Bike Shopping and LBS attitude...

If you think bike shops are bad... try going to your LDS! (Local Dive Shop).

A lot of the dive equipment manufacturers set prices and maximum discount levels (eg. no more than 15% discount) which means that most shops tend to be very expensive. If they break their agreement, the manufacturer will no longer sell them any product.

So the internet dive shops get around this by a number of methods, but the main one is buying out of the country and they can sell the same piece of equipment for up to a 40% discount in some cases.

So many people buy stuff online to save money... which pisses off the LDS, to the point that many of them won't service equipment or do any sort of warranty work unless you bought your equipment from them.

 

Jag. It's a matter of money. A lot of these bike shops have to sell bikes to survive. No doubt the owner trash talks people who buy bikes somewhere else and brings them there for parts or service. He does that because he is sore that he lost a sale. It affects his mortgage and grocery bills.

This phenomnon is not unique to bike shops. Car dealers, TV shops and music stores are all the same way. If your bike was a $200.00 bike, he may not have been quite as reactionary.

I take my old Gary Fisher to any shop in town, and they all are glad to see me, but If I bought a new, you better believe the other stores won't be happy to see me bring it in there.


Has anyone else noticed an attidude from their LBS if you don't buy a Bike from them?? [/QUOTE]

 

Has anyone else noticed an attidude from their LBS if you don't buy a Bike from them?? [/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

just the opposite - when I needed my bike fixed fast, and the shop i bought it from was too backed up to help in less than a week, my other favorite shop saved me- I was so thankful that when the T-mobile women's cycling team vistited my call center a week later I brought them back a poster signed whole to thank them


but it really depends on the shop - some are total snobs and think that the only brands worth riding are the ones they sell. well i guess they don't need my business - especailly when i want a new bike !

 

There seem to be a couple of groups of "cyclists" when it comes to shopping.

1. Those who are only concerned about price and hunt round for what they want at bottom dollar - LBS, Superstore, On-line, Ebay

2. Those who want a fair deal but are prepared to pay a little more for consistently good service and a decent relationship with their supplier

It must be hard for LBS staff now - many people coming into the store, taking advantage of their expertise and then nipping off to buy on line to save a couple of percent. I can, in some ways, see why some LBS staff let service slip but, as has been pointed out on here already, its no way to compete.

LBS nowadays has to be keen on price and top drawer on service. I don't think there is anyone who would shun a great LBS that really looked after them for a few dollars here and there.

Cheers

 

Well said Domain. Bike shops fill a role that cannot be duplicated by chain stores. Most bikers cannot do anything beyond a few simple adjustments, and those people need the help that only a good bike shop can give. If the LBS's stores go under, those people are out of luck for help with their bikes.

Even though I can do most any kind of work on my own bike, there are things I preferr to let the bike shop do simply because I don't have the time to do them what with family and job duties, and there is the fact that I may not be as adept at a task that I may only perform once a year.

I always steer new bikers toward LBS stores even though they may pay few dollars more. They need to be able to have adjustments done that a chain store cannot do.

 

Well I'm lucky in that there are a lot of LBS here on the New Jersey Shore. I've got most everything I need and do my own repairs so can't say I go to them often. A while back I was receiving a whole lot of attitude from the owner of a shop in Atlantic Highlands NJ. My feeling was the the owner was trying to tell me something. The message I got was take you ass out here I don't want your money and never come back. Thats not what he said mind you but that was the message I got. So I've got options and went somewhere else and never looked back. I try to buy from a LBS when ever I can. If there is something they don't carry I might order from online store. Usually I'm there a couple times a month for rinky dink things but I'm a regular customer they recognize me and are gratefull for my business. I don't asked to be treated special just with dignity.