A tale of two retailers...

[Scilly Suffolk]

I'm in the market for some bib-shorts, so after scouring the forums here and trawling the net I had a short(s) list [arf arf] to consider.

In my research I contacted Evans to ask them to price match a pair of Scott shorts I had found elsewhere for £4 cheaper (plenty in stock and of various sizes, but not the colour I wanted).

I had also joined the Shutt VR clubroom and added a pair of their classic bibs to my shopping basket to check the final price net of 10% clubroom discount and p&p.

I received an automated e-mail from Evans advising that they didn't price match this retailer....

I also received a personal e-mail from Peter Bragg at Shutt, who had noted the shorts in my basket but not purchased: anything wrong?

I told Peter what I was doing and he promptly replied that as well as getting rave reviews for the shorts, he'd throw-in some goodies to swing the deal.

I've since purchased a pair of shorts; no prizes for guessing from whom!

As well as telling all of you about my experience, I told my boss too: can you guess what he's just purchased and from whom?

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

I copied this thread to both Evans and Shutt; these are their replies:

- Shutt

Thanks James - We are still a young/small company and feedback does make a real impact. Especially when its just Jess and me, plus 2 part timers, taking on some very big names in the cycling industry..
Just got this from another customer too just now..
"Can I just say what a STAR Jessica is. I was let down by another Company to
supply a pair of bib shorts. Jessica sent through a pair of Shutt bib shorts
for next day delivery. Many thanks, Graham"
Makes it all worth while..
You've made our week!
Thanks again, Pete

- Evans
The conditions of our price matching service are clearly detailed on the website here

http://www.evanscycles.com/help/price-match

Your price match request was rejected because the bib shorts were a different colour and Shutt are not listed as one of our major UK based specialist cycle competitors.

[Actually I asked Evans to pricematch a pair of Scott shorts and their initial rejection made no mention of the colour, only that they didn't pricematch that retailer; which suggests to me that they didn't review the original correspondence and only looked at what I had written in my CC thread]

Draw your own conclusions...

 

[mummra]

Damn, I've just waited for over 1 1/2 weeks for Wiggle to send out some DHB bib shorts.
They claimed that the shorts were put on the wrong shelf in the warehouse but they failed to notify me and left the order in a status where I couldn't cancel.
I wish I've know about Shutt as the price is almost the same but looks like the service would have been better.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I've tried to get Evans to price match a few times, but they always wriggle out of it one way or another. I don't know why they bother to advertise price matching tbh

 

[PpPete]

Not shopped with Shutt before. Might well do now !

Be interested to know what you think of those Bib Shorts when you get them !

 

[mummra]

I've never had an issue with Evans price match.
I'm not sure if the listed competitor is a new thing or not as I had my Polar CS600x price matched from www.handtec.co.uk in April this year which is definitely not on their list of listed competitors.

 

[JonnyBlade]

Shutt looks a bit costly to me

 

[accountantpete]

You have to register to get access to the Shutt site - do you need a Coutts account as well?

 

[mightyquin]

I've asked Evans to price match a few times, never had a problem apart from the first time when I wanted a pair of coloured tyres, sure enough they declined as the colour I was asking for was different to the competitors link I'd sent. I just reapplied with the same colour and got the lower price - much much better because you can order online and collect in store (they have one down the road) rather than the hassle of dealing with couriers who only deliver when you're out!!!

 

[Andy84]

I've never had a problem with Evans price match, use it together with Google shopping / product search, almost guarantees you get the cheapest price!

I even do it in store, find the product I want then quickly tap it in on my phone and just show my phone to them at the counter!

I know retailers have to make money and all that, but I do sometimes feel with price match, that their ethos is ' we'll rip you off, unless you ask otherwise'

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Not shopped with Shutt before. Might well do now !

Be interested to know what you think of those Bib Shorts when you get them !

Promptly delivered, good fit (Shutt size by height not waist), great quality and having ridden in them several times (including 200km in one stint) I have found them very comfortable: I'll buy more!

I agree with what others have said about the cost of some of Shutt's kit, but these bibs were £38.05 net of club discount and p&p which puts them on a par with all but the likes of Decathlon and Tenn.