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LBS vs internet pricing

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  • June 20, 2013 at 7:49 pm #19163
    thebungle

    I’m very lucky, the LBS in my new town is fantastic, decent selection, friendly staff and always happy to chat if it’s quiet, my wife has bought a bike from them and I’ve bought a set of wheels and numerous other consumables.

    My reason for posting is that when looking for a new cassette and tyres they are asking for full retail, £44 vs £25 per tyre and £54 vs £35 for the cassette, very frustrating especially as the usual internet suspects will have it to me next day.

    Now I fully understand the cost of running a business having had one ourselves but at the same time when faced with giving the best part of £60 extra to the shop or keeping it in my pocket I know what I’d rather do.

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  • June 20, 2013 at 11:07 pm #743713
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    middlering

    Simon’s suggestion looks
    Simon’s suggestion looks good. If it doesn’t work out…

    I had similar issue earlier. Needed new chain and cassette, LBS quoted full rrp + service fee to fix, total about £100. Wiggle price was half that. I checked with the LBS, and they declined to fit wiggle bought parts, for a fee.

    Result: I bought all needed tools, cassette and chain from wiggle (Total bill £85), and fitted them myself. In the process, I now have a set of tools, skills to change a cassette and chain, and still a saving of £15. We’re a 4 bike household, so those skills learnt and tools acquired are possibly even more useful to me.

    So that’s another way to look at things.

    PS: I live in/around London, so those pleas of disappearing bike shops are not entirely dear to me.

    June 20, 2013 at 9:06 pm #743711
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    Jordan Gibbons

    Are we so accustomed to heavy
    Are we so accustomed to heavy discounts in the cycling world that people are shocked when shops charge the RRP for something?

    June 20, 2013 at 8:14 pm #743709
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    jova54

    And if we all did that
    And if we all did that someone would post asking where all the LBS have gone and complaining about having to shop at Halfords.

    Try a bit of haggling or view the additional cost as an investment in the future for when you need some help which you can’t get from the internet.

    You pays your money and you face the consequences.

    June 20, 2013 at 8:13 pm #743707
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    Simon E

    My LBS will often knock
    My LBS will often knock something off if asked and sometimes match internet prices. If someone is buying a decent bike they may throw in the pedals or some nice shoes for free, but it’s discretionary.

    You could either:

    1. Buy them online in the knowledge that you’ve already given the LBS a good amount of cash.

    or

    2. Take the web prices into the shop and say “I prefer to buy stuff from you but the differences are significant. Can you do anything for me?”

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