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Hey Ben, I use my LBS regularly. I bought my Turner frame and FOX forks through one shop, get the thing serviced at another (where I get excellent service) and have another where I go to pick up bits and bobs because its close.
I do not like being bent over when I need stuff in a hurry though, £20 for brake pads is taking advantage IMHO, particularly when I can get 4 sets for less online. There is no excuse for this in my book.
What winds me up about LBS is their reluctance to stock anything different. Most are like identikit shops; endura or royal clothing, etc etc. Can I buy a chain guide? a torque wrench? even fox gloves? The offer to order it in is lame. If you want my business; stock what I want! CRC do! That's why most of my bits come from online.
The service I got from my LBS in the UK was average at best. The service I've had in Luxembourg so far from the local Halfords equivalent has been great. The LBS has been equally good.
I've wandered into both with a problem that takes a few mins for them to fix and they've done them free. The UK LBS wanted cash and a week for similar ones. I think there's definitely a service "attitude" in a lot of British shops that means that people don't develop loyalty to them. I could be buying parts from Rose easily enough out here but don't as the local alternatives are only a little more pricy and very helpful.
Well, I'm definitely not identikit 🙂
However, stocking stuff is difficult. I had someone ask for a 4th hand tool a couple of days ago. I didn't have one in stock. Sure, I could have stocked one, but this was the first person to ask for one in a couple of years at least. It's not economic to stock stuff that won't sell - the internet retailers can rely on the "long tail" effect, local shops can't.
+1 very true.
any LBS trying to "price match" on-line retailers is slowly bleeding to death, even if they don't realise it...yet 🙁
workshop jobs should never be done "for free" especially when customers have asked you to "price match" and then cheekily asked "oh, can you fit it for me for free?"
no one works for free, I am 100% sure the customer asking for price matching and free labour does not work in their job for "free", bike shops are no different, just like any business with operating costs including payroll
I've worked for LBS, distributors, chain stores and even owned a bike brand and dealt directly with Taiwan and Japan
one LBS I used to work for, was ahead of the game, and sources lots of OE kit directly from its import brands (why not "sell" 1000 frames a year instead of the 800 you actually sell) and this allowed us to undercut other retailers buying through official distribution whilst maintaining our margins 😉
there is definitely a place for the LBS, its selling box brands from the big players (Specialized, Trek, Giant, etc.) that support their dealer network and don't want their bikes sold on-line
and also offering expert advice to new cyclists, and specialist workshop services to both new cyclist and even expert cyclists (who may not have the technical skills, time or tools to perform this work)
at my current employer, 50% of last season's profitability came from bicycle workshop servicing
"Service Centres" are on the increase, for very good reasons 🙂