# Planet X Job Cuts



## Venod (3 Nov 2016)

Planet X is to trim down its workforce, the headline suggests Brexit is to blame.

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/brexit-blamed-for-redundancies-at-planet-x/020270


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## Phaeton (3 Nov 2016)

Well they have to blame something, can't be anything they got wrong now can it


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## Venod (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Well they have to blame something, can't be anything they got wrong now can it



"The first comment on that article seems to sum it up

"Pile it high, sell it cheap - miniscule profit margins destroyed by the collapse of Sterling against every major currency and vanity buying of brands in Italy and the UK. So yes, Brexit 
and a vulnerable if not flawed business strategy. Not good for the people Dave Loughran has made redundant but hardly surprising".


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## Phaeton (3 Nov 2016)

[QUOTE 4538847, member: 45"]It could be. Or it could be brexit .[/QUOTE]
Yes you could well be correct, but breaking into the US is very difficult, there is plenty of competition & lots of protectionism



Afnug said:


> "Pile it high, sell it cheap - miniscule profit margins destroyed by the collapse of Sterling against every major currency and vanity buying of brands in Italy and the UK. So yes, Brexit and a vulnerable if not flawed business strategy. Not good for the people Dave Loughran has made redundant but hardly surprising".


Again yes you could well be correct, but 'minuscule profit margins'? from what I have seen on bike accessories it appears to be healthy margins

I echo your thoughts on the little guy being made redundant, I'm sure the boss won't go without.


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## nickyboy (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Yes you could well be correct, but breaking into the US is very difficult, there is plenty of competition & lots of protectionism
> 
> 
> Again yes you could well be correct, but 'minuscule profit margins'? from what I have seen on bike accessories it appears to be healthy margins
> ...



You're confusing "margins". There are two of these that are relevant in business...the Gross Margin and the Profit Margin

Gross Margin (in a business like this) is the difference between what you buy something for, and what you sell it for. So if Planet X sells something for £10 and paid £6 for it, the Gross Margin is £4 or 40%

Profit Margin is what is left of all those Gross Margins after you've paid all your costs such as salary, warehouse rent, distribution etc etc. These are often very small %s of the Sales

For sure, Planet X will still have some positive Gross Margin %...often these businesses run on 40+% on smaller items. But currency movement post Brexit will have reduced the £4 to something like £3....but their Overheads remain exactly the same as before. So they don't have enough £3s coming in to pay for the salaries etc....so people are made redundant to keep the business afloat, no doubt along with other attempts to reduce overhead costs


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## Phaeton (3 Nov 2016)

Please don't assume you have to teach me to suck eggs


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## nickyboy (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Please don't assume you have to teach me to suck eggs



Well don't make comments like :

Again yes you could well be correct, but 'minuscule profit margins'? from what I have seen on bike accessories it appears to be healthy margins


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## Phaeton (3 Nov 2016)

nickyboy said:


> Well don't make comments like :
> 
> Again yes you could well be correct, but 'minuscule profit margins'? from what I have seen on bike accessories it appears to be healthy margins


Why are you my dad?


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## Cuchilo (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Why are you my dad?


I think that's a question you need to ask your Mother


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## User482 (3 Nov 2016)

[QUOTE 4538847, member: 45"]It could be. Or it could be brexit .[/QUOTE]

It could be 'cos they're crap.


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## nickyboy (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Why are you my dad?



I'm just someone who understands the difference between Gross Margin and Profit Margin


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## Phaeton (3 Nov 2016)

nickyboy said:


> I'm just someone who understands the difference between Gross Margin and Profit Margin


Again you seem to be delusionary over my knowledge on the subject, but feel free to live in your world


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## deptfordmarmoset (3 Nov 2016)

User3094 said:


> I put it to you that any business that imports the majority of its supplies and can now continue to thrive on a 30% drop in margins was a bit of a rip off in the first place!


Which, when you consider that their prices are usually highly competitive, makes you wonder about the margins of the people who maintain higher prices.


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## TheJDog (3 Nov 2016)

They said they made an 80k loss in 2015, which if I'm remembering this right, was before Brexit. And they have since closed their loss making US outfit.

I doubt the figures are in yet on the impact of Brexit, it sounds like they tried a bit of expansion which didn't work.

