Originally Posted by
crhilton
Total net profit seems like a pretty backwards way to look at an individual sale though. Any sale that's making him a net profit (considering sales time, cost of goods and shipping, and any risk such as shop warranty) is increasing his overall net profits. The store rent doesn't go up because he sold you a bike!
It may be that one makes crap for running a bike shop, and that stinks, but chasing away customers will not help to make ends meet.
That said, I think the OP is in a tiff over a minor mistake (the mistaken original price). The shop is going to tell you why used sucks and new rocks. And he's trying really hard to not have "super deal" bikes at the end of the year. I really think it's a crumby model for the LBS that manufacturers put out a new model every year, even if it does have the same Sora parts.
It's not so much the individual sale as it is the tough business lesson many of these guys learn when they realize they are broke and can't figure out why when they sold everything for more than what they paid for it. Seriously...you have to keep in mind the collective that is local shop owers. Some are very astute business people. The majority....not so much.