Help Japanese Wiggle type store?

[fredstaple]

Does Japan have a large mail order or national bicycle retailer like Wiggle in the UK or Performance in the US?

 

[GSAstuto]

Surely you jest!

Does Japan have a large mail order or national bicycle retailer like Wiggle in the UK or Performance in the US?

 

[kpykc]

Amazon.co.jp
Rakuten.co.jp

And more specialized shoppes which I used couple of times:
www.cycle-yoshida.com
www.worldcycle.co.jp

+ a brazillion of smaller shops, which you can find with google

 

[GSAstuto]

Unfortunately Amazon and Rakuten are just aggregators. I have nothing but crap experience in online shopping from any Japanese cycle-tailer. Usually end up having to just call them on the phone and / or faxing the order. Yahoo Auction, on the otherhand , seems to have a much higher level of reliability - even the Yahoo Shops e-tailers who also have associated e-comm site work much better under the Yahoo UX. Look at Yoshida - wtf is THAT!? Most of the content has not been updated since 5yrs or more, rarely is anything actually in stock, no tracking, etc etc ... makes CRC seem like the Pope's Pajamas. (And for sure they're protestant!!)

 

[kpykc]

LoLz! You might be right about Yoshida and Worldcycle, Tim, but you will be asked to transfer money only after they confirm their stock for your order and send you confirmation e-mail, which takes some time, but it is a safe and sure way to order, unlike CRC.

Also amazon is quite good for the stuff sold and delivered by amazon, and not by a linked shop - zero shipping, fast delivery (the following day after the order, in fact). I get some cheap stuff from them sometimes.

Rakuten is just a market place, but no complains from me so far.

 

[GSAstuto]

I prefer the globals like Amazon and Yahoo - at least you have some recourse. Yoshida direct is insanely awful. Can't get into it. But - they do have some great deals if you can get them to actually send you the stuff. BTW - most of the Japanese e-tailers also have a cancellation fee - so BE CAREFUL. Once they have your money (by bank xfer which costs YOU yet another $5) they are loathe to give it back and will do so only with a serious amount of harassing.

With the Yen still strong and Japanese e-tailing stuck in the 1960's vis a vis antiquated linear distribution model - why bother? Just buy from Wiggle, PlanetX or any other number of direct-to-mfg sellers.

 

[onm]

If you are buying online, there is no reason to use any of the Japanese places. Wiggle have recently upped the ante again regarding logistics, and deliveries are at the fastest they have ever been.

Agree with all comments about Japanese e-commerce. Terrible.

The delivery system is good, but getting to that stage is a pain.

Amazon is great, but that is an aggregation system in Japan, and isn't even Japanese.

Stick with the best.

 

[fredstaple]

Thanks...

...thought as much. I was looking for a shop or online retailer with a good selection of mini velos. This seems to be a fairly Japanese only style of bicycle.

 

[kiwisimon]

I deal with Yoshida but email direct to the guy that handles dispatch and ask him if they have what I need. Have never ever paid for something I never got and the service is pretty personal, albeit by EMail. Kamihara 上原さん is his name and they do offer tracking
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[kiwisimon]

...thought as much. I was looking for a shop or online retailer with a good selection of mini velos. This seems to be a fairly Japanese only style of bicycle.

Mike at Bikes Direct is offering a good deal on mini velos at the moment. http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/mercier/nano.htm

 

[andywood]

I think Takizawa do stuff like that:

http://www.takizawa-web.com/

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time

 

[fredstaple]

Big Thanks

Wow, all that for less than 300, and free shipping to a US address. SOLD

 

[jimrober]

One of my favourites

http://www.askeycycle.com/

and for spokes and park tools

http://www.bikers-online.com/

But it's hard to beat Yahoo auctions if you've got the patience

 

[GSAstuto]

BTW - just tried Takizawa:

1) Selection - limited.
2) Inventory - not listed.
3) I purchased <hopefully> a set of wheels and received 2 emails of basically nothing except their lame purchasing policy. Meaning no pertinent information like:
- Order tracking
- Shipping date

4) Very poor shopping cart payment system - in fact, it did not even accept CC.

Japanese e-commerce sites suck when compared to anything in NA or EU. They rarely show actual stock information, endless apologetic mails for delays, crappy payment options, insecure entry forms, etc etc.. The only thing good about buying something in Japan is that when it is shipped, its very prompt.

 

[zenbiker]

Just go to Wiggle, change the language settings to Japanese and pretend!

I have used bici-Sana.com in the past. Some good prices on Shimano wheels.

 

[Pucci]

Uemura Parts is probably the best of the on-line shops:

http://uemura-cycle.com/