Moral dilema – LBS Content

A mate of mine runs a bike shop, gives good service, and as it happens I’m after a road bike – not sure why but I am.

Anyways, after doing a trawl on the ‘web I’ve found the same bike for £150 less, and Topcashback are offering 3.15% cash back.

So do I support my LBS or look after my wallet?

Same bike maybe, but same service? Nope.

Speak to your mate, tell him what you’ve seen. Ask him what he can/will do. If he’s a mate, why would you consider anything else?

How much is the bike? Most LBS will give you 10% if you ask nicely. Which would equate to the saving you’re getting elsewhere.

Although, I recently went for LBS over online, and the service was ‘meh’ enough to make me think I might as well have gone online,

So do I support my LBS or look after my wallet?

See if one of the Utility companies will reduce your winter fuel bill?

Speak to your mate, tell him what you’ve seen. Ask him what he can/will do. If he’s a mate, why would you consider anything else?

Absolutely. Even if he can’t match the price at least you’ll have told him and you won’t have that awkward moment in the future when he sees you on it.

Not as if its £20 is it?

Speak to your mate, tell him what you’ve seen. Ask him what he can/will do. If he’s a mate, why would you consider anything else?

If he’s a mate, I wouldn’t ask for a discount. Just buy it. I’m sure he’s seen you right in the past, and will in the future. Life’s too short to try and squeeze friends.

Did you already ask him how much the bike would be for you? Or you just looking at RRP?

How many free bike repairs have you had?

Proper mate or acquaintance mate?

I R IDIOT.

😉

Yep, way better to find a way to make sure your friend makes zero money from the sale rather than a small amount.

Stop being such a LBS-hugger. We all know LBS owners, like yourself, are minted.

Yep, way better to find a way to make sure your friend makes zero money from the sale rather than a small amount.

I meant for the op to buy it from his friend, should be obvious from what I’ve written. I might be a foreigner, but my English isn’t that bad. 🙂

Most LBS will give you 10% if you ask nicely. Which would equate to the saving you’re getting elsewhere.

The bike is £599 in the sale with £100 off, so would feel awkward asking for more discount.

Think I may go for Darren’s solution….

We all know LBS owners, like yourself, are minted.

OK, so my bike shed may currently resemble a concept showroom for a well known California based bicycle brand, but….! 😀

How many free bike repairs have you had?

None, always do my own repairs or pay when he’s serviced the forks.

Many factors
Can yo afford the mates price?
Doe she really need the sale?

If yes to both of these then take a hit for a mate.

I would also factor in free advice, borrowing tools etc in all of this as well.

my mate runs my LBS. I generally ask him if I’m thinking about buying something big to see what he can do.

although on stuff like shimano drivetrain I don’t anymore as he can’t buy it in for what merlin etc are flogging it for.

ask for a price match.
bikes before mates.

Just ask him what he can do against the price you have seen. I was looking at a bike with 20% off, went in to the lbs I used at the time, they told me tbey could only give 10% off and I should get it online. We stayed friends over it.

Make sure the online place has your size though….

If he’s a mate, I wouldn’t ask for a discount. Just buy it. I’m sure he’s seen you right in the past, and will in the future. Life’s too short to try and squeeze friends.
This if he’s the owner. If he’s just the manager then point out the offer and see what he can do. If he can’t match it though I’d probably still go with the lbs as above.

Just buy it online, OP.

You get a cheaper bike, and I’m sure the LBS will sell the bike, to someone else.

Be honest OP you are scared to be seen with the bike post internet purchase arent you.

in a liquidation auction….you heartless bastard

Just be open and honest with him, you’ve had a poke about and discovered a Web-discounter, plus Top cash back deal that saves £150 over what he’s offering, but you’re aware you’ll not be getting much aftersales service or technical support, could he meet the discounted price halfway?

