Obnoxious cycle shop owners.

[Sore Thumb]

I went into a lbs today to look at a cycle jacket.
I have had a very nice jacket for a couple of years and the zip broke yesterday, so I thought I had better get a new one.

The one in the shop is nearly a year old and has been on the sale rack for at least two months. I know this because I have seen this jacket a few times when I have popped in for other items.

So obviously they have been unable to sell the jacket.

It's the colour I want and my size but they have reduced it to £68.
I know I can get the jacket online for £43.
But though I would buy it from the lbs if I could get it a little cheaper.

So I asked the assistant that if she could do me a good deal I would buy the jacket.

She went to ask the owner who was dealing with another customer.

He came over but quite obviously not in a good mood. The utter contempt of his manner was obvious.
He was been very nice to the other customer, but because I had asked for a reduced price his attitude has changed.

He offered me a further £2 off. When I said no he snatched the jacket off the counter and said no way.
His attitude towards me was terrible, it was like I had spat in his face.

He then went of to previous customer and was nice as pie to them.

I said to the assistant that there was no way I would buy that £66 pound for something that was a year old and they you could obviously not sell when I can get it only e for £43.
I did not mind buying it for more than the online price but £68 pound as a discount and a further £2 off for me asking is just a joke.

Well he has lost more than that for his attitude. I bought a lot if stuff over the years from that lbs, but not anymore. I will never set foot in that shop again.

Completely obnoxious and rude lbs owner!!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

There is one near me where customers seem to be an inconvenience, particularly to the younger of the family duo and their technical knowledge is a bit suspect too if my experience of buying a C2W bike that I could only get from them is anything to go by.

 

[compo]

It's the colour I want and my size but they have reduced it to £68.
I know I can get the jacket online for £43.
But though I would buy it from the lbs if I could get it a little cheaper.

Perhaps the shop owner gets fed up with people going in to his shop and quoting online prices at him all the time in an attempt to beat him down on price. This doesn't excuse his rudeness though.

 

[G3CWI]

It's a bit odd. Went into an lbs near me for a new wheel. I knew that Halfords had them at £49.99 but wanted to give the lbs the trade. Their very similar wheel was £65. As soon as I mentioned the Halfords price he quite rudely said "get it from them, we don't sell rubbish". At the same time a family was in and I heard he quoting £1000 for a frame. No idea what that was about but I saw them in Halfords later. The Halfords wheel has lots of good reviews. I might have been willing to spend a bit more if the Lbs had bothered to explain the advantages of their product. The other day they sold me the wrong size ball bearings. I can't see them lasting much longer unless they get their act together. Sad really but I don't feel that I owe them a living.

 

[G3CWI]

Perhaps the shop owner gets fed up with people going in to his shop and quoting online prices at him all the time in an attempt to beat him down on price. This doesn't excuse his rudeness though.

I am sure that's the case but they need to look at how they do business. They have a potential customer in front of them. Their sales pitch needs to convince the customer of some advantages of buying local. Local shops need to adapt to survive.

 

[Peteaud]

We have a large bike shop near that was so rude to us in the past we have never set foot in again, and never will.

The 3 others i use have all been great.

The main one we use is also the one thats getting to sell me the roubaix when i can afford it.

And the smaller lbs have said they will try to price match online stores if they can. All my clothing is bought from them so i can try on etc.

 

[yello]

I wish I had an LBS to be rude to me.

 

[screenman]

In 45 years of cycling and a lot of money spent nothing like this has ever happened to me.

 

[Boris Bajic]

If he really does run a poor shop, he'll be out of business within the year.

If he's an OK guy whom you caught at a bad moment and elicited an inappropriate reaction from, then I imagine he'll be OK.

Similarly, there might have been something about your manner (or that of some other customer) that irked him.

These things happen. That's life.

I'm in no doubt that at the momnent the Internet shopping experience is sweeping all before it like the Wermacht in the summer of 1941 in the Steppes.

One day it might wipe retail right off the High Street. Then we'll be up a Bad Creek in a Bad Canoe with no paddle when we want a tweak of this, or advice about that or some spacers but we're not sure which ones...