Brexit will probably increase the prices of all their inventory.


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## Accy cyclist (3 Nov 2016)

I look at their clothing page every day. Their merino wool jerseys have shot up about 50% in price in the last few days. This http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLVINRTMJSS/viner-retro-short-sleeve-merino-jersey-made-by-soigneur-nz has gone from £89 to £159!


Are they trying to draw in a much money as possible before they go under? I have an account with them which has 40 quid in. Not a great amount but i think i'd better order something or ask for a refund, before it goes to any creditors.


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## vickster (3 Nov 2016)

12% off clothing today


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## Andrew_P (3 Nov 2016)

If you look back a little bit in to the history, the owner took a back seat and bought in some management. Then blamed the poor performance on their purchases and management of the new warehouse move.

All available from companies house beta. I think the Sports Direct of cycling is a very good description on the Road CC Facebook posts.


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## Venod (3 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> Are they trying to draw in a much money as possible before they go under



I hope they survive, I have had nothing but bargains and good service from Planet X (I know not everybody will agree with this) a lot of the people that work there are cyclists themselves and a visit to their stores is always a pleasure.


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## ianrauk (3 Nov 2016)

Ooh. Better get that PX Hurricane Ti frame I have been promising myself.


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## User482 (3 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Ooh. Better get that PX Hurricane Ti frame I have been promising myself.



Just make sure it has the right-sized seat tube, as they don't seem to be able to manage it on their London Road frames...


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## ianrauk (3 Nov 2016)

User482 said:


> Just make sure it has the right-sized seat tube, as they don't seem to be able to manage it on their London Road frames...




Cheers for the tip


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## User482 (3 Nov 2016)

ianrauk said:


> Cheers for the tip



There's quite a lot of stuff about it on STW: I've no personal experience with the frames but it seems their attitude to warranty problems is dreadful.


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## srw (3 Nov 2016)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Which, when you consider that their prices are usually highly competitive, makes you wonder about the margins of the people who maintain higher prices.


Different business models. Planet X have always seemed to be an Aldi of bike retailing - mostly good quality but you can't guarantee to get exactly what you want, and you probably won't have heard of the brand name. Very low overheads in terms of stock held, warehousing and staff, and little advertising. Compare and contrast Wiggle, who maintain a very comprehensive stock of every big name item you've ever heard of, and who advertise like billy-o - a bit like Sainsburys.

Both probably have similar margins, but the Wiggle business model is _probably _more resilient to external shocks. They can afford to trim back a bit of advertising, have the clout to screw a better deal out of Shimano, or can stock slightly less.


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## Cycleops (3 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> Yes you could well be correct, but breaking into the US is very difficult, there is plenty of competition & lots of protectionism



Well, if Tesco couldn't do it...

Why is it some operations want to break into outside markets before getting their home market right?


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## EasyPeez (3 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> I look at their clothing page every day


 Well, you only get one life after all...


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## screenman (3 Nov 2016)

User3094 said:


> I put it to you that any business that imports the majority of its supplies and can now continue to thrive on a 30% drop in margins was a bit of a rip off in the first place!



Why?


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## Drago (3 Nov 2016)

Brexit hasn't happened. Article 50 hasn't been activated. Somehow can something that had not happened be to blame?


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## Andrew_P (3 Nov 2016)

Drago said:


> Brexit hasn't happened. Article 50 hasn't been activated. Somehow can something that had not happened be to blame?


What apart from 20% increase in the cost of any item not made 100% in the UK? GBP to USD the week before the Vote $1.55 last time I bought any I got $1.175


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## Drago (3 Nov 2016)

Andrew_P said:


> What apart from 20% increase in the cost of any item not made 100% in the UK? GBP to USD the week before the Vote $1.55 last time I bought any I got $1.175



And 'Brexit' caused this how, exactly? 

I think you'll find the cause of that lies with speculators, people who buy and sell currency with the intention of making a profit. They rely on a trend in either direction to trade against, and their very actions create and sustain that trend. Ever wondered why the pound suddenly isn't worth exactly one Euro or One dollar? Because no one could make a profit by simply moving it around if it were. This current trend can cause problems for trade, but increases profits by speculation at ratio of over ten to one. Retailers suffer, bankers and their traders love it, but only in the short term. The money hasn't vanished, it's simply changed location from one sector of business to another. Recession isn't a lack of money, but a lack of movement of money. It might cost you more to but your dollars for your holiday, and it'll cost an imaginary trader more too, but they'll have many, many more pounds with which to buy them.

