Funnily, years ago I bought a top of the range ski jacket direct from China (where they are made) for a tenth of the price.

A relatively large furniture chain my GF used to work at had an average mark up of 400%, crazy.

Hora, at retail it's over £800, which is what I was going for, and funnily enough they don't fly off the shelves! Even a half decent shop won't expect to sell more than one a month or so, and for a small shop that's potentially a long time to tie money up in over priced trinkets!

At the end of the day, as is always the case here, if you don't want to pay their prices, don't. No one's forcing you! I get stuff trade from my LBS, but still buy stuff from other sources as it's cheaper, if I were paying retail, I would likely always use other sources unless something was urgent, in which case you can't beat going into a shop, but you'll pay extra for it. It's not difficult, it's not price fixing, or people trying to rip you off.

Right then Ton, the point is, the shop wasn't trying to rip you off, they were trying to sell the mech for the current rrp, so stop making false accusations please.

Oh, I'll ask you again, can you sell me a brand new aerial for my TV at less than the trade price you paid for it, or will you rip me off and sell it to me for the rrp?

Cycle shops aren't charity shops, no profit=no shop.

I dont undertand ton… they had no idea a young lad would be the next person to come and buy the mech when they priced it…

or are they supposed to make a price up for each individual as they walk in the door. That just wouldnt work.

Nice one, Ton, I'll need to speak to a local aerial supplier first because I don't know much (anything!) about them, so I need to find out what I need. Then I'll have to speak to my landlord as they will have to pay for it.

Seems quite reasonable that they sell at rrp. And it's quite likely that they give discounts to regular customers. So if ton walks in he'll get a discount. If some kid off the street (eg ton's son) he pays the normal price.

Simples?

or are they supposed to make a price up for each individual as they walk in the door. That just wouldnt work.

It does happen.

I'm back at uni and work in big bike shop on weekends till Jan and we have a hot woman come in on a sat where we focus on sales only but she gets-free repair while you wait etc.

Then we have the fat guy coming in 5secs after she leaves-book in for Wed for you and charge top dollar etc.

I don't do it myself honest guv, I treat everyone equally or try but I have seen it before how people treat others differently.

It all depends who deals with you and how you atc and look like.

It shoudn't happen I know but it does.

Ton asks why? because his lad wasn't a hot lady or a regular mtb'er would be the answer if he came into the LBS I work in.

It still shouldn't happen!

Your whole logic is flawed though Hora, and you're making a circular argument! I agree it is stupid to hold £400 of stock in something you won't sell, but if you don't get 8 of them in you're not going to get a sensible price and you won't be able to sell anywhere near the prices CRC et al do. Interestingly there is no RRP on most King stuff.

So if you only get one or two, you can't realistically afford to stock them, and folk like you whinge that their LBS doesn't have the stock that CRC do. It's a vicious circle.

where i am currently there are two bikes shops in town and another a 20 minute ride out of town. i stomach the 20 minute ride most of the time. one of the shops near-by sells shopping, kids and old lady type bikes but is good for the small things; cables, spokes….. that's about it actually. they don't hold much in the way of 'proper' mtb/road stuff but they are helpful, friendly and don't take the piss.
the other local shop is nice if you want to go and look at what you'll probably buy online. they charged my mate 5€ for the metal spring that goes in the brake caliper. they wanted 8€ from me for 50ml of mineral oil. everything in the shop is marked up as threr aren't any other alternatives in the area (that most people know of). a Hex helmet costs 130€ in there! all that combined with the fact the owner is fat, doesn't actually ride bikes but wears 'sporty' clothing and stupid **** yellow tinted sports glasses (despite the fact he's indoors) means that i'm pretty loath to go there.

the shop out of town isn't amazing. it's an outdoor clothing/climbing/camping/bike shop. but at least you can speak directly to the mechanic/bike man and he knows what he's doing. although you can't go into the workshop for insurance reasons, which i find bollox.

where i previously lived, southern germany/northern alps, the LBS (radstaion lindau) was brilliant. i'd spend entire days there when bunking work. i could use all the tools and fiddle with my bike. people came in for a chat. the guys there would price match or sell at cost to friends. i miss it really. nowhere to go here when it's raining.

still, i wouldn't like to run my own shop.