Evans – I want to try on some of the higher range of gore bib shorts (ozon and xenon). They have them in stock on the warehouse but for me to try them on I have to pay for them up front to get them in the store!

Rutland – why do you allow me to buy things online when they aren't in stock!. This has happened twice now. 1st with a helmet and 2nd with some bib shorts

Cycle surgery – Look on the website and notice they stock assos and gore. Go into the shop.. look around for ages and I can't see any assos or gore bib shorts. I ask the guy in the shop and he says "oh they're out the back we keep them out back as they're expensive."

1. All items have the electronic tags on and 2 how are customers supposed to know you stock these items if you haven't got them out?

rant over!

You answered your own question – they're VERY expensive and most people in bike shops just want to finger things, try them on and then wander off and buy them online.

It's preventing people from doing that with an item that the shop has spent a fortune on. How many shorts in Assos range? Get in a range of sizes and models, average price of £100 per pair and you're looking at an outlay of thousands of pounds even at trade. Punter comes in off the street, greasy hands, feels them all, tries a few on, rips one pair but just puts it back quietly then decides he's going to wander off to [insert name of online retailer].

Well the shop has just got wise to that! If people want them, they'll stump up the cash. If the item is unsuitable, the shop will refund or put the money towards another item.

Electronic tags aren't a deterrent to serious thieves, especially not if you know how they work – they're a doddle to remove if you know how (thankfully most thieves don't).

Agree that not having brands out is pretty stupid, at least put a few bits out so people may ask!

On the shorts… Gore Ozon are spot on, wear mine more than any others. Not tried the latest Xenons, but the older ones are good too. Assos have gone a bit 'form over function' IMO, the prices are insane and the quality has slipped.

Its backwards having to pay for something and then decide if its fits. Understand totally the issue of expensive stuff on sale but it just doesn't work by saying pay for it first.

Get in a range of sizes and models, average price of £100 per pair and you're looking at an outlay of thousands of pounds even at trade.

We no longer stock Assos, they were demanding a £3000 at trade minimum order, which for the exact reasons you mention is just a bit stupid! Like I say though, it did seem to coincide with their prices going up exponentially and the quality slipping a bit! Their Roubaix tights are still the best thing ever though!

I agree with the Rutland thing. Its happened 3 times to me. The last time they quoted a 2 month wait time for a stem. I complained to a sales manager about being able to order when they have no stock and haven't ordered from them since.

Agree 100% about rutland, happened to me twice, both times I had to contact them asking where my stuff was, rather than getting communication from them about delay, not used them since

had issues with Rutland relating to a similar thing, again like others i will never use again

Well the shop has just got wise to that! If people want them, they'll stump up the cash

Well I don't want to be stumping up nearly £130 – £150 on a pair of bibshorts if they're not suitable

You answered your own question – they're VERY expensive and most people in bike shops just want to finger things, try them on and then wander off and buy them online.

This is very different with evans actually. I have spent loads with them over the last year with their price matching policy. Fnid what i want, show them a matched price on my phone and voila!

Well I don't want to be stumping up nearly £130 – £150 on a pair of bibshorts if they're not suitable

You don't have to. Pay up front, shop gets them in, oh no, sizing is a bit off, thanks anyway, money refunded.
Shop had a potential sale and a serious customer, you haven't lost anything.

It just weeds out the problem customers who say "please get xxxx in" then either never come back or who come in, try everything and then go and buy elsewhere.

Distance selling regs make online purchase of these sorts of expensive items much easier.

Plus one on Rutland.

Made all the worse by slow communication on their part.

I asked a local shop to get a part for me and it took 15 weeks to arrive! I genuinely thought that they weren't able to get it after around three weeks of waiting, calling them and being told they would get back to me, so sourced it else where. I then got a phone call saying my part had arrived, I said thanks but I got it and the guy got a bit lippy! The customer service and communication of some places is quite remarkable. I don't think I would be happy to always pay up front then wait on a shop to get round to ordering it.

At lunchtime I phoned what used to be my LBS (now 125 miles away) and asked about whether they'd be able to build me some new sprint wheels – you know the kind of thing – Record hubs, Ambrosio Nemesis sprints with Sapim Laser spokes.
They're going to work out the cost, the timescale and an alternative (just in case) – and get back to me tomorrow with the details.
That seems pretty good service to me.