To be angry with bike shop for selling me a second hand bike as new?

[YellowBellyCat]

I bought an expensive bike last week from a well known National bike shop chain. Bike was reduced from £2700 to £2200 as I was told it was last year’s model. It’s a seriously well specced bike.

Turned up for a club ride yesterday and people there recognised the bike, it’s had custom bar tape put on it which makes it distinctive. Someone who works at the bike shop was there and made a comment about how the bike had won a National Grand Prix. I didn’t click at first and thought he meant that make/model. But later on other people were saying oh that’s x’s old bike. I’ve now found public posts from x on the bike shops fb page dated from 2019 with photos of her with the bike saying how she’s entered numerous races with the bike.

I tried to register it with the manufacturer yesterday on their registration scheme and can’t register it as it’s already registered.

So they’ve basically sold me a 2yo second hand bike and pretended it’s new. Don’t get me wrong…it looks in good condition, they’ve obviously cleaned it well, possibly they’ve put a new chain/cassette on 🤷‍♀️ But I wouldn’t have paid that amount of money for a second hand bike. At the end of the 2019 season another National chain were selling them new for £1900!

I’m going back to the bike shop today to attempt some serious price negotiation but not sure how far I’m going to get. If they don’t budge on price I think I will have to insist on a refund as it’s just making me angry now. A similar spec bike in this year’s models is about 4k though as the bike model has been seriously redesigned and upgraded (disc brakes from rim brakes) and I can’t afford 4k. They’re also all out of stock.

A friend was with me when I bought it and she’s as shocked as me, says she also thought it was a new bike. It was lined up with this year’s bikes.

@HalzTangz - on the OP’s posts you can click on ‘see next’ or ‘see all’

It really would never have occurred to me that a proper bike shop would do that.

Fingers crossed they offer you what you want OP 🤞🏻

* Apparantly as long as it’s a staff member who rides it that makes all the difference and it isn’t second hand. *
And it did 1000k?

I would have burst out laughing.
Asked for my money back
And then left a scathing review online

These second hand bikes need to be sold as second hand

@Disfordarkchocolate

Trading standards may be useful for advice.

This would be my first choice if the shop doesn’t cooperate.

So are they saying they regularly do this?

The staff use the a bike for a bit then sold on as brand new?

So a lot for their customers are riding bikes, they thought were new but they aren't?

If the staff member registered the warranty, how on earth can they justify it as not second hand?

This is totally dodgy. I really wouldn't be happy with keeping the bike after all that.

@Sloaneslone

So are they saying they regularly do this?

The staff use the a bike for a bit then sold on as brand new?

So a lot for their customers are riding bikes, they thought were new but they aren't?

Yes, they are regularly doing it. Sales manager says the situation should have been explained. I will suggest that a big label needs putting on such bikes, then there’s no confusion, no relying on a sales assistant spelling it out.

@FortunesFave

Don't even give them the chance to reduce the price! They've ripped you off badly! And you have proof!

Tell them you want a full refund. ANY arguments and you tell them you're seeing a solicitor and going to the press.

This. You were defrauded, and that is a crime in most places. The bike was misrepresented as new, when it was not.

@Mintjulia

I'd contact their CEO directly, explain what has happened and ask for a full refund. Look them up on LinkedIn.

I've done that twice with various things and it has worked instantly.
He or she isn't going to be pleased that one of the staff is using their business to defraud a customer. And the potential damage to reputation that can be done over social media is huge.

This. It's also worked for me in the past.

@YellowBellyCat

Yes, they are regularly doing it. Sales manager says the situation should have been explained. I will suggest that a big label needs putting on such bikes, then there’s no confusion, no relying on a sales assistant spelling it out

You can bet there's been plenty of people that haven't been told.

My car is my company car and I inherited it from my predecessor. The company likes us to have new cars, but the budget for the position didn't stretch to this car. We purchase, not lease. She got work to agree to take the demo. Because it had been used by staff and test drives it was cheaper and in budget. That's how it works. It's been used so its cheaper. Doesn't matter who by.

Your bike had been advertised as cheaper because it was an older model, not because it was used.

I am not into cycling, bit I know people who are choose their bikes really carefully and spend alot of money on them. I think its disgusting a company is doing this regularly.

If you've got good reason to think that you're not the only person this has happened to I would report it regardless of whether you receive satisfactory compensation. It sounds like they are regularly defrauding customers, many of whom I presume remain oblivious, and it is simply not acceptable practice.

Wow that’s awful OP. I thought this would be a one off mix up and they’d be grovelingly apologetic. I’m shocked this is regular practice.

It's completely unreasonable that staff use bikes then put them back on the shop floor as 'new'. Imagine if a high street clothes shop did this! A staff member takes a dress, wears it to a party and then puts it back for sale on the shop floor!

Wow, can’t believe they think it’s acceptable!

That's a great analogy @TonytheDog. This whole thing is shocking... i don't know anything about bikes but you could substitute any product in here. Second hand is second hand.

Tell them the Mumsnet Massif will be going elsewhere for our 4k bikes from now on.

That'll show him, the CF.

Op you can guarantee that using bikes then sprucing them up to be sold as last years stock, is what they are doing all the time.

But the HO are highly unlikely to know.

Depending on the outcome you want, I'd be very tempted to trash the shops name via social media.

A purchased a handbag from Very. After a couple of days I noticed used lipstick, mascara and half a packet of mints in a hidden pocket

When I contacted Very they initially refused for me to return and refund the bag because I had used it!

I was annoyed at getting a 2nd hand handbag. I'd be proper pissed off in your shoes OP

The manager does seem to have given you a lot of useful info in your claim. I can’t believe they don’t see what’s wrong with what they are doing

If they claim to be operating in this way regularly, it definitely needs escalating.

It's not just about being told that you buying a new bike when it is in fact second-hand, but it could be dangerous in a crash situation. Eg in a race when you thought your 'new' bike hadn't had so much as a knock when in fact the frame has already been weakened.

It's fairly unlikely that those higher up the food chain know that this is going on.

If they do, the whole chain needs exposing.

I think the real issue that the shop needs to address is that you can't register it etc
They need to sort that out

I wouldnt keep using it wait for the gm thats not on at all

its like selling a company car as new witho0ut tellin you it was used to and from work-i dont know how hes arguing its not second hand as it clearly is

Definitely talk to the senior manager / business owner (who to be fair isn’t likely to be in on a Sunday) and let them know your local cycle club are fully aware the shop has ripped you off.

Yes also as pp said you have no warranty on it ether so how are they going to rectify that

100% second hand the CFs