[Closed] new low in the LBS today

Just seen this on twitter

[img] [/img]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming

Online stores often offer lower prices than their brick and mortar counterparts, because they do not have the same overhead cost.

Really? Or someone has invested a large amount of money? You know ALOT of the online sellers HAVE shops too.

Even if it was a large building in the middle of an industrial estate it still attracts the same taxes, rates etc. The only dip is rent (debatable as you'd need a bigger premises to hold and process all the stock) and.... staff- can they commute to you/are you near any transport links.

Many shops diversified into online. Many still have their shops.

Tossers.

The tweet (by a BBC news reader) stated that the shop now closes on Saturday as it's the worst day for show rooming

The shop should charge for admission.

...maybe play some tunes.

...have a dress code.

...sell beer.

OP, you where too nice. Far too nice. Ask the guy upfront if he's going to buy the parts fro you, if he sys no say sorry we cannot hep you. Expertise costs money and needs to be paid for.

As the t-shirt says "The internet won't fix your bike"

We need shops for their skills. We need employment opportunities for our population not just delivery van drivers.

Really?

We need employment opportunities for our population not just delivery van drivers.

They'll be phased out when the drones take over.

They'll be phased out when the drones take over.

I'm sure I met a few in the last Evans I visited...

tomhoward - Member
Popular sizes in 'being popular' shocker...
Plus most lbs will only get one delivery a week.

But I find this in loads of shops. Even when I go in repeated times and mention they don't have the popular sizes nothing is done.
It's as if they order one of each size at the start of the season and never bother to restock.

One of the big issues for shops nowadays must be the insane amount of standards the manufacturers now bring out. Through the last 20 years there has been some varying standards as there has always been but in the last 3 years it's been mental. If you want to stock tyres it used to be 26" and 700c and you could stock a couple of favourites of each and some cheapy ones. Now there is 3 MTB sizes alone, with a million combinations of tread and size of each one. Then you have BB's, 1/2/3 by 7/8/9/10/11 drivetrains, forks to fit all the wheel sizes, axles to fit all the forks and frames, bar standards aplenty.

It must be a nightmare!

Some distributors have a minimum order - smaller shops might not be able to meet this at the drop of a hat

hora - Member

In many shops there is a definite 'clubbiness' so that if you are a new customer or infrequent, you are basically ignored by staff talking to regulars, or even abandoned mid-transaction when one of 'the gang' walk in.

Really? That is bonkers.

Geoffrey Butler Cycles in Croydon- thats one shop I'd go back to. Everytime I went in I thought they were quoting/charging me too cheap. Said as such and was told 'you mountain bikers pay too much'.

My experience of Geoffrey Butler's, or their mountain bike shop Bike Plus which I tend to use much more frequently, is the complete opposite of the first comment - the bastards ignore me because they are so used to seeing me and instead fuss around new customers.

In fact recently a new customer could see that I was waiting to be served and clearly felt awkward as the manager was spending a lot of time with him, so he said "why don't you serve this gentleman?". The manager looked across at me and said smiling "he's not important, he can wait".

And with regards to 'undercharging' I often get unexpected further discounts at the till. Often it's when I'm a little short of cash as happened yesterday when I popped in while cycling past to get a couple of items which should have come to about 18 quid, I only had 15 quid on me so said I would only take one item. After tapping at the till for a while the total for the two items came to just under 15 quid.

I use Butlers/Bike Plus a lot.

I bought my first 'new' bike in a lbs. When I picked it up it had a bit missing from the stem, they promised to get it in for me, but once they had my money they never bothered.

Second new bike was from a different lbs. During a service the clowns in the workshop broke the frame and the shop/supplier wouldn't honour the replacement frame warranty (replaced the titanium frame with a steel one).

Third new bike was from yet another lbs. I bought a bottle cage at the same time and they insisted on fitting it 'at no extra charge'. They fitted it upside down, yes really, upside frigging down. One of the shifters didn't work so I took it back to be replaced straight away. They managed to do it, but broke my bell (and didn't tell me) and also did my free 6 weeks service at the same time (I'd only had it 1 day).

After this I gave up on the whole lbs idea, buy most stuff online and do my own mechanics. I sometimes pop in to buy clothing, but that's about it.

and do my own mechanics

Funnily after a few too many mistakes at CycleSurgery in London I decided to teach myself how to build bikes. I used to buy ALOT from their store because it was all new to me/just started riding again, they'd say something was worn out/needed replacing, sold me stuff at full whack etc.

Great to hit their shop sales targets and "sell to mugs" -lets face it when it clicks whats happening you develop a very poor view of bike shops.

That is poor form to be so blatant.

I was never a fan of my LBS, too expensive, range too small and not particularly good. On the recommendation of a friend, I went to a not so LBS which is 1 junction down the motorway and I was pleasantly surprised.

Good range, fair prices and couldn't be more helpful. They even have a few end of lines bikes that are less than paulscycles and the other go-to cheap online shops. Will def be going there from now on.

well here is a pleasant update.
the first chap bought some stuff online but called us back to check some parts he was ordering on CRC, but he wants us to build the bike and has spent a fair amount with us, and he thinks were great and is really happy, so that's good.
then the second guy emailed back and has bought the bike from us with a little bit of negotiating.

so all good.
🙂

As for returns making buying soft goods just as easy that is boll**x in my experience

in yours but not mine, my better half's, or any of my riding mates. One bought a job lot of knee pads and handlebars from CRC, sat in living room wearing pads and holding bars til found what he wanted, sent the rest back. Ive routinely bought multiple sizes/variations from CRC, stuck it on CC, tried on and kept the best, returned the rest and refund is quick and back on CC before I get the bill. I've returned the majority of my CRC orders recently that were placed on a bit of a whim, they incur a cost but then Ive also kept whimsical purchases I wouldnt have made (eg. second pair of road shoes I am struggling to justify needing) if they'd not had that policy.

well here is a pleasant update.

full circle, closes thread? (and a nice result for your efforts).

so all good.

Too late. You have opened [s]Hora's[/s] Pandora's Box, and that shit ain't going back in.

Surely it's "PanHora"?

Oddly enough, GB's in Croydon were splendid to me, even though I had told them I couldn't buy a bike from them as it was a c2w purchase, but I was looking at a Binachi of which they were stockists.

Firstly they couldn't have been more helpful, sending me off with a handful of catalogues and advice. Secondly, I felt they should have something for their time so I wandered out with a handful of innertubes.

So they did get some sort of a sale, they've had repeat business from me since and I'd recommend them again.

Browsing is a 2 way street.

And on my BMX I had a chainring I couldn't get off a crank. I'd tried 2 days with the wrong tools - popped it into LBS C&N Redhill - took 10 seconds. They refused to charge me, and so I now have more inner tubes than you could possibly imagine! I've also gone on to buy lights, locks and things from them that might have been cheaper on line, but I understand where "long term" value is in having a LBS.