Online Purchases - good and bad experiences

[MichaelB]

After a length online chat, it seems that "it was probably the redirect stickers didn't work (stuck on badly or illegible), and that the refund of postage costs can only be sought by the sender"

Oh dear ....

I've had some funny ones. I ordered a bike computer mount from the UK a couple of years back and a box of moisturiser arrived. They thought it was hilarious - turned out the sticker fell off their label and someone just randomly stuck it to a box of moisturiser.

I've also had some crackers from the US. As in car parts which arrived to Brisbane literally overnight from the US and then took 2-3 weeks to be shipped to my suburb from the airport.

That and any interaction with 'Couriers Please'. They once completely failed to deliver a package to me for three weeks. I drove across town to their depot and they then yelled at me for walking in their carpark. 'Trucks drive here'. Well yeah, but I'm not really sure how else to get from 'Customer Parking' the three metres into your office.

Incidentally they have the worst online reviews for any company I've ever seen. It's almost worth a read.

https://www.productreview.com.au/listin ... ers-please

Mine is in there somewhere

[WyvernRH]

I've not had any trouble whatsoever with AusPost since I began with a Parcel Collect address at the local PO. Full tracking from origin to destination, SMS and email alerts of arrival at PO for collection. All done through the Post app.

No safe place to drop things in my townhouse complex, so I signed up for their free service around 3 years ago. Express Post is a by the second day for regionals/interstate. Next day for local.

I think the keyword here is 'townhouse'. Wadawurrung is West Melbourne/Geelong/Ballarat area? If so, you are basically in the close area of influence of one of Australia's biggest cities. Try sending an Express Post parcel to me in the Williams valley in NSW and I am pretty sure I would not see it until a minimum 3 days later, if then.

Getting it from anywhere near the local Post Office seems to be their problem. Once it's there I'll get it before lunch.

[CmdrBiggles]

I've not had any trouble whatsoever with AusPost since I began with a Parcel Collect address at the local PO. Full tracking from origin to destination, SMS and email alerts of arrival at PO for collection. All done through the Post app.

No safe place to drop things in my townhouse complex, so I signed up for their free service around 3 years ago. Express Post is a by the second day for regionals/interstate. Next day for local.

I think the keyword here is 'townhouse'. Wadawurrung is West Melbourne/Geelong/Ballarat area? If so, you are basically in the close area of influence of one of Australia's biggest cities. Try sending an Express Post parcel to me in the Williams valley in NSW and I am pretty sure I would not see it until a minimum 3 days later, if then.

Getting it from anywhere near the local Post Office seems to be their problem. Once it's there I'll get it before lunch.

Yes, Geelong.
It would be correct to send an Express Post item from here to Williams Valley with an expected date of 2 days hence, with a proven example, if I post it Monday morning/before lunch, you will receive it Wednesday morning (notified early). Express Post parcels posted Melbourne to Geelong/vv, arrive the next morning, incredibly. Normal parcels — nup, sit and wait until notified...

I have a lot of stuff (bike bits) posted to me Express Post from NSW (Pushys, chiefly) and always arrives bang on the example timeline above. I had a very recent parcel that tracking showed made some truly long ping-pong detours here in Victoria: from Prahran (origin), to Windsor (PO, very close to Prahran), to eastward to Bayswater, eastward still to Dandenong, westward-ho to Melbourne Airport, finally, yonder south-west to Avalon (transfer point for Geelong deliveries). After all that, the journeyman parcel still arrived on time!

Failing AusPost, there is always Sendle. I've used that occasionally, with the only gripe being the drop-off locations are usually quite some distance from me. Similar/identical delivery timeline to AusPost, so...

[stevenaaus]

Online seller with slick website selling dross at expensive prices.
cyclejunctionPOS.com.au/product/trinx-climber-1-0-road-bike-shimano-a070-14-speed/

WEIGHT 43 kg
....
Founded in 2023, Cycle Junction began as a small venture in Perth, Australia. What started with a passion for bicycles and minimising our carbon footprint has transformed into an expansive online marketplace offering a diverse range of high-quality products.

