General Cycling Discussion - "You did WHAT to my bike?" (a bit of a rant!)

Two weeks ago I ordered an Electra Townie from my LBS (name on request!!). I paid 50% down and agreed to pay the other 50% when it arrived.

Monday evening my husband told me they'd called and said my bike had arrived and was ready for me to pick up.

So today (Wednesday) I arranged to leave work early so I could go pick it up. But before leaving I decided to call and make sure they were still open (thought they might have different hours for the holiday weekend).

And when I gave my name to the guy at the store, he paused and said, "Oh. Sorry. We sold your bike."

:eek: :eek: :eek:

"You did WHAAAAT??" I sputtered.

"Yeah, sorry, it was out on the floor and someone sold it."

"Well," I sputtered again, "but ... what ... huh?"

"Yeah, sorry," he said yet again. "We're gonna see if we can get another one tomorrow."

Grr! :notamused: I should think so!

And here I was feeling all nice and warm-fuzzy towards this LBS, because they hadn't been rude to me like the previous one I'd considered shopping at.

Did anything like this ever happen to you? Should I forgive them? make their lives a living h*ll? or something in between?

Yikes! :twitchy:

take your deposit back and order from another store? ask for a discount or free accessory?

Wow. That would irk me to no end.

That might be grounds to start up a "(LBS name)Sucks.com" website.

Did anything like this ever happen to you? Should I forgive them? make their lives a living h*ll? or something in between?
Yes, almost twice!

The first time was many years ago and was a clerk's mistake when I made purchase at closing time. Store made right two days later, even better than they were aware!

The second, was just last summer. Had to take my wife's bike in for new rear wheel and dropout, the hub seized on a new bike. When we picked the bike up, and retrieved it from the repair staff, I wanted to check out a few items, and the clerk, said or bike would be fine as we shopped. About 15 minutes past, and went to the retrieve the bike, and it was gone. Repair staff and clerk looked frantic, not in the back, not on the floor, where. A second clerk came in with big smile and asked what was going on, "we are looking for their bike", a Specialized Wms Crossroads. He said I just sold it, "it is being loaded right now" . Out the door our clerk went, and explained to the other party that bike was ours. Wife and I were relieved, the other couple not happy, the 2nd clerk redfaced, and wife got a CatEye 5 n/c.

If you are polite, nice and firm, finding some humor, I am certain the LBS will make things right, may have to think of a nice accessory you would like, so be prepared. Basket, Rack, bell, odometer....

It is the least they can do... then again you know another has the same taste in bikes as you, so buyers remorse will be much less:thumb:

Wow!
It sold in less than 48 hours!

I guess you could chalk it up to your good taste!
:D

Lack of communication here. Yep forgive and let them make it right. Stuff happens. You'll come out on this one OK, methinks.

Forgive and forget - it's a minor error, not cause for armageddon.

I've heard about this happening to people, I think it is fairly common. Employees usually react nonchalantly and unapologetically.

Now that's bad business.

Well then LBS you go ahead and get me another one, but know you OWE me. If not in a BIG discount on the remainder 50%, then in accessories (like... free Dude..lol) or in work that gets done gratis or cheaply.

"Oh. Sorry.
......
"Yeah, sorry, it was out on the floor and someone sold it."
.......
"Yeah, sorry," he said yet again.



At least he was apologetic.

At least he was apologetic.



:roflmao2:

At least he was apologetic.
Kinda hard to tell his tone from the text. If he really was apologizing, and knew that the store had screwed up, then I would forgive 'em without hesitation...especially since they'd been nice to the OP before.

If it was more of a nonchalant, "sorry; **** happens", as if the store had every right to sell the bike, then they would not enjoy what happened next.

I'd forgive and allow the guy a mistake.

It's not as if they sold the '69 tri power GTO you put 10K down on. :(


...:cry:

If it was more of a nonchalant, "sorry; **** happens", as if the store had every right to sell the bike, then they would not enjoy what happened next.

Yeah, that was kinda the tone!

Well, here's the update - I'm going there this evening and theoretically they will have the replacement bike ready to go. So we'll see!

