Over the past month I've placed three different orders with RGM. I've only managed contact by telephone. The first order took 3 attempts to get somebody to answer, the other times someone picked up and manually/verbally took the order. First writing down my name & address and then taking the part numbers and amount required for the items I want, followed by taking my credit card details. It's completely old school and more than a little frustrating, however my 3 orders arrived at my door. Eventually. (Recent storms have disrupted the postal service - so no fault of RGM's)
Operating an old school, spit & sawdust parts supply business is all very well, given that's pretty much how our bikes were built in the first place, but not having any modern website link to their stock is a proper ball ache.
1. What the stock levels indicate on their site doesn't mean that is the actual number of items they have available. I've purchased a couple of parts that old had '7 in stock'. They still show '7 in stock'. Another '1 in stock' - turns out there were none. They won't know as they're taking your order and you won't know until (the rest of) your order turns up.
2. IF your order doesn't turn up, i.e. it gets lost in the post, there is no tracking available. You have no 'order number'. You have to keep a note/list of what you ordered and when and then call them again and keep your fingers crossed.
3. Worst thing for me. When your box arrives, you unwrap it to find your lovely parts - but there is no itemized receipt showing the part numbers, amount or what price was charged. Nothing to keep in your receipts file. I asked Roger to make sure he includes an itemized print out as I can pass this on to the next owner along with the paperwork for every other item I've bought for the bike since I've owned it - his response was along the lines of "Aah, it just takes too much time to print them out."
These frustrations along with many parts no longer in stock, it does make we wonder if they are winding down? I hope I'm wrong.
I still want to use RGM (along with AN) but I don't know if I can be bothered again until they sort out their website and fingers crossed they can get it sorted sooner rather than later.
