Originally Posted by HillRider
For big ticket parts that take little time to install, maybe the shop will do the insatallation for free or at very low cost. . . . Also, I'm a frequent and well known customer and have purchased numerous bikes from them in the past so I've established my credentials. Would I get that service in a shop where I'm not known? I don't think so. Would I expect it? No.
These are the key factors--price of purchase, difficulty/time of installation, and amount of business you have given to the store. Also, it depends on their mood and how respectfully you treat them.
Edit: I want to add another factor--the mark up. If I pay the LBS $50 for something I can get online for $30, I expect some service for that additional $20. Generally (but not always) that service should include installation and/or adjustment.
And back to the topic of this thread, I don't think paying $4 for a tube is enough to make it fair to ask them to install it for free.