I'm going to play devils advocate.
That triple build kit was ordered with the bike. They could've ordered it with the double ...but they chose the triple because it has mass appeal over doubles.
They could order you the same frame with a double build kit. BUT, in the world of retail (I used to be the hardgoods buyer for a ski shop) special orders means that the "buy" loses it's strength. When a "buy" is calculated there are many factors that are considered. Specialty sporting goods make buying ver very difficult. Ensuring that a shop sells through inventory is paramount to success. A shop eats bikes when the season is over because the bike is now a year old. Special orders can create a situation whereby left-over product sits on the floor at the season's end.
Considering the margin of bikes is about 30% and accessories/clothing are a "keystone" (50%) I can sympathize with the shop.
I don't think the bashing in this thread is warranted. I don't think antagonizing a merchant because you went elsewhere is warranted.
Just take your money elsewhere.
The guy on the phone? