JanMM

Most of the bike stuff I get from Amazon has come from various US bike shops. All has seemed legit. An Avid V-brake from Amazon a couple of years ago was later recalled and Amazon emailed me immediately to let me know and offer a refund, which I accepted.

canklecat

One change I'm seeing on Amazon stocked and supplied items is a shift away from traditional name brand cycling apparel to knockoffs with silly names (like "Bpbtti", which has got to be either a joke or the result of asking a toddler to name the product lineup).

Some of those products are good quality and excellent values. And I've noticed it appears some of the Spotti products are also sold as Przewalski, presumably an attempt at a less silly name despite the inexplicable association with horses.

There are still some recognizable brand names, but those are often from bike shops and cycling suppliers using Amazon storefronts, not directly sold and shipped by Amazon. And those rarely come with Prime rush delivery -- same day, one-day or two-day. I bought a POC helmet via Amazon this summer but it was sold and delivered from a California bike shop in about a week.

No problems with that business model, but buyers need to be aware that Amazon is much more lenient in policies for exchanges, returns and refunds for items it stocks and sells directly, while outside vendors using Amazon as a storefront may have more restrictive policies.

MNebiker

The "prime" reason I shop Amazon is their Prime shipping. This pretty much eliminates the Chinese vendors. And as many have said, if the deal is too good to be true . . . . . . .

Miele Man

MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op) here in Ontario sell bicycle tubes in shrink wrap packaging. Sometimes a tube is puncture before you even buy it as there's little protection with that packaging. In fact, I can't remember if the entire tube is wrapped or not. After a number of defective tubes I decided it's better to pay a bit more and get them from a local bicycle shop.

Cheers

Sertsa

I haven't bought any bicycle-related gear from Amazon, but for everything I selected "prime" while searching and always looked at the seller. Usually I bought from Amazon itself or a seller I knew of or could research. So I regularly shopped on Amazon from 1999 until this summer without much issue. Unfortunately, I've now stopped buying from Amazon as it's using its own delivery drivers/contractors, who drive erratically, evidently don't much care about accuracy (even when the personalized welcome mat in the driver's delivery photo does not match the name on the package), and the neighbors keep anything that shows up. So I'm rediscovering local shops and other retailers.

bruce19

I tend to avoid Amazon for anything unless there are no other options. Waiting for them to pay their taxes and employees.

canklecat

Agreed about delivery problems and underpaid/under-compensated employees. Amazon should do better on both.

But the "Amazon doesn't pay taxes" thing is a myth. Not that they need or deserve my defense. But it's a lot more complicated than that. They do pay applicable taxes (mostly state and local) and receive applicable and legal tax breaks (mostly federal) like any business.

The problem -- assuming there is a problem -- is with the tax system, not specifically with Amazon. Managing a federal economy is juggling kittens, knives, flaming bowling balls and feathers simultaneously, educated guesswork at best. We already know that when taxes are so high that it inhibits research and development, growth, innovation and better products or services, businesses abandon their home turf and outsource manufacturing and services to the most competent/least incompetent foreign nation. And we know that the rapidly increasing concentration of wealth in fewer pockets means there are flaws in the economic philosophies and resultant policies that got us in this mess.

See this Forbes report which sums it up more concisely than most.

bpcyclist

I worked for a smallish public company based in the Bay Area for a number of years. What I learned was that the federal tax code is written largely to benefit corporations, not individuals. The options and opportunities available to corporations on their returns are way, way more complicated and potentially money-saving than those even wealthy individuals enjoy. Obviously, everyone has their own views about the politics of this and I will, of course, stay out of that. That said, I certainly do recall on more than one occasion looking through our returns and thinking I sure wish I could do that on my return.

canklecat

Oh, I agree about avoiding the political tar baby. But economics aren't inherently partisan. It takes politicians to turn the metaphysics of economics into codified, etched-in-stone religions.

