Online Stores To Pretend Having A Product In Stock

[Stefan Mikes]

My brother is in the process of building a spare wheelset for his Trance E+. He got stuck on a vital although banal part: Tektro SP-SS20 Centerlock with Sensor (a magnet). Normally, a Centerlock with Magnet is sold together with a new hydraulic brake rotor. Brother thinks the available rotors are too thick for his existing disk brakes, so he has been on a quest to find a specific part. To no avail. The specific part could only be found in an online store in Scotland as being in stock.

Don't think ordering anything from the UK to the EU is easy post-Brexit. It is even tricky to pay online with a card (the bank often does not authorize the transaction), and not all online stores allow using PayPal. Moreover, many British stores have no clue how to efficiently send wares to the European Union (DHL Global, one of DHL divisions is totally incompetent in this matter while other DHL divisions perform excellently).

As my girlfriend is a UK resident and comes to Poland soon, I overcame the payment issues, paid £21.00 and ordered shipment to London. Three days later, the Scottish store responded:
"Hi Stefan,
Thank you for your order.
Unfortunately it appears we do not have this item in stock. We are able to order the part but it has an expected date of the end of May. If you are happy to wait I will place the order but if you would like a refund I can organise that right away.
Sorry for any inconvenience."

It is not only related to British stores. It often happens a European online store pretends they have some ware in stock to reject your order later and organizing a refund for you. It makes me very irritated.

Does similar happen where you live?

 

[6zfshdb]

Although the shipping & payment issues aren't as complicated here in the US, I have had stock problems with some online retailers. I order frequently online and it isn't normally a problem with most large companies. I much prefer to do business at brick & mortar stores but in the rural area where I live, it isn't always possible.

Occasionally, I'll place an order for an item from a small online retailer which is listed as "in stock" only to get a message saying it is backordered for an indefinite length of time. Sometimes, they charge my card right away even though the item has not been shipped. When this happens, I always cancel the order immediately. If I don't get a refund within a reasonable timeframe. I dispute the charge with the credit card company and take my business elsewhere. This practice is not uncommon nor is it illegal but it's unethical IMO.

One thing I've learned is NOT to use a debit card for an online purchase!

 

[rayray]

I had that happen recently, when shopping for a hot tub saltwater chlorine generator. It was annoying, but I did notice they corrected their website to show it as out of stock. I actually ended up buying it from them in the end, as they later had a sale on it.

Another bothersome practice is online shops listing items as out of stock or discontinued, when they simply don’t carry the product at all. This way, searching for the product draws consumers to their site, and they have an opportunity to sell an alternative product. When I was looking for a new helmet, REI’S website listed numerous models of a particular brand as “discontinued”, while the manufacturer’s site showed them as current items. Seems shady to me, as it could easily fool someone who wasn’t aware, causing them to change their purchasing decision.

 

[Gordon71]

Not that I've noticed. Admittedly most of my on line shopping has been through Amazon and it's obvious at a glance whether what you want is in stock or not often along with how many they have in stock at the moment.

 

[smorgasbord]

And then there are stores that appear to be outright scams. I came across this one recently:

SRAM Exclusive Design X01 Eagle Rear Derailleur - just for you at brandbikepart.com

SRAM Exclusive Design X01 Eagle Rear Derailleur are the perfect accessory, shop now and stand out!

www.brandbikepart.com

The website was just established in the past month or so. All the parts on it have heavy discounts and have qualifiers after the brand name like "Exclusive" or "Fashion" or "Cut Price"

And the address they give:
1203 Davis Place
Springfield MO US
65806

Doesn't show up in Google Maps.

 

[Mike TowpathTraveler]

And then there are stores that appear to be outright scams. I came across this one recently:

SRAM Exclusive Design X01 Eagle Rear Derailleur - just for you at brandbikepart.com

SRAM Exclusive Design X01 Eagle Rear Derailleur are the perfect accessory, shop now and stand out!

www.brandbikepart.com

View attachment 150762

The website was just established in the past month or so. All the parts on it have heavy discounts and have qualifiers after the brand name like "Exclusive" or "Fashion" or "Cut Price"

And the address they give:
1203 Davis Place
Springfield MO US
65806

Doesn't show up in Google Maps.

In that website's FAQ section:

After I place an order, how fast do you ship?
Our goal at Husqva Outlet is to ship your items out to you as soon as possible. Items that are in stock in our warehouse

Google up "Husqva Outlet" and you get.....yes, the outlet for Husqvarna. What a bunch of fraudsters Brandbikepart dot com is.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Not that I've noticed. Admittedly most of my on line shopping has been through Amazon and it's obvious at a glance whether what you want is in stock or not often along with how many they have in stock at the moment.

Amazon works. Currently, my new Mirrycle is travelling all the way to my place from a quite remote location

 

[chunk]

Don't think ordering anything from the UK to the EU is easy post-Brexit.

As a dual citizen of the USA and UK (living in California), I was sad that Brexit was passed at the ballot box. To me, looking from a distance, it seemed that the slim majority really shot themselves in the foot. I have plans to visit England again at sometime and thought how cool EU travel was going to be, before Brexit.