ackjohnny

First, I live on an island where everything is marked up, so can't afford buy tires and tubes and such here.
(there is a 20$ mark-up on tires, tubes are only 7.50$)

Second, I decided to wait till my next trip to my hometown so I could support an LBS rather than go online.


So I go to Advance Cycles. It is not too busy, me and another guy in there. As I am checking out tires I ask if this is all he has, he replies while pointing at a big box on the floor " I prolly have some tires in there, but there is just two of us on today so we won't get to it till tommorrow, you should try Waynes it is just down the street."


Ok so Advance dosen't want my money, fine.

I walk into Waynes and look around for a while. After maybe ten minutes I make my selections and attempt to make my way to the counter. The was atleast 3 groups of people milling around so I start checking out the racks. When the counter finally clears out I saunter on up. Next I placed my items on the counter, but the four people behind are busy telling a lady and her daughter that they can't get the bike she wants for 3 months. Now maybe 4 minutes have passed as all four employees explain that the company dosen't have any '08 models available. So I decide to stand with my back to the counter, maybe if I ignore them they will try to get my attention. No luck.(4 more mins pass) So when someone finally acknowledges my presence I said "**** this vinnie, we are out of here". Out in the parking lot the new bike lady and her daughter were parked next to us. It turns out the lady and her daughter could not believe that the sales staff couldn't find something in the racks that would be suitable. We told her that we were also amazed that they didn't want my money.


So as far as I am concered **** LBS's!
I will only do my shopping online!

No good deed goes unpunished.

I had asked my friend vinnie to truck me around and run some errands so he was as appaled as I was at the lack of customer service. As far as I am concerned these two shops owe me 5$ for the gas we wasted trying to pump money into the local economy.

I am not sorry for this rant only that I tried to spend my money locally.

bkaapcke

Once you get good with a wrench, LBS's wil be a thing of the past. bk

MotorHead

Hard to believe in this economy there are businesses acting that way. When I get treated like that, I get the touchy feely in their shop and buy online guilt free.
Makes you wonder if the people that own the shop know that's how their business is being run.

JoeB14

I live in that city. I can picture your experience at the first store, but I'm surprised that you were ignored at Waynes. Hope you found what you need somewhere else.

chipg5

Actually I've had the opposite experience. The couple of recent times I've been to Waynes/Meltzers they were absolutely awful and not at all helpful, while Advanced Cyclery was great, the owner has been extremely helpful and friendly. I don't live in the 'cuse but I make it a point to patronize Advanced when I can.

Wordbiker

Wow, how will you ever get that 8 minutes of your life back?

ATAC49er

I wonder how much attention you would have gotten if you'd headed for the door with slow and sure purpose with the items and without paying! Bet they'd have time for you then!

Stop at the front door (if they don't chase after you), drop the items on the floor, and declare, "I WAS just gonna leave with these, since you don't want my money, but I decided I don't want your SH**." Then go out the door.

PunkMartyr

I eat at a Pizza shop regularly. One of the employees always asks how I am, serves me nice portions and is generally pleasant. The other employee gives me small portions, is somewhat abrupt, doesn't really smile etc.

Employee A knows that giving me good service isn't going to put money in his pocket or anything, and will likely cause me to return for business again which is more work. He wants to do his job right anyway and create a good experience for me. Employee B either doesn't care if I come back or doesn't want me to. I think its really sad that you entered stores full of Employee B types but I would not write off local bike stores altogether.

Kenneth Arie

I was at Advanced Cyclery at the end of last year looking for a bargain. The salesman wanted to sell me a bike too small, with a horrible scatch along the chainstay, (last years model) for the low price of MSRP!

ackjohnny

I wasn't buying a wrench it was tubes,tires and a pump. I can do my own work. All I wanted to do was support some local business.

I don't care about the time it's about the gas my buddy wasted to truck my ass around. That end of the blvd is one gallon round trip. If it wasn't for party source It would have been a total waste.


The thing is waynes let about 1000$ dollars walk out in 5 minutes.

Atleast I got to talk to someone at advance, I'm not even good enough to be asked if I need help at waynes.

I found what I need at one of this forums sponsers, free shipping FTW!


I wish I had thought of the near door expirence.