too good to be true, bike nashbar

[Blueberry]

I ordered my shoes from Nashbar solely because they are the last place I could find last year's color. I am *still* kicking myself for not ordering them when TE had them on closeout. I'd gladly pay more to be able to get them locally or from TE (but try as I might, I didn't like the color this year as much....and even my size in that is sold out). So...I didn't want to order from Nashbar (and don't make a habit of supporting businesses that have a reputation for poor customer service), and only did so to get a product I couldn't get elsewhere.

98% of my bike dollars are spent at TE or locally. I quite frequently pay $5-10 more for the same product at my LBS. We have a great relationship with our local wrenches and other shop employees. Shoot, hubby swept the shop ride yesterday riding with a couple of folks who were riding much slower than the advertised pace as a favor to the organizers.

I don't plan to make a habit of it (fwiw I rarely shop at wal mart either, but there are a few things I can't seem to find elsewhere...)

CA

[mimitabby]

my point? Same as CA, I wanted that color.

I spend lots of money at my LBS, but they don't carry everything, and they themeselves wouldnt hesitate to buy from Nasbar or whatever to get those sorts of things. Living
in a city, sometimes, it's not worth the hassle, gas, and time to get to the LBS to get something.

Our LBS is getting about $8000.00 from our household this year, i'm sure they don't care if we also spend $500 a year at nashbar, which honestly is just one more industry created by us bikers!
(there are worse things, like Walmart!)

[Tuckervill]

Some of us don't have bike shops on every corner. Nashbar fills a need.

Karen

[SadieKate]

Well, of course. If we had a bike shop on every corner that filled every need we wouldn't need Team Estrogen either. I've just found that of all the big name on-line retailers Nashbar comes with the most hidden costs due to inaccuracies and poor customer service.

If you know exactly what you want and are absolutely sure of the product order you can do okay with Nashbar. If you need advice, stay away. The people on the phone are order takers and inaccuracies are handled through the corporate bureaucracy rather than with a genuine desire to please the customer. A small on-line retailer I know published a big price mistake on Sidi Dom 4s a while back and I ordered a pair. They not only made good on the price they ordered the newer Dom 5s because they didn't have my size in stock.

[Blueberry]

SK - Thanks for the additional feedback! It's always helpful to know which online retailers provide good service and which don't I've had great experiences with some smaller online retailers (and some not so great experiences.....).

TE, of course, seems to be heads and tails above everyone (not that I've had to return anything - the sizing info has been accurate enough and the products described well enough that I've kept it all!).

CA

[ridebikeme]

have to admit that I without a doubt agree with Sadie Kate... I do not support anything online regardless of what product it is. Several of you are right, a lot of us don't have shops on every corner... however the reality is that the more that we all shop online the more shops will close... that's a fact! The other thing that I value as a customer is service and the relationship I have with a shop(whatever type of shop that may be). I want to go where someone knows and understands what I'm looking for, and I want to expect that the person on the other end of the phone or in the shop can answer any question I may have. I have seen too many instances where someone ordered something online, only to find out that it is not compatible with what they already have. ...Either way, we all have the abillity to make choices, and I choose to support my local business.

One of my customers this winter ordered a race bike online from a shop... not only to find out that the frame is out of alignment... which of course adds all sorts of other problems. Extra cost associated with sending it back, time without the frame... is it worth it? I don't think so...

[SadieKate]

Now, wait a minute. You don't support Team Estrogen? Next best thing to an LBS when most LBS don't have a good selection of women's clothing?

[Tuckervill]

I've spent about $500 in the past couple of years at Nashbar. Never once have I had a customer service problem. I don't usually ask them questions, because I know the answer before I order. If I want expertise, I go to forums and other people online. It is very likely that the bike shop closest to me (45 minutes) will not have what I want and will not even speak to me when I enter. (I know this from hard experience.) The other closest bike shops will speak to me, but rarely have what I need, either. I'd rather sit in my kitchen and order than drive 45 minutes or more to do so.

Again, I've never had a problem with Nashbar...but don't get me started on Performance.

Your mileage my vary.

Karen