By then it will be too late. All we have is bollocksy boutique cycle shops with coffee while you wait and anything as long as it's Camagnolo and shelves full of Carbon-fibre Gofarkyourself Irrelevance.

I use my LBS as much as I can afford to and ask him to match (or approach) the Internet price where I think he'll be glad of the opportunity. Sometimes he matches, sometimes he gets close and sometimes I have to buy online.

 

[Andy_G]

When i went back to my lbs for my free 6 week service where i bought my Domane from, i droppped it off and the attitude from the sales guy who also done the servicing was crap, i booked it in a week before and they said it would take 30 mins and said i could wait, but when i said id hang around he moaned saying "it will take atleast an hour because hes the only one that can do it", i dont know if he was digging at the two schoolboy sales lads who was more interested in proping up the shelves i dont know.
But after spending over £2000 id expect better service and attitude, they say the High Street is dying but can you blame it when shops employ kids who know naff all, but say thay race and know it all about bikes.

 

[MrJamie]

It's crazy that they can afford such bad customer service, when I believe bike shops are struggling and must rely quite a lot on word of mouth. The one time I went to LBS's looking for help as a total newbie, the first was unhelpful, the second was great, so when casual cyclist friends ask obviously I always mention the second.

On the plus side, it leaves you feeling guilt free about paying less and buying online

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

There's one in Rochdale, they have a sign at the entrance...WE DO NOT ALLOW BIKES IN HERE, or something of that ilk.

It's on a very busy main road, they haven't anything to lock to. I was in the process of wanting a winter bike as my Brompton had slid from underneath me on a roundabout near the shop in question.

I half folded the Brompton and went in, the look I got from them was disgraceful and their attitude was awful. I didn't buy a bike from them but got it the same night from lbs.

I thought they'd be out of business soon, but 2 years later they're still there.

 

[eck]

One of the (now defunct) LBSs near where I used to live had an interesting take on customer service.
A typical exchange would go something like this:
Potential customer, "Good day to you, Mr Nice Bike Shop Man, would you happen to have a [insert obscure component of your choice]?"
Mr Nice Bike Shop Man, "No."
Potential customer, "Well thank you, and goodbye."

Mr Bike Shop Man never, ever said, " Sorry, I don't have one today, but I'd be happy to get it for you by Tuesday" or "I'm afraid I don't have that exact component, but I do have this that may be suitable."
In the words of the great song by The Band, "No was all he said".

 

[The Brewer]

A LBS who has a website was asking nearly double instore for some pedals. I mentioned the online price and it was price matched.

I know its hard at the moment for shops to compete, but sorry if they want my custom they better be competively priced as we're all skint

 

[Mapster5]

I went into a lbs today to look at a cycle jacket.
I have had a very nice jacket for a couple of years and the zip broke yesterday, so I thought I had better get a new one.

The one in the shop is nearly a year old and has been on the sale rack for at least two months. I know this because I have seen this jacket a few times when I have popped in for other items.

So obviously they have been unable to sell the jacket.

It's the colour I want and my size but they have reduced it to £68.
I know I can get the jacket online for £43.
But though I would buy it from the lbs if I could get it a little cheaper.

So I asked the assistant that if she could do me a good deal I would buy the jacket.

She went to ask the owner who was dealing with another customer.

He came over but quite obviously not in a good mood. The utter contempt of his manner was obvious.
He was been very nice to the other customer, but because I had asked for a reduced price his attitude has changed.

He offered me a further £2 off. When I said no he snatched the jacket off the counter and said no way.
His attitude towards me was terrible, it was like I had spat in his face.

He then went of to previous customer and was nice as pie to them.

I said to the assistant that there was no way I would buy that £66 pound for something that was a year old and they you could obviously not sell when I can get it only e for £43.
I did not mind buying it for more than the online price but £68 pound as a discount and a further £2 off for me asking is just a joke.

Well he has lost more than that for his attitude. I bought a lot if stuff over the years from that lbs, but not anymore. I will never set foot in that shop again.

Completely obnoxious and rude lbs owner!!

Careful what you say on here about local bike shops you might get banned and certainly don't say anything good about Halfords