slipknot0129

My dad says he's gonna try to talk to the salesman to get me a better deal. Can you get a better deal if you try to talk them into getting you a better deal? Its a small town shop so im think it would be harder to do that.

10 Wheels

Most of the time.

no1mad 

Depends. Like if it's on a model that has been sitting there for a while, then maybe. But the LBS is out to make money, and the profit margin is razor thin anyway.

DRietz

Around here, on the local CraigsList, even when someone has a really nice bike, they usually don't know the fact of what they have in their possession. So, I feign dislike in the bike for its "shabby" components, and give them a number. Usually, they jump on it and I get a reward.

Abneycat

You're not likely to talk them into giving you a better deal on a brand new bike, although it can happen. It's really easy to negotiate a couple of extra perks into the purchase of a bike at least, with the last new bike I purchased a few years ago, negotiated in some service time (additional service time, not just tune ups), and an accessory discount. Most shops will actually give such an accessory discount by default though, they want to really push accessories - lower investment, better margins than bikes.

Old models and ones that have obviously been test ridden a lot / left on the floor a lot, yep. Bikes with scratches or cosmetic problems too.

I have negotiated a bicycle from $720 down to $450 before, but the bicycle was 3 years old and had obviously been around a while - they'd done a good job of keeping the bike clean, but the logos were worn off the crankset (a sign of heavy test riding), and the seatpost had obviously been adjusted a fair bit.

Funny, in the end I didn't take the bike either. It'll probably be sitting there at least until spring still, nearly 4 years old. By that point in time, the shop should really just be trying to get it out the doors and gain the floor space back - heck, they should've started trying to do it 2 and a half years ago.

Mr. Beanz

I bought a 2100 tandem for 1850 without asking, dude offered a discount as long as I didn't mention it to nearby stores, special order.

Also a roadie, $100 off without asking! Price made the offer better than an online sale.

FlaMike

A few weeks ago I ordered a Jamis Aurora Elite, last year's model. MSRP was $1550, I got it for $953 (plus tax). It was the model I preferred, as I didn't want the disc brakes on the 2010 model. Deals are out there, especially on old stock. The owner of the LBS I ordered mine said that most of his suppliers are sitting on a TON of old stock, '09 and '08 models. It's always worth asking.

Bob Nichols

It sure doesn't hurt to try.

Kolelo

I'm happy if I get $70-100 off MRAP. I like to get a good deal as much as the next guy but also realize the LBS has to make some profit to stay in business and pay their employees.

steve0257

Other people can get the discounts. When they see me coming in the door it's more along the line of, "Oh boy. We got a live one."

tatfiend 

Agreed. I just got a new 2010 specification Surly Big Dummy for $1900 + tax from the LBS I normally deal with. A special order too but Surly has been having a sale on the BD which is not shown on their web site which still lists an MSRP of $2450, down from the original $2700. The LBS told me that the $1900 price they gave me included their normal new bike markup so we both made out. In the current economy deals are out there, particularly on bikes that distributors have excess stock of.

Some of the best deals may be on 2009 or 2008 bikes that the dealer does not have in stock but can get as the distributor will have lowered the dealer price to help clear out stock. A dealer not willing to pass on his cost savings on such bikes is not too smart IMO.

Penkenny

yeah most probably if its a small shop.

jdon

Maybe. If you are talking a discount from MSRP, then yes. If the prices are discounted 15-20% already, then no. Bikes have pretty slim margins and the shop has overhead to pay.

cyclist2000

it really depends on what you are buying and the time of year.

This years hot model - small or no discount
Last years hot model - small discount
few year old bike - big discount

buying after new years - good discount

normally business is slow in the off season, unless the shop does some type of winter business, this may not apply to your location based on winter weather. Shops need to make room for new stock and are willing to discount last year or older bikes.

Always make sure that you are dealing with a person that has the authority to lower the prices. I purchased a bike in October and the manager would not lower the price at all and he was having a really tough time answering my questions. The shop owner came over to help and he was willing to lower the price. So I didn't think that the manager had any authority to lower the prices.

DesnaePhoto

Depends on what else you are going to to do with the bike. If you are going to leave it 'as is' then a LBS will have less room to manuevar for you. if you are changing out the cranks, upgrading wheels, adding bottle holders, a computer, etc, then you are giving them a chance to make it up on the other end.

Do NOT tell them "I have lots of friends wanting to buy." If you really have someone else looking to spend $, BOTH of you should be in there together. If you have many of you, ALL of you should go in together. At least once so the shop knows all of you are serious. Easier for them to say "Ok, if both (or all) of you buy, we can do XX for you."

Artkansas 

I got 10% off because the LBS knew I wanted to bike and I had played hard to sell for a couple of months.

apclassic9

While it's been awhile since I bought a new bike, I NEVER paid full price. I was either buying 2 bikes, upgrading parts, getting just frames..... my kids were into MTB racing in a big way, are still into cycling in general, and the LBS made a fortune - even with factory prices & assorted discounts - off me. Between the 2 of them, they have 6 fully functioning bikes and another 4 in various stages of repair or scavange, plus a few extra frames just hanging around. So, a typical visit to any of the LBS in WV drops anywhere from $20 to $200 into the shop. THAT'S how you get discounts.

DX-MAN

If I was able to do that, I'd be in the business, making sales.

Any salesman with any 'chops' will only give you what he's already decided beforehand to give.

A GOOD salesman will let YOU close the deal with coincidentally similar items on his mental list, and let you think you made a good bargain.

stapfam

Unless the bike is already marked down- there is some leeway in pricing. I either buy the bike or I don't- they want to sell the bike.

But MY lbs know me- know when I am up for a bike and tell me what I want before I have even seen it. They are normally right and They always give me a good deal.