'i'm very interested in one of your bikes...'

[screenman]

I thought long and hard about it. By the time I was done with the spec it was just shy of 3k. Too much bike for my capabilities & too much bike when I've got a baby 6 weeks away so I had a rethink

Not quite the answer I was looking for.

 

[gavintc]

The result? BMC 2014 SLR02 paid for & ordered with Evans as I don't put up with being treated like another number by a store I've already spent +3k with. Their loss.

I thought long and hard about it. By the time I was done with the spec it was just shy of 3k. Too much bike for my capabilities & too much bike when I've got a baby 6 weeks away so I had a rethink

I wonder who has now lost out. I propose Evans as they have a 3k bike arriving and no buyer. The original LBS has since proved to be correctly cautious. I think Mickle's comments were spot on.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I haven't bought a complete bike from an LBS for many years now - I need a small size and the choice offered is abysmal. I had imagined the Giant shops being part of a large franchise operation would have been able to order in any of the range for a customer to try, or would at least have suggested an alternative with the same geometry, etc for the OP to try out before parting with £2K or so. We are constantly being encouraged to use our LBS - sorry, but for me it just doesn't work.

 

[Linford]

I got a test drive of a Carrera and Nissan GTR which are both vehicles in excess of 70k with a REFUNDABLE deposit.
So yes I think the LBS is being unreasonable... Although I think asking for a deposit to ensure no damage occurs is reasonable, making it non-refundable if you do not purchase the bike is not imho
There are lots of retailers which offer test rides and I expect and hope consumers would use them or alternatively save money and shop online as then at least you can return the goods under distance selling terms.
When you have small retailers placing such demands on the customer you start to understand the sorry state of highsteets across the land.

It was an accompanied drive though...I would also suggest that a superbike is substantially more difficult to ride than either of these.

 

[Hip Priest]

I wonder who has now lost out. I propose Evans as they have a 3k bike arriving and no buyer. The original LBS has since proved to be correctly cautious. I think Mickle's comments were spot on.

You've got the wrong end of the stick there.

The OP has bought the bike from Evans.

 

[Moda]

We are constantly being encouraged to use our LBS - sorry, but for me it just doesn't work.

With much sadness I have to agree

And it's not only bikes I wanted a Garmin Edge but wasn't sure what model 510 or 810 or even one of the older generation. I ended up with an 810 Ultimate bundle for around £500. Most LBS didn't have it in stock and weren't interested in ordering one. The ones that did showed no interest in trying to answer questions either referring me to Garmin or the Internet. Most LBS's from my experience saw there job as nothing more than taking my money. As I said... sad!

 

[Linford]

Problem with the LBS's sometimes is the owners

 

[Kies]

I find staff at a lbs are better than the owner. His desperation for a sale usually comes through and I tend to walk away.

 

[Moda]

Problem with the LBS's sometimes is the owners

I can only speak as a consumer but in fairness it would be interesting to hear what an LBS owner has to say on the matter. I'm sure there are lots of stresses and strains us consumers know nothing about.

 

[DCLane]

My wife mentioned the LBS and local club to me this morning; if the LBS (who also run the club) had been less rude "I'd have spent a fortune there" in her words - and given I've spent over £4k on bikes/kit in 2 years, that'd have added something to his balance sheet. I use it, but only if I'm desperate.

Instead I'm using two others; one is an independent about 4 miles away and the other's Evans in Leeds.

And the local club? Nope - joined a different one.

 

[mickle]

I got a test drive of a Carrera and Nissan GTR which are both vehicles in excess of 70k with a REFUNDABLE deposit.
So yes I think the LBS is being unreasonable... Although I think asking for a deposit to ensure no damage occurs is reasonable, making it non-refundable if you do not purchase the bike is not imho
There are lots of retailers which offer test rides and I expect and hope consumers would use them or alternatively save money and shop online as then at least you can return the goods under distance selling terms.
When you have small retailers placing such demands on the customer you start to understand the sorry state of highsteets across the land.

The sort of customer who quibbles about paying a deposit on an expensive non-stock bike is the very sort of customer who insists that the bike they buy not be a 'demonstrator'.

'I don't want that one, I want a new one from a box! That one's been ridden!'

'Yes. By you'.

'Yeah, but it's been used now. The tyres are dirty. Can I have a discount?'

'Get out'.

 

[Linford]

The sort of customer who quibbles about paying a deposit on an expensive non-stock bike is the very sort of customer who insists that the bike they buy not be a 'demonstrator'.

'I don't want that one, I want a new one from a box! That one's been ridden!'

'Yes. By you'.

'Yeah, but it's been used now. The tyres are dirty. Can I have a discount?'

'Get out'.

I take it you are now working i a bike shop Mickle ?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

The sort of customer who quibbles about paying a deposit on an expensive non-stock bike is the very sort of customer who insists that the bike they buy not be a 'demonstrator'.
'I don't want that one, I want a new one from a box! That one's been ridden!'
'Yes. By you'.
'Yeah, but it's been used now. The tyres are dirty. Can I have a discount?'
'Get out'.

That might be your experience of some customers, but its unfair to place a blanket statement upon everyone, and I would like to make it clear I consider this behaviour to not be acceptable either.
I most certainly would not have an issue buying a bike which has been tested, my Venge, Sirrus and Dogma showed signs of being ridden..
In fact my Venge had scratches on the seat post where it has been adjusted for height, which did not concern me either..
The bikes under warranty is my own view.

A more interesting subject than I first thought and obviously I'm not aware of the inside of the industry or how it works.
I'm a old school kinda fella who does business on a handshake and I make my intent clear.... perhaps this is why I have no issues with my LBS and they will order me high value items without a deposit, if I say I want something I will buy it, if I say I want to look at something, they know I am unsure and want to look at something.
I never ask or look at price and they never tell me, we have a certain degree of trust I feel.... Perhaps my experiences are due to not messing about myself and trying to be a reasonable person.

Can I ask people in the trade what percentage of your day is spent with people messing you about, if any?

 

[kedab]

Their loss? Treated like a number? You're coming across as the sort of 'customer' most shops could do without.

really? shops could do without my custom because i expect a certain level of customer service? that kind of comment is exactly the sort of reason people think that one level above sh1t is acceptable customer service in this country.

 

[kedab]

If you are a big company like evans then getting a bike in isn't that much of a problem as it will soon shift because of the number of stores they have.

I don't know what size the LBS the op is talking about is but I have been trading for over 20 years and I have never ever ordered in an expensive item for a customer on spec and I never will because I would rather like to stay trading rather than sit on a load of expensive stock I cant shift.

i was talking about the Giant store in Cambridge. It isn't my LBS - it's a Giant branded and funded store AFAIK. i worked in retail many moons ago, for a much smaller outfit, if we had stock in another store, we'd shift it across on the next run. yes i'd have had to wait and been willing to wait for that to happen but i got a flat out 'no' and no matter what mickle says from behind his shop counter, making a glorious defence of british retail, that is rubbish customer service and i will not put up with it. i have money to spend, i like to spend it on shiny things, sometimes they are expensive things and no matter if they cost a tenner or ten thousand, i want to be made to feel i am the only person in that retailer's world for the few moments i'm taking of their time. if you can't do that, then you can't do customer service. i've been doing it for 18 years and it's not easy to do well, let alone really, really well. it is, however, all too easy to do very badly.