astr033

I like it! Not sure if I'd have balls enough to do it. At the rate they're going they'll most likely forget to include the prepaid postage anyway.

pharnabazos

Anecdotal, of course, but here's my experience in the last year:

4 Nashbar web orders -- Perfect, standard delivery rec'd in 3 days
1 Nashbar exchange -- No hassle

3 Airbomb orders -- Slower shipping (7days?)but no mistakes, sometimes web receipt sent late

1 Performance order -- Placed on 9/19 and I am still waiting for it; they sent it to another state and finally claimed the post office screwed up; repeatedly told me the tracking order that the receipt showed was just incorrect, so it wasn't really going to that other state...etc..etc.. I suppose a lot of people ordered for the 20% coupon, but how come Nashbar's service didn't get noticeably worse with their coupons?

CummingsSM

Sorry. My response was to this:


You already had to pay shipping for the mat on the original order, I assume, and paying for the shipping mistake they made would be pretty obnoxious. It sounds like the wheel was worth some cash, so if they want it back they ought to be very helpful in rectifying your problem.

bluecd

this whole thread confirms that you should maybe pay a little more & support your local bike shop.

CummingsSM

I like to support my LBS, and I do so when I can. But there are several times when that just isn't practical. I don't think my LBS stocks trainer mats, and I know they don't sell items like repair stands. They just don't have the market for those things. And it's not always just "a little more." My most recent purchase was for a set of Shimano PD-M647 pedals (and some tools that my LBS doesn't sell). My LBS charges MSRP, with the exception of previous year model closeouts. I got the pedals for $64 after discounts and pricematch from Performance (MSRP is $115).

If the difference is 5%, I'll gladly purchase through the store. And if its something I can "try out" at the store, or at least get a general since of appropriate size for (like shoes, gloves, apparel, et cetera), I'll almost always purchase at my LBS. But about a third of my bicycling-related expenditures are online. I think they both have their places.

dstrong 

Two quick stories...
Trying out stuff at your LBS and then buying online is a tough one, but sometimes the financial differential is too great. I'll buy LBS if a) it's a product I need quickly (tubes, cable housings, etc...); b) they help me select the product and offer advice; c) shipping costs online close the price gap substantially (i.e. wheels). If I've researched a product online however, don't need advice from the LBS, and can save more than 15-20% then I'll buy online. The other day I went in to buy a headset spacer and decided to try on shoes. I got great customer service but truly wasn't ready to pull the trigger yet as I need new pedals also. I'll probably end up buying the shoes at my LBS but save a bunch waiting for my target pedals to go onsale online or at eBay.

JensonUSA...scanning their closeout items one day I came across the Easton EA70 "Road bend" bars. I was building up my bike and thought "Well...I haven't ridden road in 25 years, maybe I should start with what I know" so I ordered them. More research on BF and other places created some buyer's remorse but I knew I got a great deal ($39, free shipping) and could switch to ergos in the future. I kept watchin and watching for them to ship but they didn't even though they always showed "In Stock". Called them and the guy tells me that they had an inventory glitch and had no more of the ones I ordered. I had already checked online and saw that the Ergo's were $79 but gave him the opening to make the offer and sure enough, he says he'll send me the Ergos for the same price...then he checks the order a little deeper and sees the free shipping and says "Jeez dude...you're gettin' a deal"! I respond "Yep! Thanks".

Okay...two sorta long stories...

Cyclist0383

While at first I thought you should return the wheel, after reading about their lack of decent customer service and the shipping woes I say keep it. You paid for two day shipping and it will take at least two weeks to get your product. Plus, you have spent your time on the phone dealing with all this BS. Enough is enough.

Any company worth their salt would have apologized and shipped out the correct item ASAP at their cost. It's clear that they don't respect your time or care about your money.

Please let us know what's in the package when it arrives!

BostonFixed

That's not what I read.

I read: "Shop online, and they'll send you expensive products that you didn't order for free"!

Sounds good to me.

CummingsSM

I bet a quick search of the forums would turn up several complaints about Peformance. And probably any other large Internet retailer. They're bound to screw something up, sooner or later, and most of them don't have the customer service to recover the ball once they've fumbled it.

Brian

No one ever starts a thread about great service from a shop. Just doesn't happen.

bkrownd

You mean pay twice as much for 1/5 the selection? No.

Cyclist0383

Hey! I started a thread titled "My LBS Rocks Because..."

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/96971-my-lbs-rocks-because.html

astr033

My mat finally arrived yesterday along with an envelope containing the prepaid postage for the wheel. It's off to FedEx for me now.