there’s a new poll at right (but you may not see it until you’re at the main tri forum page). it looks a lot like the previous poll. same 13 options. the difference is this:
in the prior poll, we asked which etailer you use more than all the others for your general BIKE purchases. what i’m asking now is, which etailer would you prefer to use if they had more stuff at the prices you want to pay.
and, what i’d prefer you NOT do is just choose bonktown because you’d like to have everything at bonktown prices. that’s clearly not the point of that site. what i’m really asking is, what is your favorite site, in terms of ease of navigation and searching; ease of payment; maybe ease of parking items in your cart while you decide; whether the site easily archives your personal information; shipping policy; freight prices; return policy; technical help; and so forth.
now, if based on all that criteria, you still choose bonktown, fine. but, that’s what i’m looking for here.
i’m asking these questions, because i’d like the etailers themselves, as well as your contemporaries on this site, to differentiate between which among them do the best job of buying, pricing, and holding good inventory; versus those who do a better job at site design, and general ease of transaction.
finally, please use OTHER only for other bike etailers. not for your LBS. not if you’d rather use jcpenney.com. those are not choices available on this poll. we already know how many of you would just prefer to use ONLY your LBS and to not EVER online shop for bike items.
i’m interested in the high number of “other”. by “high number” i’m taking about 4 or 5, out of 20 votes so far cast. so, not exactly high. yet. but i’d like to know what general cycling etailer has something about it you like better than these i’m listing, and, what specifically that something is.
I thought about where i have bought most my stuff in the last 10 years, and i had to put other. Unless you do not consider these etailers, but it is ebay, craigslist, and the ST classifieds…
I’m ebay first, but I scan most of the 20 you mention and go with the cheapest option on that item that day, with a big preference for sites that take paypal.
i’m interested in the high number of “other”. by “high number” i’m taking about 4 or 5, out of 20 votes so far cast. so, not exactly high. yet. but i’d like to know what general cycling etailer has something about it you like better than these i’m listing, and, what specifically that something is.
trigeeks.ca - They are Canadian (one of the few), great selection, and some of the best customer service I have seen anywhere. Those first and third points are pretty important to me.
They may not fit your definition of general bike etailer, but I’ve had great experience with tri-zone.com - simple, efficient website, good prices, and they almost always seem to carry just what I’m looking for.
My early read of the two polls is that for the top two preferences about 15% prefer Trisports.com and another 15% prefer Performance Bicycle/Bike Nashbar, and to me that means that PRICE (Perf/Nash) is winning out or at least equal to specialty (Trisports).
My rather weak mind hypothesizes that if Trisports were able to lower ***some ***of their prices or run periodic pricing specials, then they could almost double their business–at least with Slowtwitch readers. And I assume that a majority of Slowtwitchers are already utilizing the standing 10% ST Trisports.com discount.
As Trisports.com is a specialty retailer with great customer service (people and management), immense inventory, and an awesome standalone store (this all costs a LOT of money) I’m not sure how much they are willing to lower their prices to get a little more ST market share. Perf/Nashbar is the Subway/Taco Bell of our little niche market: cheap and acceptable if you really know what you want and it’s not very special. And there’s no way Trisports want to get into that game.
I’ve also hypothesized that this ST poll was probably commissioned by Trisports.com (an ST advertiser) or by Slowman for their benefit in the first place.
“I’ve also hypothesized that this ST poll was probably commissioned by Trisports.com (an ST advertiser) or by Slowman for their benefit in the first place.”
neither trisports.com, nor any other retailer nor, for that matter, anyone at all, knew these two polls (last week and this week) were coming. this means, obviously, no one had any input. except you all, in a way, because i often construct these polls based on the results of prior polls. so, if there is any architect of polls like these it is the aggregate view of slowtwitchers as expressed editorially or through prior poll results.
I have bought a few things from Tri-Sports (small ticket stuff). I really like their site, service and delivery.
There is a Performance a few miles away and I will go there in-person if I need some of the “basics” (nutrition, tubes, tires, bar tape, reasonably priced clothing).
I cruise Bonktown for stuff that I want, but don’t need.
I have spent some time on PBK, but don’t want to wait for Intnernational shipping. Usually if I need something, I need it pretty quick. Or if it is something high priced that I want, I will hunt for a great deal on it and get it.