This post is a summary intended to provide the reader a timeline of my personal experiences in dealing with Peloton Cycles . It is not intended to disparage the company or it's workers. To that end I have changed the actual names of the people I have interacted with to generic names such as Pstaff1, Pstaff2, etc.
The objective of sharing this information is to help others avoid the frustration, stress and hours I wasted in dealing with this company.
This summary is presented in fact format (ie. what happened) versus opinion format (ie. what I think it means). I have interjected some questions for the reader to ponder, however, it is up to the reader to answer these questions.
I do not work for Peloton and never have. Nor do I work for any companies that provide competing products or services. My motives are pure - to help others.
Each statement is backed by detailed documentation.
Without further delay, here is a chronology of events.
May 7, 2015: I purchased a Peloton Cycle as a surprise Mother's Day gift for my wife along with Peloton HR monitors and a toe clip adapter from the Peloton Store located in The Westchester Mall, White Plains, NY. At the time of purchase the delivery estimate was 3-5 weeks from purchase to installation in my home, making June 11 the worst case scenario. The salesperson (PStaff1) went as far as to claim I might receive the bike within 2 weeks ( May 21 ) due to my proximity to UX Logistics - the company that handles delivery and installation. $2,589.75 was immediately charged to my Amex - before the product shipped.
May 22: Hoping that the bike might arrive within 2 weeks I call the Peloton Store where I purchased the bike for a status. I was referred to UX Logistics since Peloton has no access to this information. I subsequently call UX Logistics. They don't t see it in their shipment pipeline which extends 1 week out. Additionally, UX informs me that it will take an additional week from their receipt of the bike for it to be delivered and installed. Therefore, UX would have to see it in the pipeline by May 25 for it to be installed by June 5. I can not hold the salesperson accountable for missing the May 21 delivery date since that was a best case. June 5 is still within the 3-5 weeks.
May 23: I visit the Peloton Store in the Westchester Mall and tell my salesperson (Pstaff1) about my phone call with UX logistics and respectfully ask for a firm delivery date. She calls Peloton Support (they have computers in the store by no access to Peloton systems). After her call she tells me that I will have my bike installed, in my home the week of June 1. I am so excited I purchased $425 worth of Peloton cycling shoes which are to be delivered to my home (the retails stores don't stock may items).
June 1: I call UX Logistics to find out when during the week to expect my bike. To my surprise, they still see my bike in their system which means it is at a minimum 2 weeks away from being installed in my home placing us well 5 week worst case scenario commitment of June 11. I have thus far been misinformed twice: first, during the initial sale and then again at my subsequent in store follow up on May 23. With my trust and confidence eroding I decide to visit the store to either get a bike delivered on time - as promised - or get a full credit, as per the terms of the purchase agreement.
Later that day I visit the Peloton Store in the Westchester Mall (trip #3) and speak to Pstaff1, Pstaff2 and finally the store manager (Pstaff 3) about my predicament. I explain that according to UX logistics, the June 11 delivery commitment is impossible. I ask him to find me a bike, as promised, for delivery by June 11. I offer to drive to NJ to pick it up to shave off a week. I even offer to take one of the many used bikes from the store as a loaner until my bike arrives. I'll drive it home in my SUV. The store manager calls Peloton Support. After 15 mins on the phone he informs me that I will have to speak to Peloton support directly - but I can't tie up the store phone line. I have to use my cell phone to contact Peloton support which I do from inside the Peloton store.
I speak to a person in Peleton Support (Pstaff4) and am told it is not possible to get my bike by June 11. The best she could do was "try" to get me a bike my June 16 because there had been a recent cancellation. My generous offers to pick it up from NJ or to settle for a store demo unit are rejected. I ask her to take 30 mins to come up with a better solution while I walk the mall. 30 mins later I call Support to find there is nothing they can do. I formally request that Support cancel the $2,589.75 bike order as well as the $425 accessories order placed May 23 which had not yet been shipped. She agrees. This is request #1.
Support advises that I go back into the retail store to have the credits processed. I relay the conversation to the store manager (request #2) who insists that he does not have the ability to process credits and that I must contact Support, again. As I reach for my phone, he invites me to chat with him into the rear room where he tries his best to talk me out of canceling the order. After 30 minutes, he realizes my mind is made up.
I call Support and speak to Pstaff4 to cancel my orders (request #3) explaining the store manager claims he can not do it. She claims Pstaff 3 (the store manager) can do it and reluctantly agrees to process the credits for the bike $2,589.75 as well as the shoes $425.36. When I ask about what to do with the other accessories she tells me she will email me a prepaid UPS shipping label so that I don't have to make another trip to the store ( PS - she never emails a prepaid shipping label). When I ask if returning the accessories is contingent on a refund she says it is not.
Jun 2: I am delighted to see a credit of $425.36 from Peloton appear on my Amex - the next day! Unfortunately, I don’t yet see a credit for the bike ($2,589.75) which is my main concern.
June 4: I call Pstaff4 about the bike credit. I get her voicemail and leave a detailed message (request #4). Later that day Pstaff5 returns my call (via voicemail) on behalf of Pstaff4. Pstaff5 states in the voicemail that "perhaps" the reason the bike credit was not processed was because I had not yet returned the accessories - the ones that Pstaff4 was supposed to email a UPS prepaid label for but never did. This is different information from what Pstaff4 had said.
