What kind of postage speed do you expect from an Australian online retailer?

[ctguru]

I order most of my stuff online as I don't have a LBS near me.

I have had great success and quick postage from the likes of:

cell bikes
torpedo
pushys
99bikes
moruyabicycles

I'm not sure if I expect too much, but if you have my money and its in stock I expect it to be posted the day or day after I have ordered it, it's not that hard if you are set up as a mail-order business

I'm going to name and shame (moderators can delete if they want to) but XXXX are hopeless!

I have had multiple orders which have taken over 10 days it states that the items are in stock!

Its literally quicker to order from the UK.

Am I being too harsh?

If you don't have the item, don't list it as being in stock

Have other people had the same issues?

 

[Plankosaurus]

Yeah, had issues with them aswell. Took over a month to get stuff from them that was apparently in stock. I'm fairly patient so waited near 3 weeks before sending them an email and the reply I got was along the lines of "sorry, we're really busy, I'll make sure its done asap". Meanwhile I'm getting 2 emails a week from them with new specials and free postage offers etc. So its not like they've tried to hold things up to catch up or anything. I received my box a week and a half later all in good order.

Things that miffed me though were that:
* they were way late and made no attempt to communicate with me
* There were multiple free postage offers between ordering and receiving and I paid $10 to receive it
* They still didn't post straight away when they told me it would be done
* They're 20min from my place and I couldn't just pick it up?!?

I want to like them, I really do, but when stuff ordered overseas beats their package here by 3 weeks and they're realistically at most an overnight delivery, there is something wrong...

 

[Koper25]

I think within a working week is pretty fair, any longer and you might as well get it from OS.

 

[ctguru]

Yeah, had issues with them aswell. Took over a month to get stuff from them that was apparently in stock. I'm fairly patient so waited near 3 weeks before sending them an email and the reply I got was along the lines of "sorry, we're really busy, I'll make sure its done asap". Meanwhile I'm getting 2 emails a week from them with new specials and free postage offers etc. So its not like they've tried to hold things up to catch up or anything. I received my box a week and a half later all in good order.

Things that miffed me though were that:
* they were way late and made no attempt to communicate with me
* There were multiple free postage offers between ordering and receiving and I paid $10 to receive it
* They still didn't post straight away when they told me it would be done
* They're 20min from my place and I couldn't just pick it up?!?

I want to like them, I really do, but when stuff ordered overseas beats their package here by 3 weeks and they're realistically at most an overnight delivery, there is something wrong...

exactly the same as my experiences and I live in Emerald 10 mins from you

 

[Dozer]

I removed the link. If you care to know who the company is then please PM ctguru for the info and keep it off the forums please.
For me, you should clearly state on the site that it is in stock or not, the item should leave that day or if ordered later in the day it should leave the next morning. No question. If any funny business comes about where you say it's in stock but it needs to come from the distributor and will take five times longer then shove it, I want a refund in full.

 

[MTB Pilot]

Bike shops like make it harder for other good bike shops to gain your business. You get a bad experience like that mentioned and you're probably going to seriously look at OS for cheaper and sometimes a lot quicker service. The good bike shops looking for business lose out because more and more people are looking OS for price and service, and sometimes that because of a bad LBS. I can see why good bike shops get cranky with this happening, and don't blame them either. It's a tough one, especially if you live in remoter areas.

 

[Ozkaban]

I have a current issue with the melbourne based store you're talking about.

I have ordered from most of the UK cycling sites. Merlin, Wiggle, CRC, Evans and Ribble. Without exception I've had great service from them, or at the least cheap, prompt delivery and accurate orders. Cell Bikes are great too. They really do show that an Aus firm can match it with the OS ones. Sure, they're not always cheaper (often not), but their delivery and after sales service is great. A friend bought one of their 900 lumen lights and after 10 months the battery packed it in. They swapped it for an entire new unit that was the upgraded 1000 lumen one without any hassle whatsoever.