Oh, forgot to add - before I got off the phone with "Halfhearted Apology Guy", I told him I was coming to the store tomorrow ... (meaningful pause) ... WITH MY HUSBAND!

When I told my husband that part, he kind of jumped back and said, "Uh yeah ... sure ... I'll be waiting in the car ... OUTSIDE!" :lol:

Oh, forgot to add - before I got off the phone with "Halfhearted Apology Guy", I told him I was coming to the store tomorrow ... (meaningful pause) ... WITH MY HUSBAND!


LOL, "WITH MY HUSBAND!" never gets the same result as "You, can explain to my wife why...", seems to induce more fear from my perspective.

As shared, if it was my bike that accidentally was sold, I would have just said OK you owe me a bike, I take my pick.

Not her, the "LOOK" she gave that clerk that day has not been forgotten. On return visits I have only seen his backside, he is always heading to the stock room for some reason.

Bring your MOM, may get better freebie:thumb:

LOL, "WITH MY HUSBAND!" never gets the same result as "You, can explain to my wife why...", seems to induce more fear from my perspective.

+1

We had a little disagreement with our bank a few years back. It was over a $50 charge that I didn't feel like we should have been stuck with. After a good half-hour of going round and round with the Branch Manager, I said, "Look, we can resolve this here and now, or my wife will be down here tomorrow. You remember my wife and I trust you DON'T want to be on her bad side." He credited our account and no hellfire was wrought upon our bank.;)

think of it as a way to bargain for free stuff.

I would be walking.

+1

We had a little disagreement with our bank a few years back. It was over a $50 charge that I didn't feel like we should have been stuck with. After a good half-hour of going round and round with the Branch Manager, I said, "Look, we can resolve this here and now, or my wife will be down here tomorrow. You remember my wife and I trust you DON'T want to be on her bad side." He credited our account and no hellfire was wrought upon our bank.;)

My Dad hasn't practiced for years, but the few times I've told people he was a bored retired lawyer and I'd let him look into things got me better results.

I'd take the deposit back, and tell them if they can get the bike in before shop x (and less expensive too) on the other side of town gets a similar one, I'll still buy from them.

See if a good race motivates them.

It's an easy mistake to make, please let it go. If you can get a break out of them, that's fair, but it wasn't an intentional thing. Some kid screwed up and sold what he saw as simply inventory on the sales floor. If the builder/mechanic didn't clearly mark it with a "SOLD" sign, it's not the sales guy's fault. Where I worked it sometimes got so busy that things like this could easily happen just because everyone was trying to do their job right and make customers happy.

The fact you have a deposit on it, requires more than a half-hearted apology IMO.
I'd mention that to the manager when you do pick up your bike. IF he has any customer service skills at all, he should be offering you some freebies!
Than again, with the increase in sales recently, maybe they already sold your first 3 bikes before they got around to calling you for the 4th?

Poor business to sell an obvious special order. The store(s) that I buy mine from always ask my permission to place it on the floor with a big SOLD tag on it. The stuff I typically order is not normally stocked and I get the XL frame size. But they have sold several orders off my stuff so it works for both of us. They get to show people something different and I build a good relationship with my LBS(s) FWIW one doesn't even require any deposit when I special order anything anymore.

They screwed up and need to make it right, whether paying extra for rush shipment, or offering you a discount/freebie on something else.

Aaron:)

OK, just got off the phone with the customer service guy ("Josh"), who told me that my replacement bike is NOT in the store, so I probably won't get it till Monday.

Which means my plans for riding my new bike over the long holiday weekend are kaput!

I kept trying to hammer into his skull that since I'd already paid them money up front, and was expecting to use it this weekend, I was kinda upset. :crash: So finally he says, kind of half-heartedly: "Yeah, well, OK, if there's anything we can do ..."

To which, remembering my conversation here, I immediately replied, suddenly becoming all sweetness and light, "A new frame bag would be great - thanks!"

"Yeah ... OK ... I'll see if I can find one around here somewhere." (You know - because it's a bike shop - so they might not have any frame bags. ;))

So I am still irritated but (determined to forgive, if not forget, as some of you have advised), I have decided to put off my irritation till Monday, and give them a fair chance.