June 5 approx 12pm: I call the Peloton Store in the Westchester Mall and speak to Pstaff1 to inquire into status of my bike refund for $2,589.75 ( request #5 ). She says she will call Support and get back to me. Approx 30 mins later Pstaff 1 emails suggesting I return the accessories as soon as I get a chance. I email back stating I will be there later that day.
June 5 1pm: I officially open a dispute with American Express. The misinformation, the in-house confusion over roles, the poor quality of credible responses, the charge to my card without having a product to ship, the repeated trips. mismanaged expectations, etc all lead me to question whether I'm being scammed. Clearly I am getting nowhere on my own steam/
June 5 @ 6:30pm: I return three (3) heart rate monitors and one (1) toe clip to the Peloton Store in Westchester Mall. Pstaff1 is not there so I deal with Pstaff2. Keep in mind that this trip #4 is only necessary because Pstaff4 never emailed the shipping label that she promised nor did she ever indicate the $2,589.75 bike credit was contingent on the return of $130 worth of accessories. Since the store doesn't believe it can process returns or credits, they are unable to give me a receipt for the items I returned. At this point I have good reason to be skeptical so I ask Pstaff2 to sign a piece of blank paper acknowledging receipt and also ask for permission to photograph the returned items against the Peloton sign along with her face which she gladly agrees to. She gets on the phone with Support as I leave.
June 5 @ 7:14pm: Before leaving the mall, I email Peloton support, Pstaff1, Pstaff3 and Pstaff4 summarizing the actions to date, a photo of returned items as proof and requesting (request #6) the credit for for $2,589.75.
June 5 @ 7:23pm: Pstaff 2 calls me shortly after customer leaves the store to advise that Pstaff6 (yes...a new person) has this in hand and will process the credit immediately but that it may not show up on my credit card until Monday. Pstaff2 ells me that Pstaff6 will email me shortly to send the details. PS - he never did.
June 6 @ 5:30pm: Pstaff1 and Pstaff2 send me an email that quotes Pstaff6 as follows, "Refund has been put through, he should see it back to him between Monday and Wednesday." Oddly the email signature reads Pstaff6's name.
June 8 @ 4:52pm: Pstaff 4 emails me to check in and to, “...assured me that have began the process for your refund..” Question: If Pstaff6 "put through" the refund two days prior then how is is this statement possible?
June 6: I receive a big box containing three (3) pair of Peleton cycling shoes. This was the order that was allegedly cancelled by Pstaff 4 on June 1 and even credited to my account on June 2. To add to the confusion, Fedex tracking shows the order shipped June 4. Therefore Pstaff4's statement was false.
June 8 @ 7:27pm: Pstaff8 emails, “You were refunded today.” Another false statement according to American Express.
June 8 @ 7:40pm: Wishing to avoid giving Peleton another excuse for further delaying my long overdue credit, I lug the huge box of three (3) pair of Peloton Cycling shoes to the Peloton Store in Westchester Mall. Pstaff8 (new) poses for photo so that I have proof of the return. This is trip #4.
June 9 @ 9:32am: Pstaff6 emails, “...confirmed that the refund has gone back to your card as of last night”. Yet another false statement.
June 9 ~10am: @PelotonRide tweets, "Hi @RobLMian, or records show that you were refunded yesterday. We appreciate your patience!" https://twitter.com/RidePeloton/status/608275927005462529 . Another false statement
June 9 at 10:30am: American Express Platinum Support Services representative confirmed that they have not received a credit for $2,589.75. This contradicts the latest update from Billy Walters below. The American Express representative requested copies of my emails with Peloton to aid in their investigation which I subsequently uploaded as a PDF.
June 9 ~ 4pm: @PelotonRide tweets, "We accepted your dispute, we recommend reaching out to your card company to see when the money will be replaced @RobLMian" https://twitter.com/RidePeloton/status/608362625324478465 . Another false statement.
June 9 @ 8:19pm: I call Amex Platinum Card Services. According to their systems, Peloton has not yet acknowledged the dispute. There is no pending credit. Question: Do I trust the company I've been with for 30 years who has never let me down or the company who has repeatedly mislead and consistently misinformed me for 30 days?
Conclusion (and editorial)
I don't know what tomorrow will bring but my experiences to date indicate a legitimate cause for concern. The company concept is great, however, their own people don't seem to realize what they are selling. They claim they are selling "expensive bikes" to "rich people". Do they not realize a) their bikes are not actually expensive compared to commercial spinners and b) they are actually selling a competitive interactive experience that also allows people to participate in the privacy of their own home? The Millenials working the front office don't get that.
That they have no inventory on hand is absurd. Do they not understand that these are impulse buys akin to joining a Gym on Jan 2? When I asked Pstaffx how many prospects want to walk out with the bike at the point of sale the response was 100%. When I asked how many people decide not to purchase when then hear 3-5 delivery the response was 70%. Are they that naive or is it possible that are purposefully delaying deliveries while they use pre-payments to build out other aspects of their business?
They are clearly not customer focused and not interested in creative problem solvers. Sorry, Pstaff4, but you do not belong in customer service - unless your role is convert promoters into detractors.
I had to make 4 trips to the store, each one requiring my time, parking fees and gas. Not once was I even offered a parking validation.
How is it possible that the retail stores do not have access to Peloton systems? What exacting is running on those MacBooks?
How many people does it take to (not) solve a simple problem ( I counted 8 separate players in this ).
And who, if anyone, is actually accountable at this company?
I could go and on but I think I have provided enough info.
My advice? Run like your hair is on fire!
