hydratedsquash

So, I bought my first real bike at my LBS. I've ridden the heck out of it and I love it. Now I'm saving for something better though. I want another hardtail, something like the Caffeine or Stuntjumper (my LBS' sell Specialized and Cannondale), so my max is around 1500, but I can go higher if it's really worth it. My problem however, is that I see these bikes selling for much higher prices than what people say they have paid. How do I rectify this?

Zooropa

around my area lbs's either don't discount at all or very very little compared to other regions

ProEdgeBiker

What you have to understand is that your LBS has an outrageous markup on all their bikes, of course the higher the bike is priced, the more the markup is... Right now most shops are hurting real bad with sales. Go in there, find a bike you really like that they have listed for $1700 - $1900 and tell them you want it for $1500 out the door, dont speak to joe the salesman, ask either to speak with the sales manager or the owner right off the bat.

PS: I just bought a pretty nice 09' MTB for my wife 3 days ago and got $700 knocked off the MSRP out the door.

Good Luck!

7daysaweek

Well one way to get preferable treatment from the LBS may be to give them consistent good business and not go in EXPECTING them to give you a break.

Duce97

What i do is bring in ads from other shops within a couple hundred miles of me. I tell him he can either give it to me at those prices or il be taking a drive. Im in my lbs 2-3 times a week so i dont really get much of a fuss when i ask for a discount but i buy everything there , tires ,tubes, tools all that good stuff to support him and help keep him in business.

mystolenbikes

Agreed with all of the above Plus make sure to go to manufactrers web site and print their msrp list for the bikes you are looking for that will be your base line so you can negotiate from there.
My lbs here which I love them to death told me price negotiation is also depends on how long the bike has been sitting on the show room floor.

Pocko

If I was a chick, I would act lost, confused or needy. But I'm a guy so I just go in as I am - lost, confused and needy.

.

sirtigersalot

markup goes down % wise as price goes up, in fact i've heard that bike manufacturers lose money on their top end roadbikes, they just build em for the pros and so their name looks better, but really they sell so few of em that they all have to be handbuilt and they don't recoup the rediculous design costs.

u'll have an easier time trying to get a deal on an older model bike, or at the end of the season, cause they wanna move it out fast and not risk sitting on it as it gets clearanced cheaper and cheaper

mzeffex 

$700 discount? 1500 from a 1900 dollar bike? You must be kidding. If we did that kind of thing at our shop we'd be losing money.

ProEdgeBiker

no kidding what so ever, specially if you work at a shop you should know(if you see the list)on how much an LBS pays for a $3300 bike.

and no, your shop's owner woulnt be loosing money.

mystolenbikes

Make that +1 I also got $700 discount on my bike.

mbiker33

Another good idea is to go shopping for your bike at the end of the month,when they have to pay all their workers, it's what i do, didn't get to much of a deal but i got 200 bucks of my norco havoc 09, but it's prices is only 1000 so u cant expect much, also they didn't charge me tax

ProEdgeBiker

Most shops already lower their prices by 10% from MSRP. but it's all about whealing and dealing. Stand strong and if not hit up the next shop.

Duce97

Ive seen guys get 700 discounts off the very top end bikes Bout 300-400 off mid level bikes and 100-200 off low end bikes. Just depends on what time of the season it is and if they are trying to clear last years or even the year befores models.

Last year a friend i ride with got a trek remedy 9 list was 5 grand he got it for 3800 out the door because it was last years model and the shop couldnt sell it. It all depends on time and beeing in the right place at the right time.

junkyard

I agree more with this:
And less with this:
There is something to be said about being loyal to a shop. In the end, they'll take care of you, both in big purchases and small.

Scratcher33

They wouldn't be doing much more than breaking after all things are considered, though.

ProEdgeBiker

I guess the bottom line is: They can only say "NO", but you'll never know till you try it for yourself.

yes you could get awesome deals on OLD STOCK but try for the new stuff 1st..


