Open Letter to Specialized

[dynamic]

I read it like you’re buying something you can’t afford. AND Klarna sucks. It was years before I could buy a new car and decades before I could buy a new cage outright. There are good bikes for far less than the price of a Specialized. You’re young, relax, some battles are just not worth the time and energy. “Work hard boy, you’ll find someday you’ll have a job like mine..”

If I learned anything from 7 years of customer support, it’s that there is always more to every story.

Why does it matter if I can afford it? How is it relevant to the experience? Whether I need the financing or it's a convenience, why would that matter? I am genuinely curious. As it doesn't change the experience at all.

Good bikes: Not that many with belt drive and a known reliable motor. Most of them are not much less than the specialized. The priority current (which I already tried) being one of them. I don't think my bike shop can work on bafang. I think they will do bosch (but I have yet to confirm either of those statements). I have evelo atlas and omega, zen samurai, and gazelle c380+ hmb on my list. I am not aware of many more. And I would argue that none of those are completely spec aligned with the vado. But I will also admit, I don't know enough about bikes to know if any of those differences would matter to me. Have other good bike options with belt/mid-drive?

By the way, "taking a chill pill and waiting until next year" is a valid answer here (I am running out of biking weather anyway). My comment on that, is do any of us want the above experience to be the expectation from *any* bike company? As a community, our toleration of this behavior is what enables it. I really *should* take my money elsewhere and hope others do to. But, that's not what I want. What I want, is for specialized to become a more consumer focused company. And if the only way to get that to happen *is* to directly effect their sales, they probably are incapable of being the company I want them to be as they would again be acting to protect sales, not the customer.

You are right, there is more to every story. Do I wish I had skipped that conversation with the LBS? Yeah, I do. I thought I was acting quickly so the LBS wouldn't build a bike I likely wouldn't buy. And Specialized would get an unopened return allowing them to sell it new. So, me trying to be a good consumer, attempting to help protect LBS and Specialized has lead to this. At this point, I wish I left it alone, tried the bike and then decided. Let them eat the cost of a returned open bike if that's what it was. That does appear to be the only model specialized is promoting. Lesson learned.

 

[tomjasz]

Why does it matter if I can afford it? How is it relevant to the experience? Whether I need the financing or it's a convenience, why would that matter? I am genuinely curious. As it doesn't change the experience at all.

Of course it does. But perhaps it’s a lesson you just haven’t embraced yet. Paying up front changes the entire drama. Again, you have my empathy. But believe me, decades from now you’ll get it. Or maybe you’ll learn faster than I did!

Regardless, I hope it works out for you. Best wishes for a happy ending!

 

[dynamic]

Paying up front changes the entire drama.

At this point it does not. That's the point. If I wanted to buy the bike I ordered with cash, I can't if I want a test ride/exchange possibilities. If I had paid cash upfront initially, and the bike was cancelled, that bike would still sit at my LBS unable to be sold to me by specialized under the same terms. Now, you could say I still could buy it cash final sale. Is that the experience you think specialized *should* provide?

My only option right now (for the same terms) is to buy the non step through model that is in stock today with my own money. Could I do that? sure? I really wanted the step through. All I really want is from specialized is to find a way to sell me that bike with the original test ride/exchange policies. I *could* drop klarna. But even that is not offered to me.

And, no, I don't feel like I should *have* to sacrifice any of those things (bike frame type, test ride, financing, exchange, return) because of what should be a *simple* order issue.

If specialized called me today and said "hey, we figured out how to generate a custom invoice to sell you the bike in the LBS basement. We can't solve klarna, but all other things are back as they were" there is a *very good* chance I would buy the bike. And if I chose not to, I would consider the issue closed. But it would be *my* choice. Not forced on me by specialized. They will have done what they *can* control.

Paying cash upfront doesn't solve this issue. Specialized *still* has no way to solve it regardless of the payment method used initially or subsequently. that is the unacceptable piece here. And that is the piece we should all demand specialized act better.

 

[dynamic]

Again, you have my empathy.

Also, thank you.

 

[tomjasz]

Paying cash upfront doesn't solve this issue.

My point was, it would have been different from the outset. I’m very suspicious of Klarna in the mix.
It’s awful for you regardless. What a nice choice you made in eBikes.
All the best! I’m going to STFU.
.

 

[dynamic]

My point was, it would have been different from the outset.

Again, it wouldn't. Klarna makes it worse, for sure. But removing klarna doesn't suddenly make Specialized able to deal with the situation. In the event that a cash transaction was done for a bike that becomes canceled and is out of stock, their only solution is *still* "go order a different bike". They can not sell me the bike sitting at the LBS. And that is, fundamentally, ridiculous.