Or perhaps simply pay (with money, not biscuits) for an hour of his workshops time to get the bike setup properly for you?

friendship shouldn’t be about money, being mates shouldn’t be contingent on you throwing cash at his business, if he’s an actual mate He’ll understand, £150 is still a significant sum to some people…

A mate of mine runs a bike shop

end of the thread really if he’s a mate.

A mate of mine (of 20yrs) runs a LBS and he’s a bit more expensive for bikes/parts than the net but he’s a mate.

the only part that would grate me if you showed up on a shiny new bike – is if you hadn’t given me the chance to give you a price.

so ask him what he can do , but don’t expect – then if i was the lbs owner id totally understand if you went on-line…. I would as well for 150 quid.

Have you used the fact that he is a “mate” to your advantage in previous circumstances? If so, you at least need to let him.know your thoughts on this and give him a chance to respond. If he really a mate then he’ll understand where you’re coming from. If he can’t match it then you need to weigh up the value of any previous benefits.

end of the thread really if he’s a mate.

Not really.

On the flipside, if the mate cannot get near the price, he should tell the OP to get it online.

OP needs to ask him first, of course.

If he’s a mate, I wouldn’t ask for a discount

Has this place never heard of “mates rates”??

Like many people on here I have friends. I wouldn’t expect a friend to use my business if I wasn’t the best on price. Why should they? I’m friends with them they aren’t my piggy bank and vice versa. business and friendship doesn’t really mix but if it does, the odd bit of business is fine- expecting to do all your business with them and worrying that you aren’t- you are not really friends OP. Hes running a business to make a profit.

Keep friendship and business separate. They don’t mix well. You’ll sacrifice 100-150 out of pocket because you are worried you might offend a ‘mate’. Just how much a mate is he. Really.

Like many people on here I have friends

Which ones of us dont have friends then ?

Have you used the fact that he is a “mate” to your advantage in previous circumstances? If so, you at least need to let him.know your thoughts on this and give him a chance to respond.

This is it really.

I’m sure the OP already knows the answer to his question, and is the only one in a position to know really.

Just don’t look for our permission to do the wrong thing!

Just tell him you’ve put a price on your friendship and it’s £150, anyone would understand…….

Buy the bike online and use the savings to spend in his shop.

Ash!!

Just tell him you’ve put a price on your friendship and it’s £150, anyone would understand

🙂

If he’s a mate then it will come around and you’ll benefit in the long run.

I used to work in bike shops and if my mates bought elsewhere provided they asked then it didn’t upset me. If you can get a better deal then try him. We would tell people.to go online if we couldn’t get near the price. £150 is a lot of money, food for a month, the budget for my wife’s Christmas presents, two new car tyres. If he is a good friend he will understand and either cut you some kind of deal or tell you to buy online.

You’re buying a bike not donating to charity

As somebody who makes stuff that people I know buy (wardrobes etc.) I think the thing to do is tell him what you’re thinking of doing. Not to “see what he can do” but to see what he would do.

If somebody tells me they’re looking for the kind of furniture I don’t make or their Mrs has got her heart set on a particular piece, fine. And if they tell me they can get something at a price that I can’t get near, when even I would buy it rather than make it, that’s fine too.

What’s not nice is if they feel they can’t tell me about it. Because as anybody who’s been in business for more than a year (and who’s still in business will tell you – Mates Rates – they don’t exist.

Well if all the LBS go out of business we’re all going to be foo-barred.

Is the price differential £150 on a £600 bike, if so that’s a lot and hard to ignore. I’d speak to the LBS and see what they can do.

The LBS has rates and wages etc to pay. By buying online you are saving in the short term but losing out in the long term as businesses fade away, more unemployment, less tax revenues for you local authority and for the government. They have to raise that from somewhere so ultimately they come after you for more income tax, vat etc

Jambalaya – Or the online shops are successful and employ more people and pay more taxes than a few now closed lbs’? Not sure I concur with your long term economic predictions.