Anyway, as for That Store. Basically, their service is crap, delivery is slow and if an item you ordered is not in stock they'll chuck in a slightly different one and hope you wont care enough to send it back. Email communication is flaky (they often don't respond), and when they do respond it's not always honest (on 27th March I was told an order was shipped on 26th March but the freight manifest shows it was lodged by them on the 2nd April).

I've put in 5 orders worth about $550 with them in 2 years. 2 times I was sent a substitute item. and once a price match request was incorrectly applied and they ignored my requests to rectify it. The other 2 orders were fine. I don't consider that to be good odds.

I've had issues with other local retailers but that doesn't bother me so much - it's the sorting it out that i care about.

 

[ctguru]

I'm happy to wait if there is communication from the retailer, but with this online retailer the communication is non-existent

I realise you may have stock issues, but hard to take when you ALWAYS have stock issues without telling the customer (when you have all ready taken the customers money!!!!)

 

[camzh]

For me, you should clearly state on the site that it is in stock or not, the item should leave that day or if ordered later in the day it should leave the next morning. No question.

+1

Cell are the best I have delt with locally. But I've had better success with them online VS instore. sometimes that shop is so busy its not funny !
There is another place I buy from locally, as they often have crazy good prices, but they are slower than buying from the UK. :noidea:

 

[harmonix1234]

I expect the shop to keep their database and stock up to date with eachother, and when an item is out of stock LIST IT AS OUT OF STOCK rather than taking my money for an item that they don't have and waiting two weeks to refund it.

I expect it to be posted same day, or next business day.
I expect it to take up to three busniess days because I am in a metropolitan area.
If I lived in the sticks I expect to recieve it within 4 to 5 working days.
I expect to pay the same fees that Aus post would charge, without any add-ons for the retailer.

I appreciate being given the option to pay extra to have it registered post.

If item gets lost in the mail. I expect nothing from the bike shop aside from the acknowledgement from their end that they understand the item was never recieved by the buyer. If they want to offer to have a crack at chasing it up then go right ahead, but I wouldn't ask them to.
If Auspost lost it then they are the noobs, not the bike shop.
That's what registered post is for.

 

[Art Vanderlay]

Same here, packages from overseas seem to get to my door quicker than something that is purchased online in Australia. I ordered something off an Australian site that was 'in stock' but I had to give them a reminder about 10 days later to see where my parcel was. A day later I received an email to say it has been dispatched. Pretty disappointing. If they ran out of stock or didn't have it in stock, that's fine....just let me know.

 

[speedyjonzalas]

Can someone pm which shop it is so I can stay away.

And I dont know why its been removed. IF enough people think the same way why should we support them by hiding their poor work rate.

 

[tupper]

Order from TBSM.. has never taken more than 2 days.

 

[rotorub]

Cell are very quick I only had an issue with them once and that was entirely to do with the courier They contracted to and not cell bikes themselves.

The courier company staff were signing for the item as delivered themselves then leaving it at my doorstep for anyone to take while I am not home or hiding down it the side of the house.

There supposed to leave a missed delivery note and take the package back to the depot or to the nearest post office for collections

Contacted Cell to advise about the problem. Told em I had a PO BOX. TCell agreed to let me have all my deliveries sent to my PO Box.
problem solved and still very quick delivery.

 

[foxpuppet]

This one is not bike but bike related (new camera rig) i ordered a new Dslr for myself and a smaller entry level model for my wife recently from jb hifi's online store as i had been told the local stores didnt have stock and this would be the quickest way to turn it around plus they were onsale online. my camera arrived with in the scheduled 4-5 working days. but i had to call them to confirm it was there, then go in and pick the order up only to come home and recieve an email saying it was instore for me to pickup. her camera had not arrived at the same time. we waited a further 3 weeks with no contact from them. i finally call again to be told it's at another store in sydney and they will have it in the next 2 days.
2 days goes past i call again... it's not here the other did not actually have it. so they said we could wait a further 4 days. i decided to go in and talk to the manager and we got a pretty tidy upgrade deal for next to nix extra, but it was the bloody waiting and lack of contact that bugged me the most.