Economist/historian Robert Heilbroner aptly described it as the "worldly philosophy." His book by that title was the first to finally make sense of disparate theories of economics. He seemed wary of extremists and seemed to embrace the compromise economic system of the era in which that book was first published, the 1950s. All things considered that era's economic policy was probably the best/least bad, although it's difficult to say for certain given the huge shifts in employment. And he deftly dodges Ayn Rand's influence, or simply failed to anticipate it's populist appeal a few decades later. In her lifetime she was generally regarded as a bit eccentric, to put it mildly.

Bill in VA

This! Stocked in the US and shipped in the US by Amazon!.

My main beef with Amazon is stupid packaging - i.e., a 2"x3"x4" box in a 10"x12"x8" with a single inflated bubble. The small box is round from bouncing around in the big box with no padding. That, coupled with delivery folks who throw it onto the bottom step or sit it on the lower step on the porch in the rain when if it was placed 2 steps higher would stay dry. I got a delivery when there was snow on the ground and could tell by the tracks they threw it from about 10 feet away.

I use Universal Cycles for routine parts and specialty places for others. Amazon is usually a last resort. I have have received bogus DVDs from Amazon, but they were refunded ASAP.

ypspidsi

I'm sorry to hear about that. As for me, I didn't have any problems buying bike parts or sportswear on Amazon. Moreover, I like this online store, because technical support works great there and if I have any problem with the product, they make a 100% refund, it is very convenient and I think this store is trustworthy. As you know, trust is the foundation of every successful sale. Besides, I sometimes compare the prices of sportswear that is sold in local stores and can say that their prices are higher. I recently learned how to use free promo codes that I found on https://www.dontpayfull.com, so I buy products at huge discounts.

rsbob 

My father being a Deutschlander will enjoy your signature since he is so full of bullenscheise

Toespeas

amazon is a seller broker , most of those online bike stores use amazon to bridge the gap between the US and the UK , i see their listing on amazon all the time , but its in tiny letters so you might not even realize you are buying from them the same as their web site , and sometimes you get a worse deal !

Metieval

Well I just got the worse of the worse deals.

I drove 60+ miles one way to the closest bicycle shop. And bought a set of maxxis icon/ardent tires for the mtb. And rim tape, and degreaser, and t9 chain lube.

When it could have all been delivered to me for less money.

But oh well, I made new friends. I regret nothing.

I am so glad i had orange sealant though.... all they had was Stans. I'll refuse to use Stans.

veganbikes

We need to support Billionaire Jeff Bezos, he is basically the new Jesus with less hair. He runs the absolute best bike shop, when a new bike comes out of the box with problems his underpaid employees say "we cannot help you with that" when the customer calls to return the bike they rush to help him, only taking 30 minutes to finally say "ok yeah I guess we will take it back" and all he had to do was fight them (with some help) for at least 25 of those minutes. Plus he only had to call them back again twice to bug them to get the shipping label so he could send it to us to return the bike.

If you absolutely must buy online there are plenty of places that are at least cycling specific and some of which have actual brick and mortar locations. However there is a joy in going into a shop, I know I do when I go into shops that I don't work at and even sometimes at the ones I do work at. I like touching the products and riding them in the case of a bike and making sure they are correct.

gorillimo

I really like the bars I got off Amazon. Noirette plus. Not quite mustache bars, very versatile and comfortable.$39.00

Russ Roth

I've gotten ripped off a couple times on Amazon, only one was a ripoff brand that looked like shimano altus shifters, said shimano, but it turned out the part number was not a shimano one on the underside. Didn't realize it till a little while after as it has worked fine on the kid's bike I bought them for.

Others have been amazon warehouse deals where it was a previous return and the person tossed in crap and amazon didn't check to verify the contents matched the box. I like using warehouse deals because many of them are just open box/damaged packaging items that are otherwise perfect for insane prices. Actual park tool truing stand and professional repair stands for cheaper then employee pricing directly from Park and in perfect shape.
I have a 12speed edco monoblock cassette coming tomorrow that was a warehouse deal, if its actually new or only tested fitted and sent back from someone not knowing what they really need then I'll have saved about $120.00 for something that will save a quarter lb vs the chorus I have on there. if its someone's junk, I'll drop it off at Kohls and try again.
Other thing about cruising the amazon website is seeing what sellers offer the item, I find that they often sell the parts cheaper on their own sites plus I save sales tax, but amazon shows me which sites to look at.