"Brexit" is at this time an abstract concept, not a physical reality. The phenomena we see in this regard are the actions of people profiteering on currency at the expense of profits made in other sectors of the economy. Brexit is an excuse, not a cause. In Planet X's case their woes are caused by the actions of currency traders and the impact they have caused on the relative value of our currency.


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## bikingdad90 (3 Nov 2016)

Reading through there annual accounts it would appear they have made some drastic changes to the company.

A reduction in stock levels and a reduction in working capital which is reducing the amount of available cash. They also look to have refinanced some loans.

As they have now shut their US operations and started to wind down that company it will be no surprise that staff will have been let go as a result of the downsize.

There are also likely to be cost savings stemming from "spend to save". Iniatives. Investing in new and innovative equipment and programs can also lead to efficiencies and savings in the long run.

If they dabble in hedging to control their currency exposure they are likely to be fixing now for the next 6 to 12 months which given the climate will push costs up too.


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## Drago (3 Nov 2016)

Absolutely Mort. I'm not defending any of it, just pointing out that these phenomena are caused by well understood and familiar mechanisms, not some chimera that's suddenly sprung into life. Brexit didn't cause his because Brexit hasn't happened. The Suez crisis, the assassination of Kennedy, the Yom Kippur war all created crises that the markets 'reacted' to, that reaction being the behaviour of currency speculators using the uncertainty to create a trend, not something tangible that the Egyptians, Syrians or the CIA physical did. These events are an excuse, not an actual cause.

Market stalls suffer, traders at that level prosper. The economy is redistributing its relative value from one sector or area to another, and it won't last terribly ling,


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## Andrew_P (3 Nov 2016)

Drago said:


> And 'Brexit' caused this how, exactly?
> 
> I think you'll find the cause of that lies with speculators, people who buy and sell currency with the intention of making a profit. They rely on a trend in either direction to trade against, and their very actions create and sustain that trend. Ever wondered why the pound suddenly isn't worth exactly one Euro or One dollar? Because no one could make a profit by simply moving it around if it were. This current trend can cause problems for trade, but increases profits by speculation at ratio of over ten to one. Retailers suffer, bankers and their traders love it, but only in the short term. The money hasn't vanished, it's simply changed location from one sector of business to another. Recession isn't a lack of money, but a lack of movement of money. It might cost you more to but your dollars for your holiday, and it'll cost an imaginary trader more too, but they'll have many, many more pounds with which to buy them.
> 
> "Brexit" is at this time an abstract concept, not a physical reality. The phenomena we see in this regard are the actions of people profiteering on currency at the expense of profits made in other sectors of the economy. Brexit is an excuse, not a cause. In Planet X's case their woes are caused by the actions of currency traders and the impact they have caused on the relative value of our currency.


I agree some of it could have been speculators but the vast majority of it is uncertainly. We were in a downturn already, the Eurozone the same. The vote for out was quite a shock not many anticipated it so to say it is speculation is a bit of a stretch in my opinion. It went off the cliff the day after.

Now you could argue large firms would hold a large USD account anyway so they would have had six months or more breathing space, also you could argue if you had, like Planet X had 5 million in stock and you increase all of your prices by 20% you have effectively made 1 million extra on your stock in stock, but only if it sells.



Planet X wrote off 1 million in "redundant" stock to make a loss in 2014, but enables them to discount that stock out much cheaper to make a profit later.


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## bondirob (3 Nov 2016)

According to Road.cc they are bringing in agency staff to replace those made redundant.
I did notice their Barnsley store has closed with a sign saying for refurbishment but there wasn't much of that going on, it looks like it's permanently closed


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## steveindenmark (4 Nov 2016)

Getting your headset put together by a YTS. Im glad I ride Koga.

Sacking a good portion of your experienced staff to replace them with new, probably cheaper staff, sounds like a way to earn more money. But would not fill me with confidence as a consumer.


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## G3CWI (4 Nov 2016)

I don't think you can make staff redundant and then replace then with cheaper people. Isn't that illegal?