My brother in law bought a busted trinx 2nd hand. What a POS.

[Duck!]

I had a Trinx through the workshop when I was in The Biz a few years ago..... It was crap when it was new.

[blizzard]

Going to test out BikeBug's warranty process. I have a Super B T handle torque wrench, every few clicks it jams up and takes way more effort to click. Its only a few months old so I put in a warranty claim. Will see how it goes.

[open roader]

LORDGUN = Good Experience.

Very long time looker - never buying from the Lordgun website until they had some Veloflex tubulars I wanted with a 15% discount avail. Purchased with PayPal.

Puchase made August 24th :- received both order confirm email from Lordgun and PayPal receipt email within an hour of purchase.

Received an email on August 25th stating my order was being 'processed'

Received an email on August 26th stating my order was now shipped from Italy with tracking number and link to Fedex web tracker tool which worked the entire duration of the delivery.

Parcel arrived on my doorstep September 3rd before lunchtime. Opened the box and I have two brand new Veloflex tubulars - correct size, correct version and they hold air perfectly etc.

Sample of just ONE but nice to know Lordgun can work. I would have purchased from an Au based seller if these were available but they were out of stock at the few places advertising them so Lordgun can work esp. for harder to find stuff.

[CmdrBiggles]

I dips me lid to the creative folks behind Online Cycling Gear, an outfit based in Queensland with manufacturing-to-order in Asia.

The short sleeved hi-viz 'coloured triangles jersey (full zip, 3 pockets, in The Colour Purple) that touched down this morning certainly gives me the appearance of a court jester on two (very fast) wheels, but it sure stands out on the road!

Two weeks from order to delivery isn't too bad, with Express Post once it touches down in Australia. A great many options available at the time of order (printing, zipped pockets, fleece, etc., etc.). I went with the bare basics this time, but future orders will be more adventurous.

Highly recommended for the vast range of designs (and a nod to the everyman real people wearing them!).

https://onlinecyclinggear.com.au/produc ... 1235220567

[warthog1]

Ali Express shipping time is so good now, two deliveries inside a week.
Got long leg bibs from two different shops and both arrived very quickly.

X-Tiger full winter fleecy bibs. Very warm for freezing mornings.
YKyWBike Spring/Autumn bibs for slight less cold mornings.
Happy with both. Chamois seems OK so far.
Buy one size up though for waist fit. YKyW ones have longer legs and no ankle zipper though, so short leg me needs to fold up.
Cheap enough, so not so concerned about longevity, but time well tell.

I got some ykyw bibs not too long ago. Happy with them.
Have you tried any of their tops?
Jerseys or jackets?

[Arbuckle23]

I got some ykyw bibs not too long ago. Happy with them.
Have you tried any of their tops?
Jerseys or jackets?

Haven't had need to buy any tops at the moment.
The long bibs are OK, only thing notable, apart for the long legs, is the front is very high, needing to stretch down a little more for nature breaks. Is that the case for the short leg bibs?

[jasonc]

i need to buy some jerseys. any recommendations for some cheapie ones? I like the fit of the neopro. But some of the colours are odd...

[2wheels_mond]

I got some ykyw bibs not too long ago. Happy with them.
Have you tried any of their tops?
Jerseys or jackets?

The short sleeve and (thin) long sleeve jerseys are excellent - though on the more expensive side at $50 for the one I bought. I have these ones:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtYBUxm
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mM1B4oY

I have a winter one and it's... alright. It's just a fleecy top so best paired with a windproof layer:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_m0GmxpI

The cuffs are a bit loose and the right side pocket is very small, but the fit is great and it's still kit that I wear regularly through Tasmanian winter with other layers.

I'm quite happy with their cheapest bib shorts:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mMDGqEM

The pad is not the greatest but it's been fine for me on rides up to 150km (which is 99% of my riding). Otherwise, fit and fabric are excellent.

I have also tried their more expensive bibs:

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mt0WohS

But unfortunately the leg grippers are terrible and I find they ride up. A shame as they are otherwise outstanding.

