Just bought my running shoes online and saved around $30. Now I have to run with the guys from my Local Shoe store and deal with the Awkwardness.
Tell em you had a coupon or it was a great deal and you could not pass it up. Maybe they’ll give you a discount next time
Tell them that you got them as a gift from your wife.
Tell them you saved 30$ by buying them online, and if they want, next time, you’ll buy your next pair for the same price from their shop.
Never been an issue for us rural folk since I don’t have local speciality stores nearby and buy a lot of stuff online.
Just do not say anything. If they ask then just tell them that you purchased them online. Why lie? I am sure that you purchase other items from them when you are in the store. I do not think that just because you run with a store means that you have to buy from them as well.
Why would you have guilt??? Why would he charge you $30 more than you could buy elsewhere … how stupid does he think you are? Tell him you’d be glad to buy from him if his price was competitive … or would match the price.
Dave
Is this a ‘shop run’ or a just a run where you’ll see the guys?
I would maybe feel a little bad if its the former, but certainly not the latter.
If I go to a store (bike/shoe/etc) and they spend the time to get me ‘fitted’ for whatever that item is, I’ll certainly buy that item as I think they’ve earned the sale with their service. That 5-10 minutes does not make me a lifetime customer however.
Do you shop with them regularly ?
If so then don’t feel guilty, they already have had a lot of your money.
If not, then don’t feel guilty, if anyone asks, tell them why, they’ll understand and hopefully offer you a discount in the future.
See no guilt !
I will be running with the guys from the shop, its not a shop run per say. I have spent a ton of money with them and their shoes so its not like I havent patronized them in the past. I just feel that I need to spend a little less money on Triathlon and every little bit helps.
Which is probably just how I will say it.
If the subject comes up and the owner is smart, they will appreciate some honest input about why they lost your business. It’s not always just price, selection/availability/convenience are also often big issues with local shops. Nobody wants to make two inconvenient trips to a store, one to order what they need and one to pick it up. Or worse just end up settling for something that happens to be in stock.
I feel guilty when I buy locally and spend more than I had online. I need to look out for myself first. It’s commerce, not charity.
I will be running with the guys from the shop, its not a shop run per say.
“per se”
I love people who profess to feel guilty about something but do nothing about it. Simple solution, return them, buy them from your local store. Otherwise, don’t even try to suggest you feel guilty about it - you believe you should feel guilty, but you do in fact not.
One question: did you ever try on a pair of that shoe model at their local store before you purchased online?
Disclaimer: I once worked at a specialty running store in college–my leading question is wrapped in some lingering bitterness from those experiences…
Your local running store would notice when you got new or even different shoes? If they’re that good I would definitely try to give them as much business as possible!
$30 is $30. My consensus is buy new shoes from the local store but rebuys online.
So what if he had??? Just because someone spent 2 minutes slipping a shoe on his foot doesn’t mean he has to purchase … his next question is what is the price that you’ll sell these to me ( not necessarily a sticker price). If you don’t like that, you compare shop like for anything else. It’s not like this is some complex thing … its just a shoe!
The shop and the online store are businesses competing to earn your dollars. It’s a free country, and if the online shop can stay afloat charging $30 less, hey… more power to them.
All this “hugs to the little guy” and the “we’re all winners” mentality stuff kind of bugs me. If you can’t be competitive, well…then the business goes under.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just move to another city?
OK
I have online buyers guilt. But what am I going to do - buy $8 tubes at the LBS?
Just remember when that LBS/LRS is gone and you need some stupid $3 part the day before your big tri.