Good Luck!

mzeffex 

We weren't discussing a 3300 dollar bike. On a 1700 that would be losing money or just breaking even. The more the bike costs the more we make - so that is not an adequate comparison.

surreal

If you want "deals", avoid the LBS at all costs. If you need a brand-new specialized or other major/successful brand, you'll have to deal with these greedy middlemen, but if you want an older model or something from a brand that will allow online retailers to sell their bikes, go that route.

I know, I know, many of you have some sentimental, fuzzy situation where you enjoy spending extra money to "support" the local shop near you. If that's your thing, that's fine. But, it's no way to find "deals". Even if/when they cut you a "deal", consider the fact that you've already spent whatever you "saved" in elevated highline retail purchases at that shop over the years.

If you're a cheapskate, avoid the lbs. If you have a credit card, know how to use the internet, and can wrench your own bike, shop online, where there's actual competition and enough customers that the retailer doesn't need to fleece the few he gets for every penny.

Buying used is a nice option, too, but caveat emptor.

-rob
PS "LBS" charged me freeeeking $28 dollars for a length of SRAM 830 chain last year, and I had to negotiate to get the powerlink. They cut the length off of their massive shop coil. I didn't whine or try to haggle; i just permanently crossed them off the list, and tell all my friends/ppl who ask to NOT go there.

Bosock

I purchase last years models, get them for about 1/3 off and usually get a maintenance deal worked in. The bike shop is happy as your moving their older inventory and your happy you get a significant price drop. Just got the son an 08 stumpy expert for $1850. Not bad at all. In fact after i got the bike the sales manager come up and told me that in the future if i need another bike come see him and he will get an additional 15-20 of the list price. I dont know if that will count on already discounted bikes...but i thought it was a nice gesture. I have bought 2 brand new mountain bikes and a new road bike, all last years inventory (around september time frame) for far less than they were stickered at and the bike shop is always giving me discounts for accesssories as i am consistent with giving them my business. Seems to work well for both of us and i have a good relationship with them...always getting my bikes maintainenced and out within a day or two.

junkyard

Your post is incomplete without a link to the website with all these deals.

mtb_man_14

i got a fuji newest 3.0 from a lbs. the sticker said $680. I talked to the owner and he said since it was older model he could give me 10% off. wait til the end of this year and then see if the owner will deal

7daysaweek

It blows my mind to read some people's responses to this thread. What makes people think they're entitled to some sort of discount just because they don't want to pay the posted price for a bicycle? Yes, it's nice to get a deal and yes bikes are marked up. That's called RUNNING A BUSINESS. How do you expect your LBS to stay in business if they don't make money on something? How are they supposed to compete with the internet's ridiculously low prices when they have money grubbing people walking into their shops feeling entitled to some sort of discount on everything?

What's wrong with paying a little extra for something that you enjoy doing, building a relationship with a shop, helping out a local business and having a friendly place to go that LIKES to see you come in the door. If they know you're not trying to rip them off every time you walk in the door they're more likely to give you the favorable treatment you want from time to time. Earn it, don't expect it.

sirtigersalot

wholesale is about 75% of retail on a bike, varying a tad from shop to shop, then you have to factor in the 2hrs of assembly labor, and all the other cost of running a shop, rent, insurance, pay ur employees, theft ,ect ect, people return bikes, the labor on the free tune (if you get one) if a shop sells you a 2k bike for 1500 they lose money

Why do you go to a shop? cause you want to try stuff and maybe talk to their (hopfully) knowlegeable staff, and have the comfort of being able to go back and yell at em if stuff goes wrong (ie return stuff if its a good shop) You have to pay for all this. if you buy online or used you have to know alot more and shoudl know how to work on bikes ect ect, so yeah if you've got all that down then by all means get a bike online or used and be happy u saved money, but don't think that retailers are greedy and out to get you, they provide a service to most people who do need this help, and if you dont need/want that then don't go to ur lbs

sirtigersalot

if he still has the bike, especially on less expensive or popular bikes, why give you a deal? they know they can just sell it to the next guy for more, supply and demand,

or are you saying you got it for 10% sounded like you said ur gonna wait till the owner will give you a better deal