Wiggle.com (USA) return shipping?
 

Anyone know if you order through wiggle.com (wiggle.co.uk's USA site), do returns go to an address in the UK still?

Want to order 2 different sizes of the same item and then return 1, but not if it's going to cost me $25 for international return shipping.

It's going to cost you $25 for international return.



They sent me the wrong item, and I had to return it. Thankfully they're covering the return fee, but it cost me/them $33 US for two tires.

Maybe I am old fashioned but I don't think that's cool OP what you are doing. We, as in the entire cycling population pay for what you do as companies have to roll this expense into their asking price.
Nothing wrong with ordering a size having it be wrong and returning it. But 2 sizes and returning one? To me, that ain't cool and just wanted to tell you.

Not Cool....

From the company's perspective, I'm actually saving them money, no?

Order 2 = one shipping package to my house, return shipping on my dime
Order 1, exchange for diff size = one to my house, return shipping on my dime, and then one to my house again

Fuzzy logic dude. I take it finance wasn't your major in college. Most earnest people will purchase a single garment they think is the right size based upon sizing charts that are provided by most sellers as things like jerseys and bib run to a particular sizing convention. Also reviews of products help solve this for prospective buyers. The probability therefore of a savy buyer returning an item maybe 1 in 7 to say 1 in 10. In other words they will get it right most of the time. I buy everything on line.
Your premise is flawed. Returning items isn't a certainty only when an error is made by the buyer for choosing the wrong size. We have all returned things.

I also know people who go to home depot and buy a hedge trimmer, use it on their house and return it. I put you in the same category. If you don't see this...even worse...lol.

For your reading: http://www.businessinsider.com/zappo...#ixzz2bEXx0D48

"Returns are part of our business model. In fact, we encourage customers to order multiple sizes if they’re unsure of what to order, and then they can return the size that doesn’t work for them. It’s really how you want to look at it, but providing this service is an investment we make in order to provide the best possible service for our customers."

If Zappos can take the cost, why can't every other site? What makes Wiggle different?

Let me ask a simple question. I explained the probabilities. If everybody order 2 of anything and return 1 this would escalate shipping costs by probably 80% compared to the errant buyer returning maybe only 10-20% of items. Plus you probably didn't consider the administrative and handling cost...which requires inspection of items tried on disposing of some of those sullied by unsavory buyers. It is impossible to speculate on different business models. But lets be clear. Your scenario increases product costs for everybody. 80% shipping cost increase by returns gets rolled into the selling price because it comes right off the profit margin.
I hope Wiggle has a clause in their shipping policy to preclude guys like you doing this...or socking you for your practice. How I feel about it. You obviously don't agree.

I'm OK with that MO. If they don't want to deal with shipping costs and the costs associated with returns from purchases sight unseen, they can try making a go of it as a B&M only business. Good luck with that.

You're crusading for someone that doesn't want this particular fight - if a buyer is unsure, they'd rather have that person buy two and return one rather than not buy anything at all. Their policy is pretty clear - if something is defective they pay for return shipping, if it's the wrong size or otherwise "unsuitable," (ie - you don't like it) customer pays return shipping.

/ranting

Wiggle are actually OK with returning unused stuff for colour or size problems, like most mail order clothing companies:

What do I do if an item doesn't fit or I don't like the colour?
For UK and international customers please return it to us within 365 days. Just complete our returns procedure before sending us back the goods. Returned goods must be unused, and supplied with their original packaging.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/h/option/ReturnsProcedure#Wrong

It's the age of the internet. If you cannot try the item then how are you supposed to figure out what the right size is? As long as the item is kept as new and can be resold as such there is zero wrong with what the OP is doing as they end up paying return shipping. The other way to deal with this is to go to a store you know that carries it, try the item there and then go order it cheaper on the internet. Which way do you think is more wrong?

Ordering one and then returning it and getting an exchange actually would cost the company more money in shipping.

Well then you heard it here first. Moving forward everything should be bought in 2's...why not 3's on the internet...why not 5's?...say every color?...if there is no added cost to anybody for return? Hey, maybe this will be the future for all things...like computers and even cars...why not bikes? You could buy say 2 or 3 bikes from bikedirect put them all on your trainer, pick the size you fit best and just return the other 2 you don't. Hey...it doesn't cost anybody anything...shipping is now free. What we learn from this thread is it is now cheaper to buy in multiples and then return the stuff we don't like.

You did read the parts where sellers are encouraging this, correct? And of course it doesn't work for everything no one but you made that broad statement. If I order a shirt and try it on and it doesn't fit and send it back to the seller and they ship out another one does that cost them more or less shipping than sending me two and having me return the one that didn't fit (in new condition)? If the seller doesn't care and the items are kept new and there is little to no cost burden for them than what is wrong with this scenario? You try on multiple items in a store with no moral conflicts. The only argument is dollars in shipping and processing and I would say that shipping one box is cheaper than shipping two.

