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[cat6]

The Gateway District is a large open air retail, residential and office complex in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The complex is centered around the historic Union Pacific Depot in downtown Salt Lake City. It currently contains over 105 stores and restaurants.

[Jawn P]

I bought a groupset through my LBS and a few days after it was delivered decided I wanted to exchange the crankset to different gearing.

The shop owner is telling me that QBP want's to charge him $60 for this exchange. That doesn't seem fair considering it's not a return, and the item is unopened and unused.

If that's how it is, then that's how it is... but I wanted to see if anyone else has had similar experiences or any (non-snarky)advice to offer.

That's par for the course with QBP.

Maybe ebay the cranks?

[cfox]

What a pile of horsecrap. And shop owners (With whom I empathize) wonder why folks shop overseas or over the internet?

[MattTuck]

What a pile of horsecrap. And shop owners (With whom I empathize) wonder why folks shop overseas or over the internet?

Yeah... That is what I was thinking.

I can see a $10 or even $15 restocking fee, as there are labor and shipping costs... but $60??? :no:

[rice rocket]

See if your credit card company will handle it? I know AMEX will, I tend to put any purchase over $50 on that card for that reason alone.

[MattTuck]

See if your credit card company will handle it? I know AMEX will, I tend to put any purchase over $50 on that card for that reason alone.

But that will probably screw the LBS, not QBP.

[cat6]

The story takes place on the planet Grool, a planet inhabited by mostly short, anthropomorphous felines. The idyllic and mundane lifestyle of the feline aliens is interrupted when an alien invader known as Kat of Nine Tails kidnaps Grool's sentient populace, inadvertently leaving one of them, Squeak, behind. Shortly after, Squeak encounters a human boy known only as Bubble who agrees to rescue Squeak's captured populace.

[John H.]

Why blame QBP? I am sure that their restocking fee is black and white.
But none of this matters to you and your shop should have not even mentioned it.
They should get you the correct crankset (given that 1st crankset is still new) and figure out what they are going to do with the extra.
They are in the business of customer service (serving you) and selling bike stuff (they should be able to figure out how to make the extra crankset go away).
If they can't arrive at the same conclusion, you need to find a new bike shop to do business with.

[RudAwkning]

Why blame QBP? I am sure that their restocking fee is black and white.
But none of this matters to you and your shop should have not even mentioned it.
They should get you the correct crankset (given that 1st crankset is still new) and figure out what they are going to do with the extra.
They are in the business of customer service (serving you) and selling bike stuff (they should be able to figure out how to make the extra crankset go away).
If they can't arrive at the same conclusion, you need to find a new bike shop to do business with.

This is what our shop does...unless it's some wacky crank from some boutique manufacturer with odd arm lengths that the customer >>insisted<< on having in the first place.

If you simply wanted a Chorus/Ultegra compact instead of the standard gearing initially requested, then the bike shop should be able to move that item into stock and roll it into a future sale.

If the shop is that hard up for cash, they've got other problems.

[Drewmanchew]

Qbp does not charge a re stocking fee unless its been a long time, Like a month. I would guess that the $60 is the cost of sending back the group and getting a new one shipped out. As a shop owner I would eat the time and shipping charges if its a good customer of mine, its part of doing business. I think its interesting how people love to bash the lbs, I understand
that some shop guys dont know or care. Just remember that some guys love what they do and want to give good customer service .If the guy at the lbs is working with you then support him.


p.s- Amex is evil, there fees are higher. those point you get cost somebody money and its usually the little guy.

[Ken Robb]

could you just swap rings?

[eddief]

the shop ordered and got what you wanted. you changed your mind. if the shop does not want it or need it in his inventory then he has to take the time and money to ship it back to QBP. oh and then QBP has to deal with it when it gets back to them. oh and then QBP should take another one off the shelf, pack it and pay to ship it back to the shop. i wonder how much all that is worth to a company that wants to stay in business with every tom dick and harry asking your question. not sure. oops. that might be snarky. sorry i was dealing with our F-ing Comcast all day to get my tv working. you wanna talk about customer service....

[Ralph]

Does QBP stock the crank you want individually, or do they have to break up a group to get you a crankset? Did they quote your LBS a group price, and now that group is changing. Maybe the group price with the crank you want is a diffeent price from wherever QBP gets it. I don't know the answers to these questions, but imagine there is more to this exchange than just time and freight back and forth.

I admire your loyalty to your LBS. He's stuck in the middle on this, and probably not making much either. It's good to be understanding.

