Hi, I recently purchased parabolic rollers from Performance Bikes. As I was opening the box, I noticed the box had already been opened and taped up. In the box, I noticed an invoice sheet for another customer that contained the rollers I bought and some other materials. The date on the invoice sheet was the previous month. Here's the issue... even though the rollers work fine, isn't it deceptive of Performance Bikes to sell me a "refurbished" product when they didn't indicate it when I purchased it on the web site?

Hi, I recently purchased parabolic rollers from Performance Bikes. As I was opening the box, I noticed the box had already been opened and taped up. In the box, I noticed an invoice sheet for another customer that contained the rollers I bought and some other materials. The date on the invoice sheet was the previous month. Here's the issue... even though the rollers work fine, isn't it deceptive of Performance Bikes to sell me a "refurbished" product when they didn't indicate it when I purchased it on the web site?

How do you know they were refurbished? If they were returned in sellable condion, what it the problem? I figure, what goes around, comes around. I've returned plenty of items in my life. The store doesn't charge a restocking fee. I assume they don't throw them away.

How do you know they were refurbished? If they were returned in sellable condion, what it the problem? I figure, what goes around, comes around. I've returned plenty of items in my life. The store doesn't charge a restocking fee. I assume they don't throw them away.

I agree filtersweep, it's most likely just an unwanted return. Lot of store put returns product back on the self. Although they do a better job repackaging it. Fry's does it all the time (but they do put a little stick on it letting you know it's a return).

Hi, I recently purchased parabolic rollers from Performance Bikes. As I was opening the box, I noticed the box had already been opened and taped up. In the box, I noticed an invoice sheet for another customer that contained the rollers I bought and some other materials. The date on the invoice sheet was the previous month. Here's the issue... even though the rollers work fine, isn't it deceptive of Performance Bikes to sell me a "refurbished" product when they didn't indicate it when I purchased it on the web site?

There are some things that you don't want to get second-hand. Clothing. Water bottles. And some things that, if they've been opened and then returned, are just fine. Maybe someone bought these as a Christmas present and the recipient didn't like them.

Personally, I wouldn't sweat it, so long as everything is in the package and working. When you buy a new car, it's generally been driven by (though not sold to!) other people. But I just don't see a big delta in this case.

There are some things that you don't want to get second-hand. Clothing. Water bottles. And some things that, if they've been opened and then returned, are just fine. Maybe someone bought these as a Christmas present and the recipient didn't like them.

Personally, I wouldn't sweat it, so long as everything is in the package and working. When you buy a new car, it's generally been driven by (though not sold to!) other people. But I just don't see a big delta in this case.

I'm not looking to get anything from this. To me, it's all about principle. From my expectations, when I buy something new, I expect it to be. It's all about advertising the product truthfully. The fact that they left the return slip from the previous owner is pretty amusing.

I agree filtersweep, it's most likely just an unwanted return. Lot of store put returns product back on the self. Although they do a better job repackaging it. Fry's does it all the time (but they do put a little stick on it letting you know it's a return).

That's the point Jett. At least Fry's informs you that the product has been returned.

That's the point Jett. At least Fry's informs you that the product has been returned.

Fry's is the only store I know that does that. I think they do that because they don't take the time to repackage the item like other stores do. Back in high school, a buddy worked part time in the stock room of a local department store and his job was to repackage returned items. They even reshrink-wrap the boxes.

I'm not looking to get anything from this. To me, it's all about principle. From my expectations, when I buy something new, I expect it to be. It's all about advertising the product truthfully. The fact that they left the return slip from the previous owner is pretty amusing.

True, that was a problem. And, actually, if I were the person who returned it, I would be ticked...the form certainly has name and address on it, maybe credit card information, etc...the fact that it's still in the box may even mean it hasn't been properly processed as a return.

Still and all...does it look like the rollers were used? Or was the box opened and the stuff found to be unsatisfactory on visual inspection?

Have you called Performance? If so, what have they had to say?

