Ribble Order cancelled - no explanation

[thenewguy11]

I know this has been discussed before but I need to vent. I placed an order for Campy 11sp Chorus shifters/RD/FD/cassette/chain at really good prices in mid February. I wasn't in a hurry to get the parts so wasn't paying particular attention to how long it was taking. Today I remembered to look into it and see that my order is listed as "cancelled." I have no idea why that is nor have I received any explanation or even a heads up email from Ribble.

Naturally, I looked at what the parts are going for now and its significantly more than what's showing on my prior order. For example the shifters are now $235 instead of $135. So not only have I wasted 4 weeks waiting but it looks like the Zanc is going to remain SRAM Red for now. I don't expect them to actually do anything to make this right but felt like sharing because I'm annoyed.

Carry on.

[Jaq]

Was it a case of the low-priced Chorus being 2011 vintage, and now they're only selling 2012 (having run out of all the 2011)?

Whatever their excuse, if you paid money for the product - and no disclaimers were posted about reserving the right to cancel an order for various reasons - they should honor your purchase, even if they have to go out of pocket to do so. It's a contract, after all, and presumably legal and binding.

[jpw]

Was it a case of the low-priced Chorus being 2011 vintage, and now they're only selling 2012 (having run out of all the 2011)?

Whatever their excuse, if you paid money for the product - and no disclaimers were posted about reserving the right to cancel an order for various reasons - they should honor your purchase, even if they have to go out of pocket to do so. It's a contract, after all, and presumably legal and binding.

There will be a clause in the contract that enables the seller to cancel, a 'force majeure'.

[HenryA]

Go buy your stuff at the LBS and don't have this problem.

[csm]

sounds like their costs went up.

[1centaur]

There will be a clause in the contract that enables the seller to cancel, a 'force majeure'.

Force majeure I view as exceptional rather than foreseeable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Force_majeure

It's pretty rare to use that to get out of a contract by its nature.

[oldpotatoe]

Go buy your stuff at the LBS and don't have this problem.

Glad somebody said it and post #5.....knew it was comin'.

[ultraman6970]

Did you send them an email asking what heppened?? w/o asking there is no way to know :)

And yes, buy the stuff locally :P

[FixedNotBroken]

Another reason to not purchase from the UK. I wish I could tag Tony in this thread..

[cekte]

I try to support local whenever possible, but have had good experience with Ribble UK in the past. If you haven't already, I definitely would recommend to contact them to ask why the order was cancelled with no word otherwise.

[Marcusaurelius]

I've odered several times from Ribble and never had a problem. Always fast shipping and delivery within 10 days. As other have already said--send an email and ask why your oder was cancelled.

LBS often charges outrageous prices and provide little service (I had to say it).

[54ny77]

I paid a hundred bucks for a cassette the other day at an LBS that I could have gotten online and waited a week or two and saved maybe 20-30 bucks.

They provided great service: called 'em up, asked 'em if they had in stock and if so to please set one aside, drove there, picked up & paid, drove home.

To me, that was 100% worth the premium. When you need it, you need it.

No idea what wholesale cost is but let's assume maybe 30 point gross margin which means after taxes and all expenses they netted enough to buy a half of a cheese sandwich on white bread and a cup of ice water at local deli, at best.



I've odered several times from Ribble and never had a problem. Always fast shipping and delivery within 10 days. As other have already said--send an email and ask why your oder was cancelled.

LBS often charges outrageous prices and provide little service (I had to say it).

[1centaur]

LBS often charges outrageous prices and provide little service (I had to say it).

Let's avoid another long thread drift on the place of the LBS in the ecosphere. The key word to trigger that debate is the word "outrageous," which I think is misplaced in its implication of profit and therefore choice. If a price at an LBS is high compared to an online price, it reflects costs not borne by the online business to a very large extent, since LBS owners are not getting rich or even vaguely comfortable, in most cases. I don't think a retail price can be outrageous AND leave the seller not very well off at all. Nothing in this statement implies that one should or should not buy at an LBS.

[54ny77]

True.