[cat6]

The story takes place on the planet Grool, a planet inhabited by mostly short, anthropomorphous felines. The idyllic and mundane lifestyle of the feline aliens is interrupted when an alien invader known as Kat of Nine Tails kidnaps Grool's sentient populace, inadvertently leaving one of them, Squeak, behind. Shortly after, Squeak encounters a human boy known only as Bubble who agrees to rescue Squeak's captured populace.

[bargainguy]

Oops, didn't know case closed, never mind.

[T.J.]

Qbp does not charge a re stocking fee unless its been a long time, Like a month. I would guess that the $60 is the cost of sending back the group and getting a new one shipped out. As a shop owner I would eat the time and shipping charges if its a good customer of mine, its part of doing business. I think its interesting how people love to bash the lbs, I understand
that some shop guys dont know or care. Just remember that some guys love what they do and want to give good customer service .If the guy at the lbs is working with you then support him.


p.s- Amex is evil, there fees are higher. those point you get cost somebody money and its usually the little guy.

^^^ this guy is the very model of a great shop owner FYI

[oldpotatoe]

I bought a groupset through my LBS and a few days after it was delivered decided I wanted to exchange the crankset to different gearing.

The shop owner is telling me that QBP wants to charge him $60 for this exchange. That doesn't seem fair considering it's not a return, and the item is unopened and unused.

If that's how it is, then that's how it is... but I wanted to see if anyone else has had similar experiences or any (non-snarky)advice to offer.

I haven't returned anything to QBP for a long time but remember QBP ships for free, and it costs them something in labor to return something. Even new, it is a return, and restocking fees are common.

It 'seems' like your issue, but it seems the shop is kinda stuck in the middle after you changed your mind. The pricing is different with a group-destined to a bike(B level pricing, kit-in-a-box, type pricing). I don't know if the $60 is accurate, I'm sure the shop would have to pay for shipping back(no call tag would be issued by QBP) and this is costing the shop and QBP..are you paying standard margin retail prices for the group?

If the $60 is accurate, split the cost and the shipping with the shop and call it good.

[SPOKE]

Most of the bike parts distributors have a minimum order dollar value before you get free shipping. In some cases the shop does enuf business with the distributor on an annual basis to qualify for free shipping on every order.
I know Hawley out of Lexington SC dings a shop with a surcharge for orders under $75.
So for a low volume shop a group purchase most likely got free free shipping.

[oldpotatoe]

Most of the bike parts distributors have a minimum order dollar value before you get free shipping. In some cases the shop does enuf business with the distributor on an annual basis to qualify for free shipping on every order.
I know Hawley out of Lexington SC dings a shop with a surcharge for orders under $75.
So for a low volume shop a group purchase most likely got free free shipping.

Not with QBP-just changed to $450 for free ship(but the group in question undoubtedly came free shipping)...regardless of how much total biz you do. My Vittoria distro does give me free ship on anything.

Tough call, I think it's great the OP is supporting the shop, but again, I think if the fee is accurate, I'd split it with the shop and carry on.

[SPOKE]

Not with QBP-just changed to $450 for free ship(but the group in question undoubtedly came free shipping)...regardless of how much total biz you do. My Vittoria distro does give me free ship on anything.

Tough call, I think it's great the OP is supporting the shop, but again, I think if the fee is accurate, I'd split it with the shop and carry on.

+1.....especially for supporting your LBS

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . in discouraging frivolous orders. I'm definitely NOT calling this particular one frivolous, but QBP has a legitimate interest in keeping an overall trend from developing and somewhere they have to draw the line at how to offer free shipping if possible and yet still make a profit.

Wages and benefits are the largest expense to a business, and if they have to end up having to pay one extra (or more) member of their shipping staff just to deal with returns and restocking, then that's a significant expense. Add to that you may get the shipping for free with a large enough order, but they aren't. They're eating part of that expense and it comes off their bottom line. They just have to draw a line somewhere and OP ended up on the bad side of the line.

I agree with the split it if the shop owner is willing. If not, I'd just tell myself that I'm the one who made the original order and the one who changed my mind and I'd eat it myself.

BBD

[oldpotatoe]

. . . in discouraging frivolous orders. I'm definitely NOT calling this particular one frivolous, but QBP has a legitimate interest in keeping an overall trend from developing and somewhere they have to draw the line at how to offer free shipping if possible and yet still make a profit.

Wages and benefits are the largest expense to a business, and if they have to end up having to pay one extra (or more) member of their shipping staff just to deal with returns and restocking, then that's a significant expense. Add to that you may get the shipping for free with a large enough order, but they aren't. They're eating part of that expense and it comes off their bottom line. They just have to draw a line somewhere and OP ended up on the bad side of the line.

I agree with the split it if the shop owner is willing. If not, I'd just tell myself that I'm the one who made the original order and the one who changed my mind and I'd eat it myself.

BBD

Agree.