Mail Order - Your Rights

[Ian]

It has been discussed elsewhere whether electric bikes really are suitable for mail order, my own view is that they are if purchased from a bona-fide retailer because of the automatic rights granted to the purchaser under the distance selling regulations.

A brief summary are the regulations is that the retailer must supply the goods within 30 days of being ordered, and that the purchaser may, without reason, cancel the contract up to 7 days after receipt of the goods and receive a full refund.
If the contract is cancelled in the 7 day period after receipt , then there is no obligation to return the goods but they must be may available for collection.
Note that goods purchased at auction are not covered, and the full text of the regulations state that that includes internet auctions.

The Trading Standards Institute gives advise to consumers here.

The Office of Fair Trading gives advice to traders here.


In addition paying by credit card or debit card may give additional benefits, one member having successfully claimed for the cost of a replacement Li-ion battery on an extended warranty provided by the credit card company.

 

[frank9755]

Ian,

Personally, I do a lot of internet shopping. I've also worked with people in the industry to help them get it right. I think the distance selling regulations are helpful in giving people confidence to buy more complicated products from home. But I think there is more to it than that.

Simply, it works better for some products than others. It's most suited to products which are less complex, easy to define, where there is a low fault rate and where there is no requirement for after sales service (eg books, CDs, computers) and it is worst for products where the quality can be variable in ways that are hard to define or where there is a need for follow-up service (eg fresh meat and vegetables, antiques, second hand or new cars). I think electric bikes fall down on several of the factors - these are new products so many people do not fully know what they are getting or how it works, there are unfortunately a significant number of faults and in most cases there is a need for follow-up service.

It is always going to be so much easier to pop round to a local shop with a bike problem than rely on telephone support or having to return the bike to a remote location.

 

[Ian]

I totally agree with you Frank but the problem is that for many of us there is no shop round the corner, at least no suitable shop. I do actually live close to Loughborough but apart from the one much mentioned dealer in that town there are no other bike shops in or near a city of 300,000 that will sell a powered bike.
The irony is that in Leicester, and I suspect many other places, it's far easier to buy a £3000 titanium framed highly specialised racing bike than even a basic electric such as a Powabyke.

 

[derrick7]

Fingers crossed

I totally agree with you Frank but the problem is that for many of us there is no shop round the corner, at least no suitable shop. I do actually live close to Loughborough but apart from the one much mentioned dealer in that town there are no other bike shops in or near a city of 300,000 that will sell a powered bike.
The irony is that in Leicester, and I suspect many other places, it's far easier to buy a £3000 titanium framed highly specialised racing bike than even a basic electric such as a Powabyke.

North Wales is even worse,I shall have no choice but to buy my next e-bike through mail order.

Derrick - Llanberis

 

[tgame]

I did make tentative enquiries at my local small bike shop as to whether they would be interested in supplying me with an Agattu, giving them the phone number of 50cycles as agents. But I was met with total disinterest. And in practise my bike was sent so promptly and assembled and packed so expertly that I would have no qualms at all in buying at a distance from 50cycles again . I imagine their guarantee can be so good because it is so little likely ever to be used. I had a problem with a faulty prop stand but a new one is going to be sent to me without any problem at all.

 

[fcurran]

The irony is that in Leicester, and I suspect many other places, it's far easier to buy a £3000 titanium framed highly specialised racing bike than even a basic electric such as a Powabyke.

The Bike Park, Town Hall Square, Leicester = Powabyke Suppliers!

 

[fcurran]

North Wales is even worse,I shall have no choice but to buy my next e-bike through mail order.

Derrick - Llanberis

Beics Menai, Caernarfon 6 miles away. Powabyke's can be purchased there!

 

[flecc]

You tell 'em Frank!
.

 

[fcurran]

There's nothing like a bit of self promotion!!

 

[derrick7]

Seen them

Beics Menai, Caernarfon 6 miles away. Powabyke's can be purchased there!

I have seen Powabyke's there, they seem like something out of the stone age!
My present bike is a Lafree which was bought from West end cycles, in Colwyn Bay, I was keen on the new Twist until I had a ride on it. They are nowhere as good as my Lafree
My aim is to get a Raleigh/Kalhkoff (when funds are sufficient).

Derrick - Llanberis

 

[Ian]

The Bike Park, Town Hall Square, Leicester = Powabyke Suppliers!