And, I am sorry to belabor this point. But it *is* relevant. This should have been a simple order issue where they send me an invoice, I click pay to re-buy the bike I already bought. This is how basically any other e-commerce company works. Particularly for more expensive items like this.

Priority actually did this because the costco page wasn't letting me add accessories, and they just generated an invoice and sent it to me. And I bought it direct from them online instead of through costco. I could have used bread or affirm or whatever they had. I didn't, I used my money (partly because the financing they offer wasn't good).

Klarna is not relevant to specialized issues. IT just illustrates how important it can be for specialized to behave for the sake of the customer. Their choices and actions have consequences. And the people who pay for them is always specialized customers.

 

[Brendon@OEB]

I bought from these guys.

Gazelle Ultimate C380+ Mid Step Electric Bike For Sale | Fly Rides USA

Low prices on Gazelle Ultimate C380+ Mid step. 0% APR financing available. Excellent customer service. Click now to learn more.

flyridesusa.com

Flawless transaction, great communication, I was literally on the bike within a week to Mn.
Then they told me to take it in to a Gazelle dealer and have them give a once over. I sent them the receipt for the service and they credited me $50.
I also financed it with Affirm which was super easy.

Or get it from us and save on the sales tax, also our RTR shipping ensures the bike arrives 2 steps away from riding! Synchrony does 0% for 12 months, not as sweet as Klarna but something to consider!

Gazelle Electric Bikes

Quality, comfort and lightweight. That's the name of the game for Gazelle for 125 years and counting. Featuring low step-through frames for easy use by everyone, along with powerful mid-drive motors to get you from A to B in no time. Gazelle believes 'everyone should be able to enjoy the ride,'...

www.oregon-ebikes.com

Gazelle is a fantastic brand (not a knock against the big red S), great support too. None of their bikes use anything too strange, that's to say any shop that knows their way around bikes should be able to service them.

 

[dynamic]

Or get it from us and save on the sales tax, also our RTR shipping ensures the bike arrives 2 steps away from riding! Synchrony does 0% for 12 months, not as sweet as Klarna but something to consider!

Gazelle Electric Bikes

Quality, comfort and lightweight. That's the name of the game for Gazelle for 125 years and counting. Featuring low step-through frames for easy use by everyone, along with powerful mid-drive motors to get you from A to B in no time. Gazelle believes 'everyone should be able to enjoy the ride,'...

www.oregon-ebikes.com

Gazelle is a fantastic brand (not a knock against the big red S), great support too. None of their bikes use anything too strange, that's to say any shop that knows their way around bikes should be able to service them.

I would buy the high step in the c380+. Simply because the extra battery isn't compatible with the mid-step model. Any idea how long it takes to get bikes currently? (A shop here should have one "soon")

 

[Brendon@OEB]

I would buy the high step in the c380+. Simply because the extra battery isn't compatible with the mid-step model. Any idea how long it takes to get bikes currently? (A shop here should have one "soon")

Size?

 

[dynamic]

Size?

I would assume medium. But I have not been sized for that bike.

 

[vincent]

I understand what you are saying here, feel like people are missing the point

agree the bike shop should not be able to cancel an online order through specialized, how in the world does that happen- is it direct to consumer or not

also dont understand why specialized could not escalate all this to a top level customer support person and resolve it so that he can have the 30 day trial with the bike already in the shop which sounds like to me is the main thing he wants

also hard to believe that specialized upper level customer service cannot speak to klarna upper customer service and get someone to fix it

it sounds like a deficit in their system they need to work out
and when you cant work it out easy someone top level is supposed to be able to step in and resolve problems like this, to me that is what the upper levels of customer service would be for

the way i see this is someone wants to buy a bike sitting in a shop right there and no one can figure out at specialized how to rework the computer program to make this happen, to me that is bad customer service and a waste of fuel/shipping/ the environment back and forth etc etc

whether he ends up buying from them is irrelevant they needed this issue pointed out to them, it will happen again to someone else and they wont fix if they dont know

 

[dynamic]

I understand what you are saying here, feel like people are missing the point

agree the bike shop should not be able to cancel an online order through specialized, how in the world does that happen- is it direct to consumer or not

also dont understand why specialized could not escalate all this to a top level customer support person and resolve it so that he can have the 30 day trial with the bike already in the shop which sounds like to me is the main thing he wants

also hard to believe that specialized upper level customer service cannot speak to klarna upper customer service and get someone to fix it

it sounds like a deficit in their system they need to work out
and when you cant work it out easy someone top level is supposed to be able to step in and resolve problems like this, to me that is what the upper levels of customer service would be for

the way i see this is someone wants to buy a bike sitting in a shop right there and no one can figure out at specialized how to rework the computer program to make this happen, to me that is bad customer service and a waste of fuel/shipping/ the environment back and forth etc etc

whether he ends up buying from them is irrelevant they needed this issue pointed out to them, it will happen again to someone else and they wont fix if they dont know

Bingo. I was just told that the bike must be sent back tomorrow if I don’t accept the final sale terms.