As part owner of a retail store, lemme tell ya, it's no picnic. See those people walking around offering to help? Those are called employees. They cost money each hour to be there, and the gov't charges us to have them there too--so nice of them to encourage employment like that. The store itself you're walking around in? That comes with rent, insurance, fixture taxes (talk about absurd--yes, we get taxed on the value of fixtures on which merchandise is displayed), utilities, and operating costs. The product itself? That gets there via shipping, which can eat anywhere from 5-20% of margin right there. When all's said and done, hopefully at year end there's enough profit left such that we can celebrate with a cheese sandwich and ice water, ready to do it all over again the following year.... :crap:

I like a bargain just as much as the next person, and I've bought my share of stuff from overseas, but I also buy a lotta things local, just because.

Let's avoid another long thread drift on the place of the LBS in the ecosphere. The key word to trigger that debate is the word "outrageous," which I think is misplaced in its implication of profit and therefore choice. If a price at an LBS is high compared to an online price, it reflects costs not borne by the online business to a very large extent, since LBS owners are not getting rich or even vaguely comfortable, in most cases. I don't think a retail price can be outrageous AND leave the seller not very well off at all. Nothing in this statement implies that one should or should not buy at an LBS.

[thenewguy11]

So I reached out to Ribble and, to their credit, they responded rather promptly. The reason my order was cancelled was because they no longer (or never did) accept American Express. This despite the fact that their website allowed me to place the order and gave me a confirmation. They cheerfully told me that I could re-submit the order except that it would have to be at the prevailing prices. Unfortunately for me, the same items now total $760 instead of $421. So that's a bummer - I'll probably break down and do it at some point, but not with the bad taste in my mouth at the moment.

As for the discussion around the LBS versus mail order, the price break is just too large to ignore for me for these items. I like the guys at the local shop, but I'd imagine their prices would be at anywhere from 50%-100% higher.

[oldpotatoe]

I've odered several times from Ribble and never had a problem. Always fast shipping and delivery within 10 days. As other have already said--send an email and ask why your oder was cancelled.

LBS often charges outrageous prices and provide little service (I had to say it).

How about your LBS charges outrageous prices and provides little service.

No need to bash LBS' in general, particularly w/o first hand knowledge of the US supply/distribution system LBS have to work under. I'd be willing to bet the LBS you are referencing uses a pretty standard margin, even on Campagnolo, isn't trying fuel his G4 or have his 3rd home in Aspen remodeled. UK MO does NOT the market make.

[oldpotatoe]

I paid a hundred bucks for a cassette the other day at an LBS that I could have gotten online and waited a week or two and saved maybe 20-30 bucks.

They provided great service: called 'em up, asked 'em if they had in stock and if so to please set one aside, drove there, picked up & paid, drove home.

To me, that was 100% worth the premium. When you need it, you need it.

No idea what wholesale cost is but let's assume maybe 30 point gross margin which means after taxes and all expenses they netted enough to buy a half of a cheese sandwich on white bread and a cup of ice water at local deli, at best.

Standard bike shop margin as about 35-37 points, dividf raw wholesale cost by .65-.63....$100 item costs about $60-$65. That is recognized as the MINIMUM to break even at the end of the year, NO NET PROFIT, no additional debt.

I get a kick out of those that say, 'you paid $60 and if you sold it for $75 you still make money', nope, lose money. Those pesky fixed costs. Garage operations often have lower fixed costs plus they rely on volume to make up the loss in margin. As long as volume is OK, OK...check out Circuit City.....

[oldpotatoe]

So I reached out to Ribble and, to their credit, they responded rather promptly. The reason my order was cancelled was because they no longer (or never did) accept American Express. This despite the fact that their website allowed me to place the order and gave me a confirmation. They cheerfully told me that I could re-submit the order except that it would have to be at the prevailing prices. Unfortunately for me, the same items now total $760 instead of $421. So that's a bummer - I'll probably break down and do it at some point, but not with the bad taste in my mouth at the moment.

As for the discussion around the LBS versus mail order, the price break is just too large to ignore for me for these items. I like the guys at the local shop, but I'd imagine their prices would be at anywhere from 50%-100% higher.

$1100 plus tax here in the republic.

[benitosan1972]

The internet won't help you install or adjust the items, and won't give you a friendly smile or cup of coffee while you wait, and if you have to go back for a problem... I try to support LBS's when I can, though I understand in the case of big money/expensive purchases... good luck with your choice