Ribble Cycles Review WARNING

[Mr.Gib]

Hello fellow WW's and forgive the lengthy post.

I had a disappointing experience with Ribble, the well known online retailer.

I attempted to purchase 2017 Shamal Ultra C17 and was sent the version from 2013! I notified Ribble via phone of the error the day of the delivery, and I was advised that Ribble does not arrange couriers for pick up. The only option is to mail the wheelset back.

Turns out the cheapest method to ship the wheels with tracking from my location in the Pacific Northwest back to Ribble is about $400 CAD. Before I invest another $400 into Ribble's error, I make at least a dozen phone and email attempts over a period of 10 days to contact both the returns department and customer service to get the go ahead – zero response. I did get through to employees on two occasions who could not authorize me to proceed but they both promised they would have the right person contact me the next day. Zero follow up in both cases. Fed up waiting for a response, I ship the wheels back.

I then respond to an automated Trust Pilot request for a review of Ribble and I give one star and post what to that point is my story. Almost immediately a reply to my review appears on Trust Pilot and shockingly with my real name used, and I get an email from a customer service rep full of sympathetic words and promises to sort things out when the item is returned. I reply that the wheels at that point had already arrived at Ribble and all that remains was for a refund to be issued for the wheels and shipping. I get another message shortly following stating I would receive my refund the following day and a confirmation email. Another week goes by with zero refund or communication.

So, I send off another message requesting the refund. A reply comes back that the refund has been processed and that I should have the funds shortly. That same hour I also receive a message from another person at Ribble stating that the refund exceeds the original amount and credit card info or a PayPal account is needed to complete the transaction. I give PayPal info. Two more day go by and nothing.

So, I send another message to both contacts politely pleading to process my refund. Finally, two days after that the money arrives.

What really bothers me is not the time it took to sort this out, but rather the pattern of Ribble doing nothing unless I tenaciously pressured them. The most glaring misconduct was for Ribble to sit silent until a negative review was posted on Trust Pilot. This policy of intentionally dragging things out and making the customer really work for a solution is very disturbing and unfortunately all too common. For some organizations, this behaviour is a cash flow strategy. Many others bank on the fact that this sort of policy will result in a certain number of customers abandoning or forgetting their refunds or avoiding returning anything. The behaviour was so consistent in this regard that it certainly appears as an intentional strategy to make the customer work for their refund. If the actual cause of this happens to be incompetence, then that is perhaps an even stronger reason to avoid Ribble. Either way this represents the very worst of customer service.

Contrast this with my two other experiences returning goods online. Wiggle - returned a stem - I mailed it out, money in my account in a week with zero interventions required by me. Probikit - they sent disc version of a wheelset instead of rim brake version ($3000 item). I phoned and explained the situation and the next day a courier was at my door for pick up. 5 days later my money was refunded.

I guess if you are in the UK than Ribble is perhaps a good local shop. On the other hand, if you are international I would use caution. I have made many other purchases from Ribble without issue, but the test of a company is not when everything goes smoothly, it is how they manage when there is a problem. Ribble failed on this one.

[asiantrick]

Did they end up cover the Return fee for you or you still out of CAD$400?

[mr_tim]

Ribble has turned into an also ran since it got bought out.

I don't know why anyone would bother with them anymore... everything they do now is sub-par.


thanks for your post !

[boysa]

Ribble has turned into an also ran since it got bought out.

+1. I think we knew that would happen. It's a shame.

[Wingnut]

Yeah Ribble is crap now, I rarely bother with them now. The prices are not that great and I've found the postage slow on occasions. I personally wouldn't risk buying a high cost item from them, usually I go to them when I can't get what I want from Merlin, Wiggle or Bike Bug.

I prefer Merlin Cycles who so far offer great service or I buy from Bike Bug...

[Mr.Gib]

Did they end up cover the Return fee for you or you still out of CAD$400?

Oh yes, in the end I got most of my money back. When you start converting currency back and forth on credit cards it'll cost you. Ribble did give me a $50 credit but I was down about $60 on the transaction.

In the end you could argue the outcome is reasonable, even the delays were not too long. The problem lies in the service personnel's repeated promises to fix things followed by repeated complete disappearing acts until I intervened. Also, I cannot escape the strong sense that I was being intentionally played.

[MichaelB]

Thanks for the heads up. Haven't used them for a while, but have used them before (the buyout anyway) without issue.

Last few times I checked them for prices/stock, they weren't competitive, so either stick with CRC/Wiggle/Merlin in the UK, or Hibike/Bike24/Rose from the German side.

[2lo8]

Should have just threatened/filed a chargeback.

I've had a lot of messed up orders and customer service in general seems to have gone down the drain the year or two. Overcharges, false advertising, bait and switch, you name it, stuff that shouldn't happen in the first place and you shouldn't have to waste time sorting out, but at the same time stuff that turns a profit if they get away with it. Stores resist making things right. The customer is always wrong, even when the vendor is violating FTC guidelines and so on. If you dare point this out though, they'll just stop giving you any customer service, possibly ban you from the store.

[dj97223]

Ribble has turned into an also ran since it got bought out.

I don't know why anyone would bother with them anymore... everything they do now is sub-par.


thanks for your post !

Yes, and their website now leaves much to be desired. They used to be my #1, but no more.

[AJS914]

I ordered some Campy stuff from Ribble last year. It came in plastic bags instead of the Campy boxes. I felt it was kind of lame. I like getting the boxes. Maybe they were buying oem grouppos somewhere?

I was going to complain on Trust Pilot but they wanted too much information and they do post your name publicly so I didn't do it.

[beanbiken]

I ordered some Campy stuff from Ribble last year. It came in plastic bags instead of the Campy boxes. I felt it was kind of lame. I like getting the boxes. Maybe they were buying oem grouppos somewhere?

Same sentiments here, DI2 stuff in bags, ordered Campy stuff from Wiggle and PBK cause I wanted the parts in retail boxes with all the trimmings. Yes pretty shallow but i'm a "keep the boxes" kind of person

BB

[sawyer]

Ribble has turned into an also ran since it got bought out.

I don't know why anyone would bother with them anymore... everything they do now is sub-par.


thanks for your post !

+1

One of the best value and friendliest bike shops is now an AVOID

PE firm True Capital bought them in late 2015 and their prices have gone up as fast as their service has gone down

Wiggle remain as good as ever. CRC (also owned by Bridgepoint) have got better too

[sawyer]

I ordered some Campy stuff from Ribble last year. It came in plastic bags instead of the Campy boxes. I felt it was kind of lame. I like getting the boxes. Maybe they were buying oem grouppos somewhere?

Same sentiments here, DI2 stuff in bags, ordered Campy stuff from Wiggle and PBK cause I wanted the parts in retail boxes with all the trimmings. Yes pretty shallow but i'm a "keep the boxes" kind of person

BB

Entirely fair - if you re-sell you will on average get a higher price for boxed items.

What is laughable is how naïve and short-sighted their approach to retail is for a PE firm ... guys it's a price/volume/service game, don't you get it?

Friends don't let friends shop at Ribble ...

[rasmusic]

Thanks for reminding me to give them a well deserved review for the terrible (like non existing) customer service after sending me the wrong item.

[MJB]

Ribble has turned into an also ran since it got bought out.

I don't know why anyone would bother with them anymore... everything they do now is sub-par.


thanks for your post !

Yes, and their website now leaves much to be desired. They used to be my #1, but no more.

alas +1 to that. Huge pity as they were my go to place for tubular tyres, always in stock and always best price... now........... don't ask.........