Bike related.
ordered a X0 rear shifter and X9 tpye 2 rear mech from wiggle.com.au said not in stock but on back order, shipping within 7-12 days. ordered products as i wasn't in a rush. get an email a week or so later saying not in stock for 3-4 weeks, but then a few days after that get a package with shifter only. approaches suggested time and another update to say a further 2 weeks. then on time (delayed time) rear mech arrives. package arrived from wiggle.co.uk, i could have gone to ebay and gotten it in 5 days. lucky i wasn't in a rush.

 

[driftking]

LBS can blame the prices for OS sales but this for me is the biggest problem.
Websites are not kept upto date and stores are lazy with tracking and sending items.

I always go into stores when I can because it cuts out all the crap.
I don't know many stores that would be so busy that they can't send out the online orders at least within 48hours. Some people aren't willing to put in an extra hour overtime.
If you can't handle online stores don't implement them until you have the Infrastructure of online sorted.
The ones that last are the stores who are on top of it.

Sometimes it feels like stores go in at 7 work till 6 and they are out, any short comings are just our loss.

Some stores have forgotten
"Service as in serve us"

Not serve them.

 

[driftking]

Can someone pm which shop it is so I can stay away.

And I dont know why its been removed. IF enough people think the same way why should we support them by hiding their poor work rate.

Can't speak for mods but id expect that by naming them publicly on the forum it puts the moderators at legal risks if it was to reach that point. Users opinions are subjected to there view and its highly one sided view. Albiet it may be valid but from a standpoint of the site it's not ideal for it to become a slamming on a lbs where they have no input or chance to defend themselves

 

[tubby74]

Cell are very quick I only had an issue with them once and that was entirely to do with the courier They contracted to and not cell bikes themselves.

The courier company staff were signing for the item as delivered themselves then leaving it at my doorstep for anyone to take while I am not home or hiding down it the side of the house.
.

i'd say cell are having a bad day if I am not woken by the delivery the next morning. I do get annoyed with the posties leaving my packages in full view of the road though, I would much rather make a trip to the PO to pick it up. Had one from CRC left on the doorstep today. the couriers are much better, always knock and get it signed, even if they miss me a call to the number on the card I often get a second delivery run that same day
T7 and pushys have had great service, no problem with returns or general help from them

 

[SummitFever]

I have just had the same thing with probably the same aussie company as the op had. Ordered two.items that were in stock then waited 9 days for them to arrive while all the while being bombarded by free postage and discount offers. Its one thing to try to price match Crc but surely for local in stock items you should be able to beat them on shipping times.

 

[Y8sy]

I expect the shop to keep their database and stock up to date with eachother, and when an item is out of stock LIST IT AS OUT OF STOCK rather than taking my money for an item that they don't have and waiting two weeks to refund it.

I expect it to be posted same day, or next business day.
I expect it to take up to three busniess days because I am in a metropolitan area.
If I lived in the sticks I expect to recieve it within 4 to 5 working days.
I expect to pay the same fees that Aus post would charge, without any add-ons for the retailer.

I appreciate being given the option to pay extra to have it registered post.

If item gets lost in the mail. I expect nothing from the bike shop aside from the acknowledgement from their end that they understand the item was never recieved by the buyer. If they want to offer to have a crack at chasing it up then go right ahead, but I wouldn't ask them to.
If Auspost lost it then they are the noobs, not the bike shop.
That's what registered post is for.

+1 for that

i've had a mix of experiences with online orders - mainly CRC. I've found if what I order is delivered via courier, I will usually get it within about 5 days. However, if I accept the free postage that CRC offers for orders over $X amount, it generally takes weeks to get to country Victoria - not too sure where the hold up is there...