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## nickyboy (4 Nov 2016)

G3CWI said:


> I don't think you can make staff redundant and then replace then with cheaper people. Isn't that illegal?



Correct, the speculation that they are filling the redundancy holes with agency staff is just that; speculation.

.Same as you can't just "write off" a load of inventory to create a loss in one year in the expectation of discounting it and selling it in a subsequent year at a profit. To do something like that would require a lot of detailed analysis to convince the auditors of such a large write off and was, in all probability, legitimate. I suspect businesses like Planet X have plenty of problems in controlling inventory when you have models becoming obsolete


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## Phaeton (4 Nov 2016)

G3CWI said:


> I don't think you can make staff redundant and then replace then with cheaper people. Isn't that illegal?


If I understand it right you don't actually make a person redundant, you make a job redundant, therefore it would be illegal to employ agency staff to fill a job that no longer exists, the only time I believe it to be acceptable is if a job is going to be redundant in say 3 months & the person whose job it is leaves early.


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## bondirob (4 Nov 2016)

Phaeton said:


> If I understand it right you don't actually make a person redundant, you make a job redundant, therefore it would be illegal to employ agency staff to fill a job that no longer exists, the only time I believe it to be acceptable is if a job is going to be redundant in say 3 months & the person whose job it is leaves early.



The way they do it where I've worked is to alter the name of the job role.
Say from 'warehouse order picker' to something like 'flexible warehouse operative' change the duties a bit, create a new contract to sign also but it is the same job. I've seen this done numerous times to get people out of the door.
If not there is a period of time where they cannot fill that redundant persons role


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## Ciar (4 Nov 2016)

This popped up on the singletrack feed recently as it was posted on their forum, seems 2015 they cut 80k yet 2016 they supposedly made 100k yet tinned lots of staff due to Brexit either way i feel sorry for those out of a Job this time of year, hope they get sorted out asap.

the only other comment i saw, was about the owner being a huge fan of Mike Ashley so it probably gives you a clue.


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## GrumpyGregry (4 Nov 2016)

Never base your business strategy on a tax break or an exchange rate margin. End of.

And can we stop assuming that all sellers of cycling equipment are benevolent types in it to maintain jobs for folk, and an excellent service to their customers. Especially those on the web. They ain't, they are in it to make profits. And one thing that is key to profitability is costs, and a large chunk of those costs is staff.

It is tragic that jobs are lost, but it is capitalism, stupid.


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## User482 (4 Nov 2016)

GrumpyGregry said:


> Never base your business strategy on a tax break or an exchange rate margin. End of.
> 
> And can we stop assuming that all sellers of cycling equipment are benevolent types in it to maintain jobs for folk, and an excellent service to their customers. Especially those on the web. They ain't, they are in it to make profits. And one thing that is key to profitability is costs, and a large chunk of those costs is staff.
> 
> It is tragic that jobs are lost, but it is capitalism, stupid.



I suspect they'd be better at making a profit if they weren't quite so rubbish at the business of selling bikes and bike parts.


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## Accy cyclist (4 Nov 2016)

I've e mailed Planet X and asked how i go about getting a refund of my 40 quid. I don't expect an answer too soon as refunds and returns aren't a priority to them. I was going to buy a Holdsworth long sleeve jersey but that's gone up now to £49,99(just below the free postage total of £50) I can't keep up with their up and down prices and i reckon many others are pissed off with them as well for the same reason..
Just give me my money back PX and then i can spend it somewhere where you feel you aren't being taken for a ride! The Pro Carbon bike i bought earlier in the year was an example of their unfair pricing. I paid something like £835 for it then 2 days later it was reduced by something like £150. Planet X seem to think that customers enjoy gambling when buying. I think that's part of their downfall.


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## Hacienda71 (4 Nov 2016)

Over the years I have had loads of bargains from Planet X. I for one will be sorry if this is the start of their demise. I don't see their pricing policy as being inherently wrong, most retailers discount things in the same way, they are called sales.


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## User33236 (4 Nov 2016)

Hacienda71 said:


> Over the years I have had loads of bargains from Planet X. I for one will be sorry if this is the start of their demise. I don't see their pricing policy as being inherently wrong, most retailers discount things in the same way, they are called sales.


