CRC moving distribution to UK.

koutoubia

Watching Utv News and the lead story is that Wiggle are moving CRC's distribution to Wolverhampton and looks like closing the Doagh and other branches.
Will try and find a link now!

ThisRegard

Wiggle doing it all from one place

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-37777345

Andalucia

Pity. CRC were great for delivery, usually 2 day max.

Wiggle on the otherhand, talking at least a week without paying for special delivery

Kaisr Sose

It makes sense for operational efficiency etc. Economies of scale. Obviously not good for local employment in NI.

Beasty

Yep. Probably makes it easier for them to deal with my legal challenges on their discriminatory pricing if they consolidate in one place....

Sinbad_NI

I work near Doagh... is very handy to nip out and pickup anything that's online.

Progress eh.

letape

Very disappointing to read that. I can't see the remaining (mainly administrative) 275 CRC roles continuing in NI for very much longer either.

iwillhtfu

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

I work near Doagh... is very handy to nip out and pickup anything that's online.

Progress eh.

Do they have all the online stock in that store? I;m up that way tomorrow I might pick up a few bits.

MrDiyFan

Will that be the end of free delivery over 9 euro then?
I'm not too well up on the companies but found the delivery very fast too

ednwireland

Andalucia wrote: »

Pity. CRC were great for delivery, usually 2 day max.

Wiggle on the otherhand, talking at least a week without paying for special delivery

+1 on delivery rarely use wiggle these days and if they take wiggle pricing ill be buying even less

fat bloke

It's ages since I've seen anything at a price worth buying on CRC personally. Invariably more expensive than anywhere else, and if you do come across a bargain, it's out of stock.

Their bike inventory is weird as well - scaldy aul Felts and cubes, and then Raleigh's and Eastways (?).

rizzodun

CRC/Wiggle leaving a sour taste in a lot of mouths up North right now...

Sinbad_NI

iwillhtfu wrote:

Do they have all the online stock in that store? I;m up that way tomorrow I might pick up a few bits.

I've heard they keep some stuff at the other warehouses but I've never experienced that.
The small shop in Doagh is really just a shop front on their warehouse.

uck51js9zml2yt

I wonder will be see a massive sale in 2017 to offload stock in NI?

cromcruach

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

I've heard they keep some stuff at the other warehouses but I've never experienced that.
The small shop in Doagh is really just a shop front on their warehouse.

I know at least some full bikes are kept in a different factory. But the Doagh warehouse is fantastic - it's near my work too and it's great to call in with a list of stuff and leave with it ten minutes later. Even marginally higher prices on some things were worth it for the convenience, plus it is/was keeping locals in jobs.

Actually ordered a bike from them at about 8:00 this morning (Wednesday) and ETA for arrival is next day. Last bricks-and-mortar bike I bought took longer than that for them to get it from their workshop, and this will arrive at my door!

Wiggle's debt to profit ratio is apparently 82:1, whereas CRC had no debt. Can't be good in the long run for the consumer.

Chuchote

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

It makes sense for operational efficiency etc. Economies of scale. Obviously not good for local employment in NI.

Doesn't sound like an act of genius with Britain about to slam into a hell of export problems with Brexit; they'd be more sensible to split it and hop one half over the border into Ireland so that they'd still have a toehold in the EU.

nak

Title is a little misleading
Joking aside, terrible for the staff employed in NI.

ThisRegard

nak wrote: »

Title is a little misleading

I would have had it as "CRC moving distribution to the mainland" and enjoyed the subsequent meltdown.

terrydel

Typical big business neoliberal ****e.
Never knew there was a link between wiggle and crc.
Feel for the workers, always the first people shafted when big business smells money.

ThisRegard

terrydel wrote: »

when big business smells money.

Isn't that the point of a business? If someone didn't smell money in the first place they wouldn't have had jobs there to begin with.

CramCycle

Chuchote wrote: »

Doesn't sound like an act of genius with Britain about to slam into a hell of export problems with Brexit; they'd be more sensible to split it and hop one half over the border into Ireland so that they'd still have a toehold in the EU.

That's what I was thinking. I don't know the cost benefits in regards staffing etc. but having a foothold in the EU seemed a no brainer. The only other thing there is that they may move to somewhere on the bigger mainland for distribution within the EU.

mr spuckler

terrydel wrote: »

Typical big business neoliberal ****e.
Never knew there was a link between wiggle and crc.
Feel for the workers, always the first people shafted when big business smells money.

neither did I till I saw the other day that CRC were going to be stocking dhb gear

gaffmaster

Post Brexit (I still think it might not happen despite every politician in the UK committing to the 'will of the *lied to* public'), I would imagine they'd want a European hub a lot more central than Ireland. Shipping costs and times would be much higher from here.

terrydel

ThisRegard wrote: »

Isn't that the point of a business? If someone didn't smell money in the first place they wouldn't have had jobs there to begin with.

I think you know full well what I meant.

Wanderer78

ThisRegard wrote:

Isn't that the point of a business? If someone didn't smell money in the first place they wouldn't have had jobs there to begin with.

There is a point at which a business actually becomes parasitic for a society or community, and large corporations are big offenders of this. Feel sorry for the workers and their families

ThisRegard

Yeah, but that's just how business is, always has been. Very few operate on an altruistic basis. I'm not defending their move, it's ****ty for anyone working there who may lose their job. But Wiggle are doing what's best for their company and future, do you go pointing the finger at the guys who sold CRC rather than the people who bought it?

