You say you shopped there “all the time” - are these two people that you’ve seen in the shop before? If not, I’d try talking to the owner before you write them off. If this isn’t normal for this shop and if the people you dealt with are new hires, the owner will likely be very happy that you took the time to tell him/her about your experience. If the owner backs up the employees you dealt with, THEN right them off.
Screw the LBS, why is everyone so bent on overpaying for everything? I started in tri a few years back and bought 90% of everything online and saved thousands by time I was done. Every LBS should EARN my business. I don’t do business there because I love the sport and they (hopefully) love the sport too. That’s like going back to a crappy restaurant time after time and overpaying for crappy food because the owner is a nice guy.
That means good service and reasonable prices. I’m all about buying my new stuff at the LBS because I like buying and touching stuff in person and not waiting or paying for shipping charges. Plus I appreciate their knowledge and advice. Only 1 LBS I can think of has ever earned my business and respect.
I went to one of the local places around here to look at a new helmet. Was like 129.99 at the LBS and on Nashbar for like 49.99. I went back to the LBS and said “Hey, I really like this helmet but it’s like $80 cheaper online, is there anything you guys can do to bring the price down? Doesn’t have to be $50, but something like $90 range would be fair.” Then I proceed to get bitched out for like 5 minutes on how dare I would come into their shop yadda yadda yadda.
I mean, they don’t need to MATCH online pricing, but get somewhat close please. Every LBS in my area is grossly overpriced.
I think part of the problem for the LBS retailers is the manufacturers using online retail outlets to dispose of thier closeouts. The shop may well have paid $75 for the helmet, then the manufacturer turns around and sells a boxcar load to Nashbar at $25. Look at the eggbeater pedals as an example, Nashbar much have bought thousands of sets of the blue spindle Eggbeaters and sells them for around $30, I doubt any shop can buy a comparable pedal for that from Quality. I’d hate trying to make a living as a retail bike seller, I don’t see a lot of people getting rich doing it.
Did you ever think the shop may have “fired” you? This is a very common way it happens in the bike industry. Not hatin’ just sayin’.
If they can’t compete, maybe they ought to find a different business model or a different line of work. That’s called capitalism.
I still pine for Bikes and Moore of Hopkinsville, KY. Those guys did great work, and the owner (Tim Moore) really bent over backwards to help people out and get them excited to ride. He was very encouraging when I 1st started out, and never put his nose up in the air.
Since then (I bought my 1st road rig there in 2001, plus had a MTB assembled and serviced a lot in 02/03), I had a shop in TX damage a fork (at least they paid to have another shop fix it) swapping a spring, a shop in Chicago try to pass off a used 9-sp RD as a new 10-sp, and another just charge a bunch.
Whatever- I now do ALL wrenching myself. All I have left to buy is a headset press and a truing stand. Just be patient, go slow at 1st, and WALK AWAY if you are frustrated or confused- come back later and it will make sense.
If you think your actions were justified and correct, all I can say is that you have a serious ethics problem.
Spot
Like many others, I share your pain. I’ve patronized 3 different LBS over a span of 4 years and neither is any good. Unfortunately I don’t have much choice. There is one particular guy in LBS “A” that has helped me ALOT with questions, tips, just overall nice guy and when he charged me for something another lass at the same LBS said they wouldn’t, I didn’t blink an eye.
At LBS B however, spent literally over 16k at them(3 bikes over 5k each and gear) and they still try to penny and dime me over the smallest crap. They claim to internet price match but more often try to get the other sources to raise their price(they did this with a bike actually-preventing others getting the same deal as I got). I have so many incidences with them that I finally decided to stop going to LBS B totally.
As for LBS C, it’s a chain and feels more like shopping at WalMart, then a LBS. Prices are high yet will not do price matching. I have to agree with the other poster that supported internet purchases. The whole support LBS practice is fine if you find a good LBS, otherwise it’s an idealistic practice that does not run in reality.
Macho Grande- I’m in mass at school.
Runguy- Then don’t read it. I don’t care.
Iron Buckeye- One of the guys is older and always arrogant when I go in there. The other guy was likely new(er) and was the messanger between me and the machanic for about 20 mins relaying the conversation about the cleat. The couple of guys I’ve actually talked to weren’t there, but they were never all the helpful either. I would always ask about the local races to start up a conversation and they’d be like, “yeah, just check bikereg” and start doing something else.
Spokesman- Why would they “fire” a loyal customer? Make sense?
Yes, I am just fine with not paying full retail price for one Tufo S3 Lite tire in my life due to someone else’s mistake (and much much more justification) for the simple fact that I have sent them lots of new business over the years getting people involved riding, building trails and even directing a sprint adventure race of 350 participant’s which they reaped a benefit. I still have plenty of excess karma at that store.
What about the guy who sold me the Zipps advertising them as 2004 models when in fact they were 2002 models. Should I call Paypal and ask for a refund, stuff happens. or what about having to pay an extra $500 OOP for a hospital bill after being hit by a truck riding last summer and having already settled with State Farm because the radiology department finally sent out their bills 7 months after the accident. I feel even more justified! Its give and take.
I am sure that you are the first one to go up to the race official and proclaim that you took just a little too long passing or crossed the yellow line. please sir can I have my 2 minute penalty or next ride you better smear your chamois w/ icy-hot for self penance. Get over it!
I was simply making a point to say that yeah LBS’s take advantage of some and hey… I got back a little bit.