Socks also get a thumbs up but there's load of decent cheap sock options on AliExpress.

[warthog1]

The short sleeve and (thin) long sleeve jerseys are excellent - though on the more expensive side at $50 for the one I bought. I have these ones:

Thanks

[warthog1]

Haven't had need to buy any tops at the moment.
The long bibs are OK, only thing notable, apart for the long legs, is the front is very high, needing to stretch down a little more for nature breaks. Is that the case for the short leg bibs?

Hadn't taken much notice. Just put them on. Yes they are a touch higher at the front than other bibs. Still doable.

[warthog1]

i need to buy some jerseys. any recommendations for some cheapie ones? I like the fit of the neopro. But some of the colours are odd...

The fit is good but yeah just do some plain colours please.

[CmdrBiggles]

I got some ykyw bibs not too long ago. Happy with them.
Have you tried any of their tops?
Jerseys or jackets?

Haven't had need to buy any tops at the moment.
The long bibs are OK, only thing notable, apart for the long legs, is the front is very high, needing to stretch down a little more for nature breaks. Is that the case for the short leg bibs?

I have converted to bibs after decades of using knicks. I have long been bothered by that stretching down of the front stuff.
For my bibs I had made by Online Cycling Gear, I had a cat-flap fitted so I can fetch the chippy with consummate ease for pees, rather than stretch and strain the bibs or worse still, get them off the shoulders and create a scene that might best be forgotten. Anyways, order takes 2 weeks from placement to dropped at door. Highly recommended.

https://onlinecyclinggear.com.au/produc ... 0557718615

[Aushiker]

I purchased a Cyclami A2S MiniPump from AliExpress. It has now been submitted for a warranty/refund claim, which requires the pump to be returned to an Australian address before a refund is issued. I dropped it in the mail yesterday and received the full refund today.

The attached videos explain why (apologies for the lack of editing).

Bottom line: I cannot recommend these pumps.

[kilroy]

I just had my first negative experience with CCache. I purchased an Extralite 1 1/8" stem and Garmin mount on their website almost two months ago. When I received the stem, it was 1 1/4". I got onto the sales email and was told they would send me the right one as well as a return satchel. I didn't receive anything for a week and a half and then we had a week away over the school holidays. After not receiving anything, I followed up about 3 weeks after the replacement was meant to be dispatched. I received an apologetic email from a lady who said she had been away and someone else had been doing her job. Long story short, they had sent the stem to the wrong person and they were trying to find out where it was. I was offered a refund which I declined because I just want the stem I paid for! Anyway, they got back to me a few days later and said that they had been unable to locate the stem and that they couldn't source any from the manufacturer. They are apparently sending me the satchel for me to return the 1 1/4" stem and I'll be refunded after they receive it back. I'm also unable to find stock of the stem anywhere online! I have previously steered people towards CCache because of the good experiences I've had, but this whole experience has been pretty damn annoying!

[jules21]

I just had my first negative experience with CCache. I purchased an Extralite 1 1/8" stem and Garmin mount on their website almost two months ago. When I received the stem, it was 1 1/4". I got onto the sales email and was told they would send me the right one as well as a return satchel. I didn't receive anything for a week and a half and then we had a week away over the school holidays. After not receiving anything, I followed up about 3 weeks after the replacement was meant to be dispatched. I received an apologetic email from a lady who said she had been away and someone else had been doing her job. Long story short, they had sent the stem to the wrong person and they were trying to find out where it was. I was offered a refund which I declined because I just want the stem I paid for! Anyway, they got back to me a few days later and said that they had been unable to locate the stem and that they couldn't source any from the manufacturer. They are apparently sending me the satchel for me to return the 1 1/4" stem and I'll be refunded after they receive it back. I'm also unable to find stock of the stem anywhere online! I have previously steered people towards CCache because of the good experiences I've had, but this whole experience has been pretty damn annoying!

That's pretty poor. They've stuffed you around but committed to making good on their terms only - no issues putting you out even more.

