I was chased out of a bike shop!!
10-03-05, 10:25 PM
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I was chased out of a bike shop!!
We went out of town on an errand, and happened to pass by a shop with big words in the window, "06's are here!", along with the names of Ellsworth, Independent, Moots and Titus. Never before having seen any shop like this in MY area, decided to go back and drool over what I can't have. I go in and immediately I am approached by a real nice guy, very informative, and seemed genuine. I didn't want to waste his valuable time or take from other perspective buyers, so I explained that I was just dreaming. His shop was wonderfully equipped, and maybe in the future, one day, some time, NOT NOW, I might be able to come back again with some seriousness. He tells me to wait right here, he has to show me something special from the back.
He comes out with a bike about my size. It's an Ibis Mai Tai. He starts to tell me about it's features, how great this bike is, that he has 20 of them in the back, blah blah. I remembered that I read here that Ibis went out of business and that they are coming back, so when I mentioned this, he got even more aggressive!
Next thing you know, I'm slowly backing out of the store, him following me, urging me to take the bike out for a spin. No, not now, thank you, (as I turn toward the car) I appreciate your time, but maybe later...he kept telling me to come back because I'm missing out on this wonderful bike..............don't leave, we can make a deal.............!!!! Hey lady! Let me give you my card!!!!!!!!
Was he trying to dump a bad bike on me or was he really trying to sell me *something special*?
He comes out with a bike about my size. It's an Ibis Mai Tai. He starts to tell me about it's features, how great this bike is, that he has 20 of them in the back, blah blah. I remembered that I read here that Ibis went out of business and that they are coming back, so when I mentioned this, he got even more aggressive!
Next thing you know, I'm slowly backing out of the store, him following me, urging me to take the bike out for a spin. No, not now, thank you, (as I turn toward the car) I appreciate your time, but maybe later...he kept telling me to come back because I'm missing out on this wonderful bike..............don't leave, we can make a deal.............!!!! Hey lady! Let me give you my card!!!!!!!!
Was he trying to dump a bad bike on me or was he really trying to sell me *something special*?
10-03-05, 11:13 PM
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Sounds like a green salesman to me. 
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10-04-05, 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Siu Blue Wind
Hey lady! Let me give you my card!!!!!!!!
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"The bicycle is the perfect transducer to match man's metabolic energy to the impedance of locomotion. Equipped with this tool, man outstrips the efficiency of not only all machines but all other animals as well." Ivan Illich ('Energy and Equity')1974
"The bicycle is the perfect transducer to match man's metabolic energy to the impedance of locomotion. Equipped with this tool, man outstrips the efficiency of not only all machines but all other animals as well." Ivan Illich ('Energy and Equity')1974
10-04-05, 12:40 AM
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I once discovered that saying something like "Which part of NO didn't you understand?" works quite well to end it all... not immediately, of course, but in the face of repeated hard sells.
10-04-05, 02:25 AM
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I would just give him a ridiculous price...Works everytime for me 
They look at you like scum and walk away slowly
They look at you like scum and walk away slowly
10-04-05, 03:02 AM
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Ibis is a company remade, very exotic. Did a Ti lug and C.F tube mtb in 1988.
Artist.
Those companies you listed are WAY top.
https://www.firstflightbikes.com/ibis.htm
https://www.ibisbicycles.com/
https://www.firstflightbikes.com/atb.htm
..Ellsworth...I wish.
I'll take you there. Got credit?
Those are the 'boutique' framebuilders. Good? oh ya. $$$$.
Artist.
Those companies you listed are WAY top.
https://www.firstflightbikes.com/ibis.htm
https://www.ibisbicycles.com/
https://www.firstflightbikes.com/atb.htm
..Ellsworth...I wish.
I'll take you there. Got credit?
Those are the 'boutique' framebuilders. Good? oh ya. $$$$.
10-04-05, 04:13 AM
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Well, I think that selling bikes is in some ways like playing basketball. You have to shoot if you want to score.
10-04-05, 04:44 AM
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Just a salesman who couldn't read you (even though you put in text form and shoved it in his face). I wouldn't make a judgement about the bike...he just wanted to impress his boss by selling a bike and was super-pushy. Maybe he has a future in used car sales.
10-04-05, 09:30 AM
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With 20 Ibis' in the back store room, he must really be a bad salesman!! Where's this place at?
10-04-05, 10:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Gus Riley
With 20 Ibis' in the back store room, he must really be a bad salesman!! Where's this place at?
10-04-05, 10:05 AM
#16
hello
Originally Posted by Siu Blue Wind
But if the bike was so high line and fantastic, why did they plummet? And why does he still have 20 of them? Wasn't it a couple of years ago? Surely they would have sold by now?
10-04-05, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Siu Blue Wind
Hey lady! Let me give you my card!!!!!!!!
10-04-05, 06:36 PM
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Reminds me of the time when I had the opposite thing happen. I walked into a bike shop and was just looking when a sales rep approached and asked "Can I sell you something today?" To which I replied: "well, just looking", then he said "Your not a buyer!" and left me standing there while he disappeared into the back of the store. At that point I walked out the store and never went back.
10-04-05, 07:11 PM
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wait for the going out of business sale.
10-04-05, 07:20 PM
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Well as my salesmen friends say, "the word 'no' is where salesmanship begins." However, I hate high-pressure sales types. I would have done just as you did.
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10-04-05, 09:02 PM
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Bicycles good. Salseman bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
10-05-05, 01:14 AM
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I couldn't car less.
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Originally Posted by Siu Blue Wind
The store is located in an upper-crusty Richie Rich area in Northern California.
And rich you have to be to buy a new one.
And he made frames in California.
10-05-05, 03:53 PM
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Funny. Isn't the way to sell things at all!
I get the "just looking" folks. I hand them something and say "Take a look at this - try it if you like. I like people to look at my stuff." Then I go back to work. I'll watch and give them other things if they get into trying stuff. If they're good, I give them things I want independent evaluations on - "What do you think of this at $XXX? I'm trying to decide whether to carry them."
That seems to work. Everyone has fun and sometimes people buy things. I get a dreamer in looking at the goodies, I pull out my violin and tell them to try it. I don't tell them what it is. (I make moderately costly instruments by standards around here).
Always a good time.
I get the "just looking" folks. I hand them something and say "Take a look at this - try it if you like. I like people to look at my stuff." Then I go back to work. I'll watch and give them other things if they get into trying stuff. If they're good, I give them things I want independent evaluations on - "What do you think of this at $XXX? I'm trying to decide whether to carry them."
That seems to work. Everyone has fun and sometimes people buy things. I get a dreamer in looking at the goodies, I pull out my violin and tell them to try it. I don't tell them what it is. (I make moderately costly instruments by standards around here).
Always a good time.