Yes, I am just fine with not paying full retail price for one Tufo S3 Lite tire in my life due to someone else’s mistake (and much much more justification) for the simple fact that I have sent them lots of new business over the years getting people involved riding, building trails and even directing a sprint adventure race of 350 participant’s which they reaped a benefit. I still have plenty of excess karma at that store.
What about the guy who sold me the Zipps advertising them as 2004 models when in fact they were 2002 models. Should I call Paypal and ask for a refund, stuff happens. or what about having to pay an extra $500 OOP for a hospital bill after being hit by a truck riding last summer and having already settled with State Farm because the radiology department finally sent out their bills 7 months after the accident. I feel even more justified! Its give and take.
I am sure that you are the first one to go up to the race official and proclaim that you took just a little too long passing or crossed the yellow line. please sir can I have my 2 minute penalty or next ride you better smear your chamois w/ icy-hot for self penance. Get over it!
I was simply making a point to say that yeah LBS’s take advantage of some and hey… I got back a little bit.
It’s called being dishonest. Trying to explain it away with situational morality doesn’t make it any different. Your attitude of “Well, i get screwed by X so I’m gonna screw Y” is one of the reasons that this country is in the poor shape it’s in, everyone walking around with the attitude of “I’m gonna get mine.”
i guess it’s ok to keep the bag of money that falls of the wells fargo truck also? everyone has horror stories of their lbs but its up to you to choose whether to keep doing business with them or to wait until you can screw them back. its a shame people can feel that its ok to be dishonest,especially in our private little world of cycling and triathlon.
I agree with what your saying. I try and fail at this a lot but I try to think before I do something “What would I think if my child did this/acted this way/etc.”
Well I would have made them go back to the shop and offer to pay for the tire.
John
How long does a retailer have to catch this kind of mistake? Is there a statute of limitations or something?
Twice in the past six months have I been charged for items 2-3 months after I’d thought the bill had been settled. Once was for carpet cleaning, where I’d actually tried to file a complaint because the fellow was rude and lied to me about moving all my furniture. The second was an autobody shop that forgot to charge me for a rear bumper cover and I didn’t see the error on their invoice. Both charges were in the $300 range.
There are a few crappy LBS’s here, but a good handful of great ones.
My buddy lives in Valparaiso, Indiana and has two of the worst bike shops I’ve ever heard of. One charged him labor to tighten one bolt. ONE. The other wouldn’t let him use their pump, since he wasn’t buying anything at that moment.
I am afraid of the mechanic at the local shop. I do what he tells me to do and pay what he tells me to pay out of fear
oh - that dude with the tire thing is a thief. you stole it you dirtbag. admit it.
Before everyone here lights the torches and burns the LBS down, think about this:
What will you do when you need a tire TODAY only to find there is no LBS around…at all. Will you go to Sports Authority or Walmart hoping they just happen to have a nice race day tire laying around? What will you do when 2 days before your next race you hear a funny “clicking”. You’ve been busting your ass for months training for this race, and you plan on laying the hurt on the competition, well, that is if you can get your bike fixed. Sadly, there isn’t a LBS around to get it taken care of who knows more than Huffys.
Lets not think about the local economy implications. LBS pays local and state taxes, internet companies don’t. LBS employees most likely live local, spend local. They could be YOUR next customer, but sadly they moved on. Why? No LBS to work out.
I don’t work at a LBS, I don’t know anyone personally that does, but I do know that the LBS has stayed open late when I NEEDED to grab some stuff before heading off to a race. They have waved fees when I was broke, and maybe charged me a little more than I could’ve got online cheaper, but I didn’t wait for it, and had a nice chit chat about cycling and Tris along the way.
I am all for addressing the issue. If the issue IS the shop, then by all means don’t patronize them. But if it is a one off, or a disgruntled employee, take it up with the manager/owner. I can pretty much guarantee they will take care of it.
"I agree with what your saying. I try and fail at this a lot but I try to think before I do something “What would I think if my child did this/acted this way/etc.”
Well I would have made them go back to the shop and offer to pay for the tire."
I got change for a $10 but only gave the girl at the ice cream shop a $5 when I was 7 and thought I was going to keep it. My mom flipped out, told me that was the same thing as stealing it out of the register and brought me back into the shop to apologize and give the money back. 30 years later, that was one of the best life lessons I have ever had. You don’t take things that you did not pay for, simple as that.
Dave
Jesus, did we have the same parents?! I had the same thing happen (but with candy and a $20), I’ve never seen my parents so disappointed in me. Later in life (I think in my mid-teens) I saw my dad mail a check to a near-stranger who mis-counted some $100’s when buying a lawn mower from my dad (he gave my dad $3800 instead of $3500 like he should have). At that point I KNEW my dad practiced what he preached.
I’ve never met a man with higher morals than my father. The guy who stole the tire from his LBS better be damn sure my dad doesn’t read this thread! He’d be very disappointed in you…
Jesus, did we have the same parents?! I had the same thing happen (but with candy and a $20), I’ve never seen my parents so disappointed in me. Later in life (I think in my mid-teens) I saw my dad mail a check to a near-stranger who mis-counted some $100’s when buying a lawn mower from my dad (he gave my dad $3800 instead of $3500 like he should have). At that point I KNEW my dad practiced what he preached.
I’ve never met a man with higher morals than my father. The guy who stole the tire from his LBS better be damn sure my dad doesn’t read this thread! He’d be very disappointed in you…
Damn, I think our parents all read the same book! I gave a guy a $1 bill for a comic, and he gave me change for a $10. For a 7 y/o, jackpot!!
when I got home it was “Mr. butt, meet mr. hairbrush”, and a big apology to the store when I took it back.
John