Just wanted to share my experience buying a frame consumer-direct from Trek's website. It was a Crockett disc frameset for $999. Trek ships parts and accessories direct to the consumer, but frames and bikes are delivered to the local dealer, and you have to pick them up there (some shops can opt to deliver). Bikes are built up by the dealer, so that makes sense. But I was just handed the unopened frame box, so it was more an extra hassle to have to go pick it up. Hopefully they will ship frames, at least, directly to home in the future.
The purchase process was very easy. The only unexpected thing was that Trek called me a couple hours after the purchase to confirm the details. The frame was shipped later that same day, so very fast processing time.
Now comes the only disappointing part of the transaction. I needed the frame box for my old frame, and I wasn't sure if the dealer unpacked the framesets, so I emailed him to save the box. He replied,
"We will not even take it out of the box. It's your bike!
FYI, you would have saved $90.00 if you had bought it directly from us, just sayin........
Cheers, (shop owner)"
Now I'll admit he caught me already having a bad day. But I was immediately pissed off, to be honest. The money was spent. What was he hoping to gain telling me I could have saved money? Did he think I was forming a domestic team that needed to buy 11 more frames? I went from psyched about the purchase, to mad at Trek Corporate and the dealer.
So I emailed him back.
"I get what you're saying, but why would you tell me now I could have saved money? It just makes me pissed off at Trek and the Trek dealer (you). Sorry but it's true. I was already annoyed that I have to drive down to pick it up instead of it being delivered to my house."
And his complete reply.
"All I'm saying is that we sell that frame for $899.99. No big deal."
(Obviously not something they have in stock, though.)
This is totally first world problems, I know. But I was just so irritated (this is my gut sense of what was going on) that the LBS wanted to fight back a little against corporate Trek's consumer direct purchase model, that he was willing to make the end consumer unhappy. My understanding is that Trek dealers get 80% of their normal margin on these purchases, so he made ~$200 by handing me a box- not too shabby.
Actually he didn't hand it to me. When I went to pick it up, the owner and mechanic were working in the shop. I could hear the owner on the phone in the back. The mechanic said he had the frame, but if I could hang on, the owner likes to go over them personally with customers. The phone call ended and he went to tell the owner I was here. A minute later, the mechanic came back out and a bit sheepishly handed me the box himself. And that was that.
I ended up dropping a line to Trek's customer service about the good and bad points of my transaction. They were very engaged and gave me a store credit to their website for the price difference of the frame ($100). I felt they resolved it well, and did salvage a good chunk of my positive vibes for Trek in general.
I purchased direct from Trek because I really did want to cut out the visiting the bike shop part of the transaction. Why? In my experience, the frame probably wouldn't have shipped 6 hours after visiting the shop. I also thought maybe I'd save the tax buying direct (nope). I worked in a bike shop for 8 years, and they're great. But I think consumer direct also has its place.
The purchase process was very easy. The only unexpected thing was that Trek called me a couple hours after the purchase to confirm the details. The frame was shipped later that same day, so very fast processing time.
Now comes the only disappointing part of the transaction. I needed the frame box for my old frame, and I wasn't sure if the dealer unpacked the framesets, so I emailed him to save the box. He replied,
"We will not even take it out of the box. It's your bike!
FYI, you would have saved $90.00 if you had bought it directly from us, just sayin........
Cheers, (shop owner)"
Now I'll admit he caught me already having a bad day. But I was immediately pissed off, to be honest. The money was spent. What was he hoping to gain telling me I could have saved money? Did he think I was forming a domestic team that needed to buy 11 more frames? I went from psyched about the purchase, to mad at Trek Corporate and the dealer.
So I emailed him back.
"I get what you're saying, but why would you tell me now I could have saved money? It just makes me pissed off at Trek and the Trek dealer (you). Sorry but it's true. I was already annoyed that I have to drive down to pick it up instead of it being delivered to my house."
And his complete reply.
"All I'm saying is that we sell that frame for $899.99. No big deal."
(Obviously not something they have in stock, though.)
This is totally first world problems, I know. But I was just so irritated (this is my gut sense of what was going on) that the LBS wanted to fight back a little against corporate Trek's consumer direct purchase model, that he was willing to make the end consumer unhappy. My understanding is that Trek dealers get 80% of their normal margin on these purchases, so he made ~$200 by handing me a box- not too shabby.
Actually he didn't hand it to me. When I went to pick it up, the owner and mechanic were working in the shop. I could hear the owner on the phone in the back. The mechanic said he had the frame, but if I could hang on, the owner likes to go over them personally with customers. The phone call ended and he went to tell the owner I was here. A minute later, the mechanic came back out and a bit sheepishly handed me the box himself. And that was that.
I ended up dropping a line to Trek's customer service about the good and bad points of my transaction. They were very engaged and gave me a store credit to their website for the price difference of the frame ($100). I felt they resolved it well, and did salvage a good chunk of my positive vibes for Trek in general.
I purchased direct from Trek because I really did want to cut out the visiting the bike shop part of the transaction. Why? In my experience, the frame probably wouldn't have shipped 6 hours after visiting the shop. I also thought maybe I'd save the tax buying direct (nope). I worked in a bike shop for 8 years, and they're great. But I think consumer direct also has its place.