And for the weekend? Well, I've still got that Schwinn folding bike I wrote about when I first came in here. :lol: Though maybe I'll just do some hiking instead! :thumb:

Update - and happy ending!
About 20 minutes after the call from Josh above, he called again and said the bike was in after all!

My husband and I went over to pick it up. Josh had put a basket on the front, free, and also gave me a rear light. The bike is gorgeous (it's an Electra Townie 21, blue) and I told him he could erase the part on the sales slip where someone had written "Customer is very upset!!!" ;)

I like happy endings.
Is hubby one of 3 stooges or one of Iggy Pop and the Stooges? Or just a stooge?

Update - and happy ending!
About 20 minutes after the call from Josh above, he called again and said the bike was in after all!

My husband and I went over to pick it up. Josh had put a basket on the front, free, and also gave me a rear light. The bike is gorgeous (it's an Electra Townie 21, blue) and I told him he could erase the part on the sales slip where someone had written "Customer is very upset!!!" ;)

Ahhh... see! Everyone makes the occasional mistake. The good ones attempt to make it right.
Glad it all worked out for you. :)

Ding ding ding, WINNER!!!! Awesome

Really glad it worked out for you! Now you can have your weekend ride as you originally planned.

Whoa! I would have considered this unacceptable. Goes to show that even with tempers flared, an attempt to make good smooths everything over. Really. I guess that's why I stick with fixed gear conversions. ;) No one would ever mistake it for a bike shop bike. Ha. Ever. Good job.

Glad it turned out well.
I kinda like the fact that the customer service guy made that first call even though he had bad news, nothing worst than being left in the dark or getting the run around in a situation like this.

I like happy endings.
Is hubby one of 3 stooges or one of Iggy Pop and the Stooges? Or just a stooge?

He looks kind of like Moe - only with a beard - and way sexier! :thumb:

He looks kind of like Moe - only with a beard - and way sexier! :thumb:

Moe!
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/moe.jpg

Seems to me that a LBS would lose nothing by not offering any freebies for any mistakes since LBS are in short supply and bikes have been selling well since gas prices show no end in sight.

Two weeks ago I ordered an Electra Townie from my LBS (name on request!!). I paid 50% down and agreed to pay the other 50% when it arrived.

Monday evening my husband told me they'd called and said my bike had arrived and was ready for me to pick up.

So today (Wednesday) I arranged to leave work early so I could go pick it up. But before leaving I decided to call and make sure they were still open (thought they might have different hours for the holiday weekend).

And when I gave my name to the guy at the store, he paused and said, "Oh. Sorry. We sold your bike."

:eek: :eek: :eek:

"You did WHAAAAT??" I sputtered.

"Yeah, sorry, it was out on the floor and someone sold it."

"Well," I sputtered again, "but ... what ... huh?"

"Yeah, sorry," he said yet again. "We're gonna see if we can get another one tomorrow."

Grr! :notamused: I should think so!

And here I was feeling all nice and warm-fuzzy towards this LBS, because they hadn't been rude to me like the previous one I'd considered shopping at.

Did anything like this ever happen to you? Should I forgive them? make their lives a living h*ll? or something in between?

Yikes! :twitchy:

This story reminded me of this Seinfeld episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeHG-8rfqKM

^^^ That is a great episode

Guilt and shame them for a discount.
Just kidding, no need to rub their noses in it. But, work them for a discount.
Good luck and happy riding. Eventually.

Slackerprince

Glad it worked out. You gotta post some pics of this beauty.

pics!

OK, I'll see if I can talk my husband into taking a few pics of it *.

But I gotta tell you, over the weekend we had my brother-in-law and mother-in-law come over for a visit - and they spent the whole time taking turns riding all my bikes (the Schwinn folder, the Townie, and an adult trike I use for grocery shopping)! Now that's something I should have taken pics of!!! (nyuk nyuk!)

(* and here is a link to a picture of one just like mine - imagine a white wire basket on the front: http://southlyoncycle.com/images/library/large/elect2_townie_21_l_baby_blue_pearl_07_m.jpg)