Bought a helmet online from a bike shop.

Received it, no retail packaging – assume it was ex-display. Not mentioned at all in the description.

Also, it was shipped in a box that it just barely fit in. The helmet basically touched every side of the box. Box looked like it had seen some action with the courier. Not *badly* damaged, but corners/sides definitely displayed some signs of impact.

I rejected it. Bike shop has since ignored my request for my return postage to be refunded.

I’ve also noticed that they’ve just stuck it back on their website (it went out of stock when I bought it, came back into stock when they got it back). Still no mention of it being ex-display.

What do people reckon?

What do people reckon?

I wouldn’t buy a helmet online.

YMMV, etc.

I wouldn’t buy a helmet online.

This

I wouldn’t buy a helmet online.

That kinda wasn’t really the point, but I’m (obviously) okay with it for the most part.
I mean, helmets don’t magically appear in shops, they’ve got to be transported there somehow. So longs they’re well packaged, I don’t see that that’s really worse than the unknowns of how they were handled on the way to the shop, and subsequent handling by staff/customers.

My issue is kinda that they’d not mention it was not a full retail helmet, ship it poorly, and then just try to sell it on to some other un-suspecting customer.

I wouldn’t buy a helmet online.

So when I needed a replacement helmet under the crash scheme, I should’ve driven to Giro’s distribution centre and bought it direct? I’ve bought plenty of helmets online – the only one I had an issue with, the retailer (SportPursuit) sent me a replacement and didn’t even want the damaged one back.
I would buy from a reputable dealer and keep hassling your dodgy one til they give you a full refund.

‘no retail packaging’ sounds iffy. As you say, you’d expect it to come in the box it was designed to be transported/sold in.

The helmet basically touched every side of the box. Box looked like it had seen some action with the courier.

Must resist puerile gag.

Ha ha ha 😀

Hahahaha

Go outdoors had an offer on about a year ago for a helmet I wanted. I went to the store and the only one they had left was the display model. The assistant spent ages carefully inspecting it and saw a tiny blemish and then refused to sell it.

That is how all ethical shops should operate.

I wouldn’t buy a helmet online.

Why not? I’ve used Mavic and Spesh helmets for years (decades?), know their sizing and how they fit me. Can’t think of any reason not to in cases where you already know how the helmet fits.

Anyway – for OP I’d say move on. Not worth worrying about, nor stirring up the STW massive on it either!

For those saying they wont buy a helmet online, have a little guess how the helmet gets to the shop you will buy it from?

I’d buy one online if i knew it suited/the size was correct.
But it would be getting rejected if it wasn’t in the correct box etc, unless they sold it as shop soiled or something like that.

not like my one i ordered and royal mail chucked it over the gate,.

Ordered a helmet from CRC last week. It turned up on Wednesday. The outer box was slightly squished, but the inner, display packaging was intact and the helmet was not damaged. No way a retailer should be sending a helmet loose in a cardboard box unless it was wrapped in loads of bubble wrap and the box was much bigger than the helmet, and then I would want it to have been described as sold without the display packaging.

For those saying they wont buy a helmet online, have a little guess how the helmet gets to the shop you will buy it from?

From the big online guys? On big heavy, wrapped pallets I would have thought, rather than lots of small light, easy to chuck around boxes.

Though I think they were referring to the not being able to try for size, over buying in a shop

For those saying they wont buy a helmet online, have a little guess how the helmet gets to the shop you will buy it from?

I think you’ve missed the point.

Though I think they were referring to the not being able to try for size

Why? OP made no mention of whether their online purchase fitted or not.

OP made no mention of whether their online purchase fitted or not.

To be fair, he didn’t ask wether other people would buy a helmet online or not either. 👍

True dat

I take an x-ray machine when I buy my helmets. You never know how indelicate handling by shop staff or customers could ruin them, with no visible external damage.

That is how all ethical shops should operate.

Remove your choice? Great.

I bought my last helmet used online from a forum and it arrived in its case not a box. I haven’t died. New price would buy about five of your typical Mtb helmets.

If buying new, I’d expect it to come in the original box, but wouldn’t reject it if it looked fine and was suitably packaged. Helmets are designed to crush not fall apart. I’d look for evidence of compression in the shell.

I’m really unimpressed by this bike shop just choosing to completely ignore my emails asking for my return postage to be refunded.

You need to name and shame!

You need to name and shame!

South Fork Racing

Don’t worry, you’ll wake up tomorrow and find the whole thing was an awful dream.

(80s TV reference, for anyone under 50) 🙂

^^^
That was a 10 gallon hat, not a helmet.