LBS - taking the mick.

[A.Lee]

I usually get my spares from my mate who I go racing with, he runs a LBS
(Wakies Cycle Centre, Codnor, Derbys.), and although I get a discount,
his prices are still no cheaper than when bought online, but I like to
support his shop, and he gets anything in if I need it.
I'm just building up a new MTB, and wanted a new chain, I'm likely to
need it tonight, so had to go to another LBS today (Websters in
Leicester) to get one (SRAM 9sp).
I asked if he had one in, "yes, £19.99". I reply, No, I want the
cheaper one, last time I bought one it was £12.
"£19.99 IS the cheap one, the better one is £32"
I said you are asking a bit much for that.
He said they had overheads, and that was the usual price.
Right, OK, I'll leave it.

I then rang my mate up, to make see what the price is - £13, and £20 for
the better one. £11 or £18 to me he says.He said he was still making a
decent profit at £11, to which I assumed he was paying less than £7 for
them.

So, later today, I was passing Lutterworth Cycle Centre, went in, and
his were also £13 and £20, Ok, I'll take one.

Now, how on earth can the 1st shop try and charge so much?
I like to support LBS's but they are just taking the ****, when 2 other,
smaller shops can undercut them by such a margin.
Rant over.
Alan.
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[Paul Rudin]

alan@darkroom.+.com (A.Lee) writes:

> I usually get my spares from my mate who I go racing with, he runs a LBS
> (Wakies Cycle Centre, Codnor, Derbys.), and although I get a discount,
> his prices are still no cheaper than when bought online, but I like to
> support his shop, and he gets anything in if I need it.
> I'm just building up a new MTB, and wanted a new chain, I'm likely to
> need it tonight, so had to go to another LBS today (Websters in
> Leicester) to get one (SRAM 9sp).
> I asked if he had one in, "yes, £19.99". I reply, No, I want the
> cheaper one, last time I bought one it was £12.
> "£19.99 IS the cheap one, the better one is £32"
> I said you are asking a bit much for that.
> He said they had overheads, and that was the usual price.
> Right, OK, I'll leave it.
>
> I then rang my mate up, to make see what the price is - £13, and £20 for
> the better one. £11 or £18 to me he says.He said he was still making a
> decent profit at £11, to which I assumed he was paying less than £7 for
> them.
>
> So, later today, I was passing Lutterworth Cycle Centre, went in, and
> his were also £13 and £20, Ok, I'll take one.
>
> Now, how on earth can the 1st shop try and charge so much?
> I like to support LBS's but they are just taking the ****, when 2 other,
> smaller shops can undercut them by such a margin.
> Rant over.


Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
different chains.

 

[A.Lee]

Paul Rudin <[email protected]> wrote:

> Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
> about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
> different chains.

Yep, PC951 iirc.
He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

 

[Paul Boyd]

On 18/12/2006 18:06, A.Lee said,

> Yep, PC951 iirc.
> He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"

I bought one of those in Weston-super-Mare, and I think I paid about £15
for it, IIRC. (No discount - I haven't even asked my LBS if they offer
the CTC discount.)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[Al C-F]

A.Lee wrote:
> Paul Rudin <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
>>about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
>>different chains.
>
>
> Yep, PC951 iirc.
> He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
> Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
> cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
> A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
> Alan.

PC951 - £9.99 from Settle.

 

[Doki]

"A.Lee" <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote in message
news:1hqjw0b.a5cp1mpcrxzkN%alan@darkroom.+.com...
>I usually get my spares from my mate who I go racing with, he runs a LBS
> (Wakies Cycle Centre, Codnor, Derbys.), and although I get a discount,
> his prices are still no cheaper than when bought online, but I like to
> support his shop, and he gets anything in if I need it.
> I'm just building up a new MTB, and wanted a new chain, I'm likely to
> need it tonight, so had to go to another LBS today (Websters in
> Leicester) to get one (SRAM 9sp).
> I asked if he had one in, "yes, £19.99". I reply, No, I want the
> cheaper one, last time I bought one it was £12.
> "£19.99 IS the cheap one, the better one is £32"
> I said you are asking a bit much for that.
> He said they had overheads, and that was the usual price.
> Right, OK, I'll leave it.
>
> I then rang my mate up, to make see what the price is - £13, and £20 for
> the better one. £11 or £18 to me he says.He said he was still making a
> decent profit at £11, to which I assumed he was paying less than £7 for
> them.
>
> So, later today, I was passing Lutterworth Cycle Centre, went in, and
> his were also £13 and £20, Ok, I'll take one.
>
> Now, how on earth can the 1st shop try and charge so much?
> I like to support LBS's but they are just taking the ****, when 2 other,
> smaller shops can undercut them by such a margin.
> Rant over.
> Alan.

I had a very similar experience with JE James. A chain that's normally
around a tenner at my LBS was 20ish there. I needed it to go riding, so I
bought it.

 

[Jim Higson]

Al C-F wrote:

> A.Lee wrote:
>> Paul Rudin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
>>>about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
>>>different chains.
>>
>>
>> Yep, PC951 iirc.
>> He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
>> Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
>> cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
>> A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
>> Alan.
>
> PC951 - £9.99 from Settle.

Probikekit does the next one up (PC971) for £10.99 including delivery.
No in stock at the moment but they do have a thing where they email you when
they get more in.