When Bike Bandit ships you a 17" tire instead of an 18"

[Cormanus]

Modern business has become remarkably clever at insulating itself from customers. I’m having major internet problems at home at the moment. I talk to my ISP which tells me the problem is with the owner of the wires. The owner of the wires clearly accepts that the fault lies with it and has sent two techs to look. But I have to deal with the ISP and every time I talk to them it takes at least 48 hours for the provider to respond. I am not able to get in touch with the outfit owning the wires give them the roasting they probably deserve.

It’s really neat: the disjunction of services and the inability to get past call centre staff means a conga line of miserable customers. Works for internet suppliers too. They can just blame the distributor who in turn blames the ordering company and the poor old punter who doesn’t get what they paid for is left hanging.

[jimgl3_imp]

I don't have it memorized, but there are several of the web stores like bike bandit and revzilla that all use the same distributor(s) and therefore have the same amount "in stock" (they really have NO stock, just a record of what the distributor has, which isn't always acurate) But Dennis Kirk is completely different from all the rest from what I see. You will see there number of items in stock and what they have in stock vs. sold out will be different from all the others and their prices are better. If they say they have 3 on hand, that's what they have. I've gone completely Dennis Kirk

[LongRanger_imp]

Since the retailers are relying on the distributor's inventory system to represent products they have available for sale, it makes me wonder why the distributors themselves don't create their own retail website and sell directly to consumers, bypassing their on-line retailers and keeping the full margin. I suppose if they did that, they'd lose all of their on-line and bricks-and-mortar retailers, which would kill their distribution model.

[Cormanus]

It will probably happen anyway, LR. As more and more people purchase online, it will become easier and easier for distributors to move to selling directly either to customers or intermediaries.

[zbillster_imp]

Ah! The drama continues. The next morning ...

I never received an email saying the correct 120/70/R18 Michelin Pilot Road 3 shipped out ... I think THIS size is out of production and no one else is showing it in stock (except J&P Cycles which is here in DFW and thus charges me sales tax).

So I searched around (including Dennis Kirk) for a suitable 120/70/R18 replacement that was in stock and ready to ship ... Revzilla had a Continental Road Attack 3. Ordered it.

Then I called Bike Bandit ("bandit" seems appropriate here) to get a refund on that wrong tire (you have to call them for any returns, website doesn't allow you to do it). Told them I got the wrong tire and shipped it back yesterday, and haven't gotten a shipping notice for the right one yet, so give me a refund. "Oh, our distributor has shipped the replacement tire already ... yeah, our email system is slow so you probably haven't gotten the shipping email yet."

Oh, come on.

Called Revzilla, asked if I could cancel the order I just placed ... "Sure, no problem" ... their email response time on orders is lightning fast.

Twiddling my thumbs ... waiting ... while my CB cries itself to sleep at night, wanting to go out and play ...

[KiowaEagle_imp]

I got my PR3's from a local dealer but he told me he had to go to two different distributors to find the front and back.

[max]

In NZ we have very little choice in 18" tyres, it's a small market, to offset sourcing problems i have a spare set sitting in the garage ready to go on the bike, i would be inclined to let the second ( revzilla ) tire arrive anyway.
If you like the tyres it's a sure bet and the price does not increase if it sits in the garage deflated.

[zbillster_imp]

In NZ we have very little choice in 18" tyres, it's a small market, to offset sourcing problems i have a spare set sitting in the garage ready to go on the bike, i would be inclined to let the second ( revzilla ) tire arrive anyway.
If you like the tyres it's a sure bet and the price does not increase if it sits in the garage deflated.

I considered that option but there "might" be a change in my vehicle stable next year ... so I don't want to overload on front tires I might not need, which wear out slower.
Oh, and now it's estimated to arrive by EOD Saturday (another fun weekend day waiting for a package) ... hopefully my mobile installer is free early next week ... I'm not scheduling him till I see the tire in person.

By then it will be two weeks without riding ...

[Houtman_imp]

Thank you for warning us about Bike Bandit .

[flynrider]

My BT-45 arrived from Bike Bandit just now. It's the one I ordered.