True, that was a problem. And, actually, if I were the person who returned it, I would be ticked...the form certainly has name and address on it, maybe credit card information, etc...the fact that it's still in the box may even mean it hasn't been properly processed as a return.

Still and all...does it look like the rollers were used? Or was the box opened and the stuff found to be unsatisfactory on visual inspection?

Have you called Performance? If so, what have they had to say?

A couple of scuff marks on the rollers.

My question is... what is considered new? Say for instance, the previous owner used the rollers for a few hundred miles and decides to return it. Although it is in usable condition, why would it be marketed as new? As I mentioned previously, I'm not looking for any financial or substitute compensation. I'm just raising the issue of truthful marketing. If Performance Bikes would have informed me prior to shipping the product, I wouldn't have cared.

Experiences such as yours are typical in the mail order business, it's just that most of the time the company is not so incompetent as to let the customer know it's happening. It's the nature of the beast as more and more stuff is bought sight unseen. I bought a clearance pair of shoes from one of the mail order bike shops, and didn't use them until the next season. It was only then that I figured out that the insoles were missing, most likely because someone returned the shoes sans insoles and the company never inspected them to see that (neither did I when I received them - it's not something you tend to look for). If it would make you happy, I'm happy to inform you that from now on, consider that anything that you buy from any retailer could be returned goods. :)

I'm not looking to get anything from this. To me, it's all about principle. From my expectations, when I buy something new, I expect it to be. It's all about advertising the product truthfully. The fact that they left the return slip from the previous owner is pretty amusing.

When you buy a new car, do you think it is new or used? You, (if you're lucky) might be about the tenth person to drive that car. I drive just about every new car that is delivered to my dealership, some get driven "harder" than others.

If its really important that the product not be touched before; by all means, send it back. PB's customer service is 2nd to none. I have sent things back that most people would consider normal wear and tear over a year and a half after purchase. Rollers, I wouldn't worry about. But if you call them and tell them your story, they'll most likely refund the return shipping cost and send you new ones.

What I would do; is call and explain that you are OK with them, BUT... You ought to be able to get a FREE spare band in the event the one shipped was used and has a reduced life from what would be expected of a new one. You both win here. They don't have to deal with an unhappy customer plus restocking the rollers and you feel like you get something for nothing.

Happy riding, try drinking beer on rollers sometime. It'll change your perception of how much you can handle behind the wheel.

Nashbar.com (owned by Performance) has a section where they sell customer returns for 1/3 to 1/2 off the regular price. I think it is pretty slimey for Performance to sell returns for full price.

I'm not an apologist for any company or anyway associated with the industry. In fact I'm at work at a French owned chemical plant now...how's that for being hated by a lot of bikers (both left & right political affiliations). But this just sounds like a mistake in restocking. Their website plainly lists some items as refubished. I have purchased some of these items and been satisfied. Gotta go make some poison CO & H2 gas now...happy riding.

You can shoot an email to Performance and let them know what happened. I'm sure it will not retify the problem as to recycled goods, but they will probably look into their packaging. One thing about Peformance is that to do respond to their emails. I sent one recently about their Order Status website and they fixed the problem. Never hurts to try.

I ordered a seatpost from another internet bike shop and it had a piece of scotch tape about halfway down the post, for no apparent reason. When I took it off you could see the top half was faded over the lower portion. Looks like it might have been mounted on a demo bike, but for all purposes it was new. Sometimes you pay for what you get..when you see real good deals on stuff, sometimes (not all the time) there is a reason behind it..

A mistake was made..... This roller should never have been moved back into stock. It should have been sent to one of the retail stores and sold as "Used" (25% off) The scuff marks make it a "used" item. I should know, I worked at their retail stores for five years. At the time, "returned" items were priced at 25% off, for 30 days. After that, they were marked down 50%, for another 30 days. After 60 days, the final markdown was 75%.
Shop rats were given the ability to grab these items at the 75% off price, the day that they came in.
If I were you, I'd complain to their customer service dept. about this. They just might even offer you a partial credit.