Is this legal?

Grinch6912

Hi
my query relates to ‘wiggle’, a company who sell cycling/running gear.  I used them years ago and they were good. Not so much now…I purchased a bike yesterday, but within seconds of authorising the payment in my banking app I realised I’d made a mistake and wished to cancel. Long story short, it’s impossible to contact them. They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. My bank can’t do anything apparently because debit card payment is guaranteed. A whole day later they sent me another no reply email to say that the order had been completed and they’d taken the money, but still hadn’t dispatched. They appear to deliberately ensure you can’t cancel and rely upon you not wanting to pay a hefty return. Is this legal? 

Aylesbury_Duck

Grinch6912 said:

Hi
my query relates to ‘wiggle’, a company who sell cycling/running gear.  I used them years ago and they were good. Not so much now…I purchased a bike yesterday, but within seconds of authorising the payment in my banking app I realised I’d made a mistake and wished to cancel. Long story short, it’s impossible to contact them. They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. My bank can’t do anything apparently because debit card payment is guaranteed. A whole day later they sent me another no reply email to say that the order had been completed and they’d taken the money, but still hadn’t dispatched. They appear to deliberately ensure you can’t cancel and rely upon you not wanting to pay a hefty return. Is this legal? 

Yes, it's legal.

Take a look at the consumer laws around distance sales.  You can return the bike, unused, for a full refund within 14 days of receiving it.

What was your mistake?  Did you order the wrong model, size, etc?  Or just buyer's remorse?

user1977

Grinch6912 said:

They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. 

From Wiggle Help Centre:

How do I notify you that I want to cancel my order?

You can cancel by sending an email to customerservices@wiggle.com or by post to:

Customer Returns
Unit B
Brook Park East
Shirebrook
NG20 8RY

You need to give Wiggle a clear statement that you would like to cancel which includes your name, address, details of the order you wish to cancel and some contact information such as a telephone number or email address.

You can use the Returns Form, but you do not have to. To use the form, simply print it off, fill it in and, either scan and email it to Wiggle at the above email address or post it to Wiggle at the address above.

Grinch6912

If legal, it’s a very cynical way of doing business. My mistake was quietly buying myself a bike without mentioning it to my wife, who was sat nearby. This is how it unfolded:
wife : what are you doing
me: none of your business 
wife: seriously, what are you doing
me: just bought myself a new bike
wife: you haven’t!
me: yes, why?
wife: I’ve already bought one for your birthday!!

etc,etc

The fact a company makes it impossible to cancel an order immediately is pretty low

Aylesbury_Duck

Grinch6912 said:

If legal, it’s a very cynical way of doing business. My mistake was quietly buying myself a bike without mentioning it to my wife, who was sat nearby. This is how it unfolded:
wife : what are you doing
me: none of your business 
wife: seriously, what are you doing
me: just bought myself a new bike
wife: you haven’t!
me: yes, why?
wife: I’ve already bought one for your birthday!!

etc,etc

The fact a company makes it impossible to cancel an order immediately is pretty low

No to both statements.

It's not cynical, or low.  Online shopping gives you the consumer instant choice and ability to purchase.  That comes with some responsibility.  In your case, it's a pleasant but unfortunate coincidence that you need to cancel, but retailers don't want their systems clogged up with indecisive people dilly-dallying between purchase and cancellation.  In any case, as user1977 has pointed out, there's a perfectly reasonable method available to cancel, either by email or by returns process, as set out on their website!

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

user1977 said:

Grinch6912 said:

They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. 

From Wiggle Help Centre:

Also

After placing your order, you will receive an automated order acknowledgement. Please note that this does not mean that your order has been accepted. All orders are subject to acceptance by Wiggle.

You will receive an email confirming that Wiggle has accepted your order when your order has been processed and is ready for delivery by Wiggle.

Once Wiggle accepts your order, a contract to purchase the goods from Wiggle takes effect between you and Wiggle.

If that hasn't happened you don't have a contract and sending the email to say you withdraw your offer is sufficient.

Their logistics in dealing with that really are their problem as once your offer is withdrawn a contract can not be formed (as it requires offer, consideration and acceptance). 

visidigi

Grinch6912 said:

Hi
my query relates to ‘wiggle’, a company who sell cycling/running gear.  I used them years ago and they were good. Not so much now…

That will be because when you first used them they weren't owned by the people that do now. Both it and Chain Reaction are owned by Frasers group, aka SportsDirect.

They aren't illegal, they just have very close to the law processes which means they can do what they do without getting in trouble.

The two brands certainly don't have the CS service they were renowned for back in the day.

Grinch6912

Thanks for replies. I have no idea where you found the cs email, because I looked everywhere on their site and, after finally getting to the ‘contact us if you haven’t found an answer button’ it cycled me back into the same useless section.

The_Unready

According to the n+1 rule, you should just keep both bikes to save you the hassle of buying another one later (and then another one, etc). 😁

born_again

Grinch6912 said:

Hi
my query relates to ‘wiggle’, a company who sell cycling/running gear.  I used them years ago and they were good. Not so much now…I purchased a bike yesterday, but within seconds of authorising the payment in my banking app I realised I’d made a mistake and wished to cancel. Long story short, it’s impossible to contact them. They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. My bank can’t do anything apparently because debit card payment is guaranteed. A whole day later they sent me another no reply email to say that the order had been completed and they’d taken the money, but still hadn’t dispatched. They appear to deliberately ensure you can’t cancel and rely upon you not wanting to pay a hefty return. Is this legal? 

Nothing in card regulations or Consumer rights that say that a retailer can take the money as soon as order is placed.

Undervalued

born_again said:

Grinch6912 said:

Hi
my query relates to ‘wiggle’, a company who sell cycling/running gear.  I used them years ago and they were good. Not so much now…I purchased a bike yesterday, but within seconds of authorising the payment in my banking app I realised I’d made a mistake and wished to cancel. Long story short, it’s impossible to contact them. They send a no reply email and do not provide any other means of contact. My bank can’t do anything apparently because debit card payment is guaranteed. A whole day later they sent me another no reply email to say that the order had been completed and they’d taken the money, but still hadn’t dispatched. They appear to deliberately ensure you can’t cancel and rely upon you not wanting to pay a hefty return. Is this legal? 

Nothing in card regulations or Consumer rights that say that a retailer can take the money as soon as order is placed.

Should that not read "can't take the money" ?