I just purchased a small item online from an LBS on the other side of Australia. They accepted a shipping address but made me select Click and Collect, which I was a bit confused about. As long as they ship it to the address, I guess? No, they emailed me and said shipping is extra. I resisted asking how they were going to complete the contract to send the item to my agreed shipping address and agreed to pay the shipping extra. No big deal. I rang and they asked me for credit card details over the phone. Not great for security, but OK I guess, little choice at this point. And the expiry date. Yeah, sure. And the CCV. Yeah, nah. "oh it went through" Lucky for you.

[Retrobyte]

Bought a back up saddle from Specialized (a saddle I like so will put in on my other bike) - 2 days to get here after ordering.

[Mr Purple]

Bought a back up saddle from Specialized (a saddle I like so will put in on my other bike) - 2 days to get here after ordering.

I ordered a Berk Lupina from Creative Cycle Workshop yesterday, it arrived today. Crazy!

[Mr Purple]

Bought a back up saddle from Specialized (a saddle I like so will put in on my other bike) - 2 days to get here after ordering.

I ordered a Berk Lupina from Creative Cycle Workshop yesterday, it arrived today. Crazy!

Unfortunately they sent the wrong one. I ordered a 'short' and a 'normal' arrived.

Currently trying to sort that out, will report back.

[Aushiker]

My experience with Pushys and a warranty claim involving a 4iiii Viiiiva Dual Heart Rate Monitor With iPhone Connectivity.

29 August 2024: I raised my concerns with my non-functioning 4iiii Viiiiva Dual Heart Rate Monitor (it was within the warranty period).
18 September 2024: I sent in the requested photos of the device. The delay was my fault (left the email in my drafts folder, ugh).
20 September 2024: Posted the faulty unit back to Pushy's at their request. They paid the postage.
3 October 2024: Advised that the supplier wanted to send me a replacement unit. I provided my postal address, an Australia Post Locker.
4 October 2024: I was advised that my details had been sent to the supplier.
24 October 2024: I followed up as there was no sign of the strap. The response was 'I that they asked for the supplier to send to your parcel locker as we do not have a street address. It should have arrived by now.'
7 November 2024: I followed up again. I was then provided with a tracking number, which showed the strap had been posted on 4 November, a month after it was said it was posted.

Besides the three-week delay I caused, it took nearly three months to resolve this.

Make of it as you wish, but my preference is now to use 99Bikes, which are local and, so far, have been competitively priced, and the service is all good.

[Aushiker]

My experience with Pushys and a warranty claim involving a 4iiii Viiiiva Dual Heart Rate Monitor With iPhone Connectivity.

29 August 2024: I raised my concerns with my non-functioning 4iiii Viiiiva Dual Heart Rate Monitor (it was within the warranty period).
18 September 2024: I sent in the requested photos of the device. The delay was my fault (left the email in my drafts folder, ugh).
20 September 2024: Posted the faulty unit back to Pushy's at their request. They paid the postage.
3 October 2024: Advised that the supplier wanted to send me a replacement unit. I provided my postal address, an Australia Post Locker.
4 October 2024: I was advised that my details had been sent to the supplier.
24 October 2024: I followed up as there was no sign of the strap. The response was 'I that they asked for the supplier to send to your parcel locker as we do not have a street address. It should have arrived by now.'
7 November 2024: I followed up again. I was then provided with a tracking number, which showed the strap had been posted on 4 November, a month after it was said it was posted.

Besides the three-week delay I caused, it took nearly three months to resolve this.

Make of it as you wish, but my preference is now to use 99Bikes, which are local and, so far, have been competitively priced, and the service is all good.

[lone rider]

Ccache.

All my previous experiences here have been good and my preference is to use them over Pushys/Bikebug as they put money back into grassroots with team sponsorship. But, 3rd of Jan I ordered 3 items all in stock, 2 were discounted to good prices. They shipped the 1 item that wasn't discounted almost immediately which was great given the date it was ordered. Approaching 2 weeks later and the other 2 items still have not been shipped and are still listed on their site as in stock. I've messaged through the shop app and via email and have received no response. Surely in this day and age if your sales staff are still on Xmas break you can set up an automated email to reply and let people know what is going on.