You hit the nail on the head. Anyone seeing this should see a huge red flag when dealing with specialized.

 

[vincent]

Think specialized just does not have all this online sales worked out well yet

if it was me I would consider evelo

and reading this post and another you wrote on i think you may be overestimating what an lbs can do for you repair wise, yes you can hand the bike over to them when broken and they will eventually get it fixed but they are still going to have to wait for parts which can be in short supply
it is not like anyone is going to have parts to fix the bike electrically right there, unless maybe the lbs will pull parts off another new bike to give you

just my 2 cents

 

[dynamic]

Think specialized just does not have all this online sales worked out well yet

if it was me I would consider evelo

and reading this post and another you wrote on i think you may be overestimating what an lbs can do for you repair wise, yes you can hand the bike over to them when broken and they will eventually get it fixed but they are still going to have to wait for parts which can be in short supply
it is not like anyone is going to have parts to fix the bike electrically right there, unless maybe the lbs will pull parts off another new bike to give you

just my 2 cents

Evelo is high on the list. IT may be beating gazelle for a few reasons.

Yeah, so the thing that I have already experienced, with specialized bikes (I own a riprock 24) they are absolutely on top of issues. And literally adjust the thing or fix it in front of me. They *know* them. With any brand they don't carry, I am subject to them "figuring it out" "ordering parts" and "scheduling service". IF I walk in there with a vado with a demonstrably dead motor, they would likely order parts immediately, and get it "fit in" to their schedule. They are *not* super comfortable with IGH/Belt drives by their own admission. But specialized, they have support that makes them more comfortable.

With the current, they are willing to do the work, but I would have to have hands on, work with priority, get parts, and deal with the shop schedule. This is not the end of the world, but, this easily lost me several weeks of riding time, and would have lost me several more.

If specialized can't supply parts for a warranty service, that is a whole different can of worms. I am just going to assume they can. And not play that hypothetical card.

I will say, if I wanted to be my own bike mechanic, I would have kept the currents. But, what I really need, is for my bike to be working when I need it. If owning specialized enables that, and gets me a better bike, the cost of the product would be worth it.

Unfortunately, specialized is basically the only brand they carry for e-bikes. (technically yuba cargo bikes as well, but no stock).

So, the consideration for any bike that isn't specialized is about confidence that the LBS can help. I still haven't confirmed that they can do bosch/bafang warranty repairs. Either of those being true may make the decision between evelo atlas/omega and gazelle c380+.

But, at the end of the day, I would rather pay someone to fix issues.

 

[dynamic]

Is anyone sure that Specialized Direct to Consumer store isn't just an April Fool's joke?

I just tried to buy a vado with my normal credit card (a visa). And the credit card is being declined *without* talking to my card company. (no declined transactions). I am sure specialized support is going to be amazing with this as well.

Card works elsewhere. Used it to buy the currents actually. Yes, there is more than enough credit available.

 

[tomjasz]

There’s more to this story. We’re missing something. Give it a rest. Don’t make EBR a dumping ground. Unfollowed and ignored.

 

[dynamic]

I love when people choose ignorance when there is "more to this story".

Anyway, if I have broken any rules of the forum, please let me know. As far as I know, sharing your actual experience is acceptable here.

What it looks like is they are having a 3d Secure processing problem at least with my card provider. 3D secure is a fraud prevention capability used with credit cards under various brand names. It's unclear whether it's on my card provider's side or specialized. But it is not working for this purchase. It blocks the purchase attempt before authorization can be attempted. What it's *supposed* to do is open an additional challenge to prove I am the card's user. What it does is immediately redirects back to specialized where the purchase then fails.

Why is unclear. But I am unlikely to get an answer from anyone on a Saturday.

 

[EMGX]

Another member on this site indicated he or she was locked out of the specialized system because of multiple complaints about various issues and bike return attempts. Maybe specialized determines who might be more trouble than they are worth?

 

[Rexlion]

Looks like Specialized just doesn't want your business. And they don't deserve it.

 

[mschwett]

Is anyone sure that Specialized Direct to Consumer store isn't just an April Fool's joke?
….

yes, i’m sure. bought two bikes this year with click-n-collect. flawless transactions both times, excellent service from the LBS they were shipped to.

as you note, using credit cards online occasionally has issues with fraud protection etc. call your credit card issuer, tell them you want to make an online purchase for $$$$ at specialized.com, try again.

if it doesn’t work, call specialized. they answer almost immediately.