I stand corrected! I knew they were the only Brompton supplier in the city I didn't know about the Powabyke sales though as I've not seen it mentioned in their adverts.

The Bike Park, sponsored by the local council is claimed to be the largest indoor secure bicycle park in the country and includes a bike shop, workshop and showers. A always thought they were a bit anti-electric though, although perhaps that's just the attitude of some of the cyclists who use it.

 

[frank9755]

I totally agree with you Frank but the problem is that for many of us there is no shop round the corner, at least no suitable shop. I do actually live close to Loughborough but apart from the one much mentioned dealer in that town there are no other bike shops in or near a city of 300,000 that will sell a powered bike.

And I agree with you, Ian (and others), the reason why people buy mail order is not because it's a great experience, but because there is a very limited choice in the shops!

Some people have had a good initial experience, which is great, but what happens when - as is highly likely to be the case - something significant needs to be done to the bike. You either have to ship it back to Loughborough (or wherever) or try your luck with a local shop who are not familiar with the model.

I fell into the trap too! I bought my Wisper off the internet and it is currently in the bike shop getting a spoke fixed. The shop is a Powabyke dealer (who used to have Urbanmover too) and I had a chat with the owner yesterday. He said he wanted to stock more different models but the backup was not there so he couldn't offer an acceptable level of service. He said he had spoken to many different companies but found hardly anyone held even the most basic spares in the UK or had any documentation in English. His comment was that Powabykes may not be the best looking but they do the job!

I would bet that if a survey were done of satisfaction levels of people who have owned their bikes for more than a few months, Powabyke would come top - because of the service. I think 50 Cycles service back-up is pretty good for a mail order business, but can never be in the same class as a dealer network. I had understood from this post that, recognising the service needs of the Kalkhoff bikes, they were starting to sell through dealers.

 

[nigel]

Its the same in southampton we mainly see just powabykes everywhere other makes just a few the local powabyke dealer is a very nice chap and is always willing to help and they can do most jobs in the shop the same day most of us know that they are to heavy but they do the job and boy do they keep going.nigel

 

[flecc]

I had understood from this post that, recognising the service needs of the Kalkhoff bikes, they were starting to sell through dealers.

If there's one thing that's certain Frank, service needs aren't the reason. The only repairable motor item is the drive sprocket which is much easier to change than any bike sprocket so miles within the competence of any bike shop or owner, as you'll see here. Otherwise the Kalkhoff is just a bike with normal bike servicing needs that any bike shop can look after. Since as we've seen, 50cycles are prepared to pay for warranty repairs at a dealer or collect and return, warranty support is unlikely to be the reason either. I think they probably would just like more sales!
.

 

[frank9755]

Interesting. It's the brave thing for them to do, to get a good product to market more effectively - and implicitly acknowledges my point that there is a large segment of customers who don't want to buy something like this by mail order! The extra volumes they generate should more than make up for costs of rewarding the dealers - and I hope they do; 50 Cycles deserves to benefit from such a move.

There's another factor that I forgot to mention to do with service. Every now and again a consumer falls out with a retailer. Usually its misunderstanding and a bit of blame on each side. Whatever the cause, it is nice as a consumer to have a large range of alternatives to go to, even if it is for a simple fix, and nice for the retailer not to have their awkward customers coming back and hassling them!

Frank

 

[flecc]

Completely agree on your first point Frank. Despite all the rapid growth in internet retailing, the great majority of consumers still prefer to purchase face to face and don't yet trust the internet. Not all good news for the high street though, since there are some indications that it's those with plenty of disposable income who are inclined to trust the net, the poorer half taking their pennies down the road.

Your second point highlights an interesting plus for the high street retailer, though it's the failures amongst those who benefit most of course. The most skilled retailer overcomes the difficult customer and turns them into a profitable friend. The techniques for doing that are well proven but little known though.
.

 

[alex]

Halfords sold me an electric bike.

Concerns about dealing with a distant seller should I need repairs / spares were a major reason for me deciding to buy a Carrera Sparc powered by the Sram system from Halfords. Fortunately I have not had any problems, but am reassured that a local seller is on hand should need help. If the trial sale of electric bikes is deemed successful perhaps the electric option will become a permanent part of the Halfords range?