This is why I no longer by tools from Amazon. Too many times I've bought things from them and receive an obviously used tool (incorrectly in the case of one of them), sold as new. Tools where the average cyclist would never use--except that one time where they decide they want to build a bike "to save money." So of course they'll return it after they use it. If I wanted a used tool, I would have selected "Used" and paid less.

If buyer pays return shipping, if original shipping of two items together is less than two items separately, and if seller's business model is to encourage the practice of taking two and returning one (when unsure), how can it be wrong?

You still don't get it. I wonder if there is a correlation between guys with a 2.0 GPA in college and not grasping the concept of return shipping.

As simple as I can put it...as stated above.
If you buy a single item, and not return it there is NEVER any return shipping. The percentage of 2 way shipping is on the order of 20%...maybe.
If you buy two items and return one, you will ALWAYS return one. The percentage of 2 way shipping is 100%. This has a cost EVERY time....not 20% of the time.

And there is more. There is restocking...which requires handling and inspection for tried on goods. As a result, some companies charge a restocking fee...as they should to discourage this unsavory business practice. Some people try on goods with soiled bodies...likely a high correlation to guys who order 2 and always return 1 item...lol.

My guess is math wasn't your major.

If buyer pays return shipping no problem. Most that go for the buy 2 and return 1 'scheme' are looking for the seller to incur the return shipping cost. I believe this is what the OP was trying to determine.

You guys are not familiar with how women shop on the internet.

Also, do you think a company as large as wiggle that offers free shipping on practically every order really gives a rats ass about shipping costs. And the argument that doing this raises costs for everyone is BS too, considering Wiggle usually has the best price on just about everything I've ever looked at bike related.

Well, not exactly. I agree it is not ethical to order two and return one at the company's expense as a planned strategy rather than an unavoidable circumstance. But OP was testing a slightly different scenario. It appears he was willing to pay return shipping, but he was just hoping it would be to a domestic US address. He didn't want to be hit with the international shipping charges. Reread the OP and see if you don't agree with the proposed situation, if not the plan.

You are right Robert...possible what the OP meant. But...why would the OP be willing to incur the return expense at any level? Only scenario I can see is expediency aka time. Most...and I have done this a lot as I buy everything on line...buy say a cycling garment and take their best swag at the size...helped by reviews and generally offered sizing charts. I have a decent track record for getting stuff that fits. I don't always however and have returned stuff on ocassion...but I never do the 2 for 1 thing. Like I say, this sticks in my craw a bit just like guys who buy a tool, use it and return it. Today it seems there are no scruples and all bets are off. In fact, so frequent, it 'gets rolled into the business model'. Many may respond here...hey what's wrong with it. It has a cost to all of us.
When it comes the ethics of people...there for example is a large debate on how ebay has morphed. This is because of the morality of buyers and sellers. Some believe ebay is now untenable because it is swayed so far in the direction of protecting the buyer.

How much profit margin do you think there is? Free shipping isn't free. They do this as an inducement to buy the product. Same with selling things on ebay. Shipping cost is part of the profit calculus. The fact that Wiggle has good prices is certainly true. In my experience and I have bought from most of the UK bike suppliers, they all have great pricing for US buyers who don't pay VAT for example like UK buyers do.
But to say they don't care about shipping costs is ridiculous. Are you kids playing at your parent's computer again? ;)

I agree that rolling the dice on a best guess at size is a more sensible approach. I suspect OP was thinking about two Wiggle peculiarities, the low prices that would allow him to incur some return cost and still do okay and the longer (I assume) shipping delays due to the Wiggle's UK location. Not for me, but I understand how his mind was working. I have to say I don't think trying on two shirts and returning one is as odious as using a tool for the required purpose and then returning it. The latter is just out of bounds. We should note, however, that this practice (as well as women's wearing expensive dresses and returning them) is in no way peculiar to internet commerce, but has a long history in the brick and mortar world as well. The reason we identify these practices with the internet so much is that it is internet commerce that popularized the "no questions asked" return policy to overcome buyers' early concerns about being stuck with unsuitable purchases.

Pretty well stated I think. Only 'last' comment I have because the issue of buying clothes and shoes comes up a fair amount as many of us now buy everything on line. I always suggest to make sure there is a return policy without restocking fee. Yes is it common to make a sizing mistake when buying say bibs or shoes on line. Where I believe it goes a bit beyond the pale is...always buying 2 things and returning one. I believe a good faith purchase is...buy 1 item with opportunity for free return. This lowers consumer costs for all of us. Have to believe the probability of returning an item is on the order of 1 or 2 in 10 items purchased. This cost is substantially less than all consumers purchasing 2 items and returning 1 as a matter of policy.

When you ship as much as they do, you get ridiculous bulk discounts. Take UK bike suppliers out of the equation and go buy a 10lb coffee maker from Amazon. That would probably cost us $15-$30 to ship, yet they can do it for free because they ship millions of things every day from multiple warehouses all across the country.