Never hurts to ask but don't be surprised if they decline.

Seems like an odd request - I don't think I'd even have thought of it, and would be even less likely to actually ask my LBS (or any store).
Unless the shop staff knows you very well they'll likely look at it as a scam of some kind.

Why not sell the gift card and use the proceeds to buy the carbon bar?

Can you buy the bar on Amazon and have the LBS install? Or install yourself?

Sell it to a friend at a discounted rate (or full rate if you can). It will make everything easier.

 
Do you have any starbucks gift cards to sweeten the deal for them? Maybe throw in an ice cream cone too?

Or you could just pay with, ya know, real money.

The LBS owner's first thought is probably that you are crazy. However, if he/she stops to think about it, you are doing them a favor.

-Assuming they shop on Amazon, the certificate will be almost as valuable as cash. They basically keep the card, and put their own $$$ in the register.

-You are looking to buy the bar at the LBS vs. going online, so they get extra business (at ~30% margin).


If they go for this, expect them to enter the card into their amazon account for credit (to make sure it's good) before you get your bar.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Weird request for sure, but I guess you and the shop are free to conduct business however you want. I do feel like you are imposing on them quite a bit though, like if you went to a store and asked them to "work with you" to take PayPal or €.

I can't imagine why they'd accept it; businesses have accepted payment methods for a reason and it's typically not a competitor's gift card. You could just use it to buy things you'd need anyway since Amazon carries damn near everything there is and then just use the cash you would have spent on toilet paper, groceries, socks, or whatever else toward the purchase at the bike shop instead.