Planet X seem to have perpetual sales though and as % discounts go up during a sale period so does the RRP of their items making them more expensive.


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## Accy cyclist (4 Nov 2016)

Hacienda71 said:


> Over the years I have had loads of bargains from Planet X. I for one will be sorry if this is the start of their demise. I don't see their pricing policy as being inherently wrong, most retailers discount things in the same way, they are called sales.




Yes but at least have a sale and stick to it for a few weeks. It's like being on Wall Street with PX. Should i buy now or will the prices drop in an hour?


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## User33236 (4 Nov 2016)

Bad time of year for those who have been let go. 

I, like others, have had a few bargains off them in the past and still love my RT-58. More recently though I'be cheesed off with their 'sales' and taken virtually all my purchases elsewhere.


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## User33236 (4 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> Yes but at least have a sale and stick to it for a few weeks. It's like being on Wall Street with PX. Should i buy now *and will the prices go up in an hour despite discounts going up?*



FTFY


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## Accy cyclist (4 Nov 2016)

User33236 said:


> Planet X seem to have perpetual sales though and as % discounts go up during a sale period so does the RRP of their items making them more expensive.




This has appeared in the last few days.
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXMPLSJ/planet-x-mypie-long-sleeve-jersey
It's been reduced from £59.99 to £49.99 according to PX but as i said previously, i check their clothing page every day and it has not been up for sale at £59.99 Infact it hasn't been for sale at all. It's a new item to me. Now unless they've had it in their shops and not on their webpage it's a brand new item. Therefore they're making it up about it previously being £59.99!


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## Accy cyclist (4 Nov 2016)

Thre's a bloke who goes my my local pub. He owns a bakers/confectioners. We were talking the other night about price fiddling. I suggested he puts his pies and cakes in the window with a sign saying Now £1,50 Previously £10.00!!! I think he's actually considering doing it!

Then when the customer is just about to hand over the money he can say sorry but they're back up to a tenner!


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## Hacienda71 (4 Nov 2016)

If you see something and want it and feel it is good value buy it. If you don't then don't buy it. I buy stuff from Sports Direct occasionally if there is no alternative, they do the same thing but probably to a far greater extent. I don't look at the discount, I look at the price and think does that seem reasonable. 
Planet X on the whole is good value and if you are lucky you can get some cracking bargains. If they go it is just one less retailer giving us an alternative to the likes of CRC.


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## TheJDog (4 Nov 2016)

Drago said:


> Brexit is an excuse, not a cause.



So you're saying that the value of the pound dropped when all these traders spontaneously decided off their own bat to sell it? I don't know what your definition of 'cause' is, but it is certainly different to mine.


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## Andrew_P (4 Nov 2016)

bit more detail here - https://cyclingindustry.news/planet...ourced-to-agency-staff-barnsley-store-closes/


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (4 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> This has appeared in the last few days.
> http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXMPLSJ/planet-x-mypie-long-sleeve-jersey
> It's been reduced from £59.99 to £49.99 according to PX but as i said previously, i check their clothing page every day and it has not been up for sale at £59.99 Infact it hasn't been for sale at all. It's a new item to me. Now unless they've had it in their shops and not on their webpage it's a brand new item. Therefore they're making it up about it previously being £59.99!


Blatant rip-off in more than one sense


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## uphillstruggler (4 Nov 2016)

its a shame for those workers who will lose their jobs.

I don't suppose the owner will be selling the Jimmy Saville bikes they bought at the auction a while ago - that would have cost them a fortune too.

one thing about these businesses is that employees are unfortunately simply a number for the bean counters to lose if necessary. im sure it wont be a nice place to work for the foreseeable either.


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## screenman (4 Nov 2016)

I deal with a few companies now who are losing old family money rather than lay off staff, not all small business owners are bean counters. Mind you if you have never owned a company and had to make staff changes I would not expect you to understand how hard it can be.


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## jonny jeez (4 Nov 2016)

nickyboy said:


> I'm just someone who understands the difference between Gross Margin and Profit Margin


Ah, but what about mark up?


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## jonny jeez (4 Nov 2016)

nickyboy said:


> I'm just someone who understands the difference between Gross Margin and Profit Margin


Ah, but what about mark up?


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## jonny jeez (4 Nov 2016)

User482 said:


> It could be 'cos they're crap.