Returns are easy if you have a Kohls nearby, personally I can't stand Kohls for shopping, always way too long a line from way too slow checkout and not enough cashiers. But amazon returns have a separate desk with easy walk up and drop off, no worries.

vane171

Thanks for heads up, what to watch for (I hail from Toronto). Might it be they have some returns that they shrink wrap without testing them first? But doubt they would take returns on tubes.

As to Amazon, that line others pointed out already about 'stocked and sold by Amazon' is the safe guarantee of smooth, easy return if needs be. But sometimes you have to forfeit it due to item not available with that option. I ordered a number of times from Chinese sellers (mostly electronics or some odd no brand bike parts and didn't get burned. Only thing is, with those products you are on your own if you might need a manual for the product (which even if some is included may well be totally useless due to Chinglish they are written in ).

Also as said already, many times you buy something for a bike on Amazon, it mostly comes from stone bike shops somewhere anyway, just not from your LBS but sometimes also yes, it depends.

Sometimes if in doubt, I visit the sellers web shop (usually the link is offered, especially on eBay). That can either make or cancel deal for me. As someone warned against buying cosmetics, I wouldn't those or any so called apparels from China or Asia sellers generally since it seems to be all infested by off knocks.

eBay keeps one more on guard since it is a wide mix of selling sources, from one off item sold by private person to stone store front sellers.

vane171

In that article from February 2019 they say "Amazon’s recent decision to pull HQ2 out of New York City has reignited an older debate about why the company pays “no taxes.” "

I recall reading this year that Amazon and other Silicon Valley co's are moving 'en masse' into NYC this year, gobbling up office real estate that was vacated by various businesses due to Covid situation in 2020. How fast things change.

AlmostTrick

I don't think I've ever bought anything that would be worth faking.

2old

I'm not really interested in the politics or ownership of a company. Only thing I know is that I've made hundreds of purchases from Amazon (especially in the current environment) and was satisfied in every instance. They helped me return the couple that weren't right. I remember one instance where the item was from one of their suppliers, wasn't a good product, and they gave me a full return.

sloppy12

I have never even used a phone for a return or a lost package for a refund. you fill out the little return form thing give a reason and drop off at kohls, or a amazon store. I think one time before the kohls deal i had to go to a UPS store and actually had to print something. with kohl or amazon store you get an email and just show them that on phone and some person just chucks box in a pile hits the confirmed drop off and you get a refund.

vane171

Didn't know that it is so easy in US, in Canada, you fill out the reason on website form (nice is that it can be just that you don't need the product anymore) and print out the shipping label, package the product and bring to post office outlet or local FEDEX office (I think even drop off point is fine, ie, it doesn't have to be personal handover).

Another great thing with Amazon and eBay is how the product search is implemented. If you shop online on HomeDepot or other such stores' websites, you really start to appreciate those two outlets, they really work on it. You just have to hand it to them even if you have some beef to cook with them

Arthur Peabody

I've had good luck with eBay. I just bought a derailleur, cassette, tires, and rim strips. They seem to be the real thing. Sometimes I can window-shop better at Amazon, narrow down my search more easily, then take that info to eBay. I often find the same thing from the same vendor a little cheaper. This was the case with Niagara. Also some eBay vendors fulfill through their Amazon channel; an Amazon package arrives. Then again I don't buy anything worth counterfeiting.

Russ Roth

The Edco Monoblock cassette showed up today, another warehouse deal success. The cassette was still rubber banded to a foam square that looks like its what the cassette must have sat on in the box. It was tossed in a plastic bag and the lockring and tiny spacer ring were present but no box, other packaging or factory information. Probably why it was labeled used good. The cassette had obviously never had a chain run across it as there is zero sign of grease or contamination. Hopefully it shifts as well as reviewed since it will shave a decent chunk of weight, 195g according to my scale vs the chorus which is 310g claimed for the 11-29, the 11-34 this will replace is heavier still. The 105.00 price tag is cheaper then the chorus as well. A win all the way around and why I shop Amazon. They might have made money on this but since MSRP is 240-250.00 and they paid shipping I think they didn't make much.