Wanderer78

ThisRegard wrote:

Yeah, but that's just how business is, always has been. Very few operate on an altruistic basis. I'm not defending their move, it's ****ty for anyone working there who may lose their job. But Wiggle are doing what's best for their company and future, do you go pointing the finger at the guys who sold CRC rather than the people who bought it?

It's a flawed system for the masses and has to stopped

terrydel

ThisRegard wrote: »

Yeah, but that's just how business is, always has been. Very few operate on an altruistic basis. I'm not defending their move, it's ****ty for anyone working there who may lose their job. But Wiggle are doing what's best for their company and future, do you go pointing the finger at the guys who sold CRC rather than the people who bought it?

Not asking them to be altruistic, I'm merely pointing out a fact (imho) that firstly, the bigger these companies get, the more money becomes the motivation and driving force, invariably to the detriment of the workers, and secondly how they find it so much easier to act in a callous manner towards the people who helped get them there, when the scent of a really big pay day hits.
I'd apportion equal blame here. Typical fat cat behaviour imho.

Kaisr Sose

Chuchote wrote: »

Doesn't sound like an act of genius with Britain about to slam into a hell of export problems with Brexit; they'd be more sensible to split it and hop one half over the border into Ireland so that they'd still have a toehold in the EU.

100% agree. They will need to consider how to service and keep there substantial EU customer base /turnover. Having a fulfillment centre in the EU would seem the most logical thing long term. My thinking on this would be the move is a medium term strategy decision and not the last change to their supply chain.

cdaly_

ThisRegard wrote: »

But Wiggle are doing what's best for their company and future

They'll be doing what's best for their major shareholders and quarterly results...

do you go pointing the finger at the guys who sold CRC rather than the people who bought it?

Was CRC a private or public company? If public, the sale is not necessarily voluntary.

ThisRegard

By all accounts I've read it was a voluntary merger, I heard no rumblings of it being a hostile take over or out of necessity, both companies were trading well, but that's not to say there were none.

Beasty

My understanding is the founders sold it to the owners of Wiggle (who are, I think, venture capitalists who will look to cash in on their investments some time). That needs a decent efficient business model and increases in earnings and profits. Hence I reckon it's not good news to the employees bug probably is to their customer base particularly as there are some major German retailers also looking to build their business and retaining competition within the market.

CramCycle

Could the merger have been looked at in an anti competitive way. My understanding is they would have been two of the biggest vendors, not only in the UK but also in Europe and the merger (potentially) could have been anti competitive?

Sinbad_NI

CramCycle wrote:

Could the merger have been looked at in an anti competitive way. My understanding is they would have been two of the biggest vendors, not only in the UK but also in Europe and the merger (potentially) could have been anti competitive?

I think that's already been done. One reason it's taken so long to get to this stage.

1bryan

this is probably good news for Aquablue.

ThisRegard

CramCycle wrote: »

Could the merger have been looked at in an anti competitive way. My understanding is they would have been two of the biggest vendors, not only in the UK but also in Europe and the merger (potentially) could have been anti competitive?

It was done and given the OK.

The Ging and I

Not long now until "seller does not post to Ireland" ...
Then post Brexit it could involve tax on imports.
Time to find an equivalent shop in France/Germany

RobertFoster

The Ging and I wrote: »

Not long now until "seller does not post to Ireland" ...
Then post Brexit it could involve tax on imports.
Time to find an equivalent shop in France/Germany

I'd love to see SwimCycleRun expand. Their range and prices can't really match CRC/Wiggle, but their service and delivery have always been great.

Laundry_Hamper

There goes every British retailer's incentive to offer free shipping to ROI.

sparrowcar

Laundry_Hamper wrote: »

There goes every British retailer's incentive to offer free shipping to ROI.

+1 on this.
We think we're the sh!t over here but we are almost insignificant in the bigger scheme of things so they'll charge us for shipping knowing we will pay anyway.

koutoubia

RobertFoster wrote: »

I'd love to see SwimCycleRun expand. Their range and prices can't really match CRC/Wiggle, but their service and delivery have always been great.

Yeah oddly enough I was thinking the same thing.
For the Irish market there is now a gaping hole for someone to capitalise (and probably be bought by Wiggle/CRC in the future).

CramCycle

koutoubia wrote: »

Yeah oddly enough I was thinking the same thing.
For the Irish market there is now a gaping hole for someone to capitalise (and probably be bought by Wiggle/CRC in the future).

I have found their prices on certain things to be great, their service is phenomenal and website far cleaner. Pity the selection is not their yet but what they have is good, hopefully this will give them the ability to close the differences in cost a bit.

RobFowl

koutoubia wrote: »

Yeah oddly enough I was thinking the same thing.
For the Irish market there is now a gaping hole for someone to capitalise (and probably be bought by Wiggle/CRC in the future).

Mmmmm spending a lot of time looking at swim cycle run stuff

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

Mmmmm spending a lot of time looking at swim cycle run stuff

We have a special forum for people like you.....

Macy0161

CramCycle wrote: »

I have found their prices on certain things to be great, their service is phenomenal and website far cleaner. Pity the selection is not their yet but what they have is good, hopefully this will give them the ability to close the differences in cost a bit.

I'd be the same - better or at least similar to Wiggle/ CRC on a lot of stuff. Plus their (free) next day has always been next day, which hasn't been my experience of CRC. Just don't carry the stock, of even the stuff they've listed, a lot of the time unfortunately.

paul mountainbike

Use the AN POST address pal service,used it for stuff from amazon that won't post to ROI,also use for e-bay .
Just watch parcel size,got caught out with tyres recently as oversize package (cost me 25 euro )