Don’t want it to go to waste, but also don’t want to have to return them if they don’t fit and the returns system is broken 

Gah, have a voucher to use (only £20) was going to put it towards some shoes.

I’d use it for something else, brake pads or what ever that will definitely come on at some point.
In any event I’d get it used pronto.

Just remember to check your address when you do.

Just remember to check your address when you do

😁

Cheers 

Placed an order for a cassette 

Returns portal is back and semi functional…. but no option for a UK address that I could see

Just had a Wiggle order arrive today, all seems to be up and running fine….

Yep, had a Wiggle delivery today and another due to tomorrow. If anything delivery speed is slightly better for standard delivery.

I’ve been on the chat with them today.  

Returns in process should (per their team member) still be getting dealt with but I was quoted 5days to process on arrival.  Mine is in limbo with the courier at the moment, which doesn’t help. 

Luckily it’s only a £35 helmet that didn’t fit. 

One of the potentially overlooked reasons for their demise is the fact bricks and mortar bike shops have got considerably better in terms of the brands and stock they carry.

My historic gripe with most bike shops was that they didn’t cater to my type of cycling. Absolutely fine if you wanted to wear Altura or Endura kit or needed mudguards for a commuter bike. I remember trying to find a ful face helmet in Glasgow 8-9 years ago and tried half a dozen shops. Every one looked at me like I was mad when I asked if they had any in stock.

Nowadays it’s easy to find a shop that I can walk into and buy the clothing or parts that I need there and then without having to wait a week while they order it from a distributor. They actually stock brands like Fox, Troy Lee etc. Since that change happened I’ve definitely spent less at CRC

I was about to buy a brake but the price has jumped from £137 to £160, serves me right for stalling.

Had a delivery dispatched followed by a ‘Can’t find your address’ from Evri.. checked the details and they only had street and postcode. Assume this is what everyone alluding to with address issues.
Luckily you can select ‘deliver to neighbors’ and select your own full address.
Very fast delivery though.

One of the potentially overlooked reasons for their demise is the fact bricks and mortar bike shops have got considerably better in terms of the brands and stock they carry.

I’m very jealous of that position, the Glasgow area is still crap. Nearest decent shop (and it is pretty good tbf) is Sprockets in Kilmarnock

the Glasgow area is still crap

Agreed on that. I think the Alpine in Tiso is slightly better these days but I’m far quicker going to Sprockets and they carry a fantastic range

If youve got £3k spare the
sommet is a billy bargain with this spec

Yeah Alpine has definitely stepped up their game. A more limited selection than Sprockets, but what they do have always seems to be good. With the exception of 1 person (young but with some solid old school sexism) the staff always seem really good too. . . and the cafe does good cake

Bike delivered today, 2 days late but in the right county so that’s fine by me. 

I just got one of these delivered today for Mat-ette, ordered last Tuesday night, delivered by Parcelforce.

Road.cc reporting they have filed for insolvency in Germany today

https://road.cc/content/news/wiggle-chain-reaction-parent-company-files-insolvency-304817

From a purely selfish point of view I finally got a despatch confirmation today for a Ragley Marley that I ordered for my boy. Not received by Parcelforce yet though, will it make it through before the bankruptcy hammer falls – sweepstake anyone?

I’m very jealous of that position, the Glasgow area is still crap. Nearest decent shop (and it is pretty good tbf) is Sprockets in Kilmarnock

Eh? What about Dales or have I missed something? Alpine aren’t what they were, there are decent shops but they went for the workshop angle as CRC could never compete with that.

Sprockets are bloody expensive, their workshop prices were insane last time I looked.

What about Dales or have I missed something?

For clothing and parts it’s not great, never has been. OTOH they do have room to display loads of bikes, which they do well. I find there’s a better selection of MTB stuff over the road at Alpine.

Not sure why you’re bringing workshop prices into the equation though. Hardly something to compare against online retailers.

Sprockets have a list of prices for workshop jobs on their website. Nothing on there looks insane to me. For example £35 to tubeless a pair of wheels looks reasonable considering how many folk post on here struggling to do it.

Seeing alot of people on LinkedIn saying they’ve been made redundant from CRC/Wiggle and Hotlines today – thoughts with them all

100ish layoffs…

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/business/staff-at-portsmouth-based-wiggle-made-redundant-after-company-went-into-administration-4392373

EDIT:

“A spokesperson from the administrators confirmed to Cycling Weekly that, of the 105 people made redundant, 70 were from Wiggle, 28 from Chain Reaction Cycles and seven from distributor Hotlines.”

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/wiggle-makes-105-redundancies-after-going-into-administration

Crap as that is they had ?600? staff? 105 isn’t as bad as it could have been or indeed may yet turn out to be.

It’s not good for those made redundant today but let’s hope it’s enough to keep the company going and the rest in post.

Crap as that is they had ?600? staff?

Have a think about the scale of the businesses involved. I’m sure they weren’t particularly over-staffed.

70 were from Wiggle, 28 from Chain Reaction Cycles and seven from distributor Hotlines.

I’m a little surprised Wiggle and CRC were still separate entities in terms of employment. Had they just merged the warehousing and kept the marketing, CS and other back office functions independent?
Does this suggest that Wiggle was a weaker performer than CRC? I know I always preferred to use CRC.

Probably just indicates that more people work for “wiggle” than “CRC”.

Probably just indicates that more people work for “wiggle” than “CRC”.

Ah yes, good point.

Wiggle was the takeover-er, so they probably kept more of their back office people and let go of the CRC lot in Ballymena a few years back.

Sad times, thoughts with those made redundant.

I’m sure they weren’t particularly over-staffed.

I’m sure the administrator disagrees. I’m not privy to any information you’re not but to me getting rid of 15% of the staff sounds like “we think we can make this work”

I’d expect them to get rid of most or all of the staff if they didn’t think it wasn’t “fat” and redeemable.

Otoh, staff are the one commodity most companies can control so it’s the first and hardest squeezed. It’s why wages are slow to increase whilst work load grows rapidly.