I think their £29 3/4 tights are fantastic quality. Better than the £80-100 equivalents.


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## User482 (4 Nov 2016)

jonny jeez said:


> I think their £29 3/4 tights are fantastic quality. Better than the £80-100 equivalents.



I have some of their bib longs, and they're very good. But having some good products doesn't compensate for the terrible QC and customer service problems that are well-documented on STW.

Leaving aside ethical considerations, for consistently good value clothing and good service it's hard to beat Wiggle.


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## Cycleops (4 Nov 2016)

uphillstruggler said:


> one thing about these businesses is that employees are unfortunately simply a number for the bean counters to lose if necessary. im sure it wont be a nice place to work for the foreseeable either.



What 'these businesses' are those? All businesses, businesses that have merged, badly run businesses, businesses that discount?


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## uphillstruggler (4 Nov 2016)

Cycleops said:


> What 'these businesses' are those? All businesses, businesses that have merged, badly run businesses, businesses that discount?



I'm talking about businesses, large or small that cull staff at the drop of a hat. The boss must have seen it coming. My overriding concern was for the staff being laid off


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## Smokin Joe (4 Nov 2016)

uphillstruggler said:


> I'm talking about businesses, large or small that cull staff at the drop of a hat. The boss must have seen it coming. My overriding concern was for the staff being laid off


On a pragmatic level, wages are a businesses biggest outlay. If trade drops it makes sense to get rid of staff you don't need.

Better to lose your job before Christmas than it is afterwards when you're wondering how the hell do you pay off the credit cards you've maxed out on it.


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## cyberknight (4 Nov 2016)

bondirob said:


> According to Road.cc they are _*bringing in agency staff to replace those made redundant*_.
> I did notice their Barnsley store has closed with a sign saying for refurbishment but there wasn't much of that going on, it looks like it's permanently closed


I hope the original staff are in a decent union, mine would be all over this like a ton of bricks, in fact they would probably get the community officers to drum up support, whod ya thunk got sports direct exposed, shamed and working practices changed .

EDIT
sent a email to the regional community co-coordinator.


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## bondirob (4 Nov 2016)

cyberknight said:


> I hope the original staff are in a decent union, mine would be all over this like a ton of bricks, in fact they would probably get the community officers to drum up support, whod ya thunk got sports direct exposed, shamed and working practices changed .
> 
> EDIT
> sent a email to the regional community co-coordinator.



Hope that union isn't Unite


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## the_mikey (4 Nov 2016)

I realise there are tough economic conditions right now but aside from that, I feel somehow Planet X had jumped the shark years ago. If you asked me in 2011 what I thought of Planet X as a brand I think I'd give a more positive response than I would in 2014, and it hasn't really improved since.


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## screenman (4 Nov 2016)

uphillstruggler said:


> I'm talking about businesses, large or small that cull staff at the drop of a hat. The boss must have seen it coming. My overriding concern was for the staff being laid off



They made a loss last year I think I read here, so yes he may have known that changes were happening and hung on as long as possible without cutting the staff.

I never did expect my bosses when I had a job to look after me, that was my job.


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## Lozz360 (5 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> I look at their clothing page every day. Their merino wool jerseys have shot up about 50% in price in the last few days. This http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLVINRTMJSS/viner-retro-short-sleeve-merino-jersey-made-by-soigneur-nz has gone from £89 to £159!
> 
> 
> Are they trying to draw in a much money as possible before they go under? I have an account with them which has 40 quid in. Not a great amount but i think i'd better order something or ask for a refund, before it goes to any creditors.


Compulsory redundancy is clearly bad news for most of those involved. However, it doesn't always mean that a business is about to go under. Many PLCs will see their shares rise considerably following an announcement to cut the workforce. Its often business's that avoid making difficult decisions that end up going to the wall.


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## Cycleops (5 Nov 2016)

A job for life is no longer a reality. it's a fast changing world and you have to try to look ahead. Look at how the high street has changed. The companies that have gone online sometimes struggle too. There's very little brand loyalty, all customers want are low prices and quick delivery.


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## Accy cyclist (7 Nov 2016)

I received an e mail from PX today, regarding my request for them to refund the £40 i have in my account. It went......



Hi,

Thanks for your email.

Do you have anything that links to your account that the 40.00GBP is issued to?

Any sales order numbers? an email addres? (tried this one but couldnt find an account with the credit on).

Thanks,



I've sent the order numbers of 3 invoices off. I hope they can trace it. I wish now i'd taken the money to bank account refund when they agreed to it the other month, instead of leaving it in an account they have no trace of.


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## ianrauk (15 Nov 2016)

User482 said:


> There's quite a lot of stuff about it on STW: I've no personal experience with the frames but it seems their attitude to warranty problems is dreadful.




Well. That will teach me to dither dather. The frame was originally £987. It was that price for a couple of months at least. Checked today and it has gone up by over £300. That's just ridiculous.

Oh well.. back to looking at the Condor Fratello frame.


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## Banjo (17 Nov 2016)

Companies with a reputation for looking after their customers will weather the storm better than those who habitually pi££ people off.


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## alecstilleyedye (17 Nov 2016)

used to see lots of planet x bikes on the club run (a now-defunct lbs used to sell them), just a few of the carbon fibre ones now. one former owner told me his alu planet x bike had split at the head tube…


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## mythste (17 Nov 2016)

It's horrifying and hilarious that they're now selling "build your own" bike kits.

There must be a load of ex-mechanics shaking their heads somewhere!


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## Smokin Joe (17 Nov 2016)

mythste said:


> It's horrifying and hilarious that they're now selling "build your own" bike kits.
> 
> There must be a load of ex-mechanics shaking their heads somewhere!


I thought that was a good idea. Many of us are capable of putting a bike together and would be happy to save a bit of wedge for doing it.


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## screenman (17 Nov 2016)

Banjo said:


> Companies with a reputation for looking after their customers will weather the storm better than those who habitually pi££ people off.



Maybe, but those making money will do even better.


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## Hacienda71 (17 Nov 2016)

Smokin Joe said:


> I thought that was a good idea. Many of us are capable of putting a bike together and would be happy to save a bit of wedge for doing it.


I would be happy to build up a bike myself if it saves me £200 You could even get your LBS to do it for half that if you are incapable.


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## mythste (18 Nov 2016)

Smokin Joe said:


> I thought that was a good idea. Many of us are capable of putting a bike together and would be happy to save a bit of wedge for doing it.



Oh don't get me wrong, I'd put one together to save £50 let alone £200 but the timing is impeccable.


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## Accy cyclist (19 Nov 2016)

Accy cyclist said:


> I received an e mail from PX today, regarding my request for them to refund the £40 i have in my account. It went......
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I've sent off 2 more e mails giving invoice numbers and my home and mobile number asking them to phone me regarding this 40 quid. So far all i've received are 2 automated response e mails telling me they intend to get back to me in 24 hours. They just do not get back to me!!! It's as if they intend to hold onto the 40 quid permanently or at least for as long as possible. The thing is how can i prove i actually have it? I trusted them and this is how they act. How totally unprofessional. Do they not think that word of mouth about how sh!t they are at refunds affects their business?

I'd even settle for a clothing voucher or actual cycle gear instead of the cash refund. Though even a voucher sent back to them could get lost in their system. Small claims court on the horizon?


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## vickster (19 Nov 2016)

Do you have written proof of the credit? If not, I'm not sure how you'd proceed with the small claims court (if you do and don't win you'll be out of pocket more than the £40, been there with scum bag car dealers, ended up spending a couple of hundred, no outcome)

Have you phoned them? Maybe send an email to the chief exec?
Try Dave.loughran@planetx.co.uk


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## Accy cyclist (19 Nov 2016)

vickster said:


> Do you have written proof of the credit? If not, I'm not sure how you'd proceed with the small claims court (if you do and don't win you'll be out of pocket more than the £40, been there with scum bag car dealers, ended up spending a couple of hundred, no outcome)
> 
> Have you phoned them? Maybe send an email to the chief exec?
> Try Dave.loughran@planetx.co.uk




No i don't have written proof. The fellow just said do you want us to forward the money to your bank account or put it in your account with us where you can spend it when and how you like. I've phoned them but they don't answer or you get put on hold, then i hang up after 4 or 5 minutes of waiting.


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## vickster (19 Nov 2016)

Write to the CEO


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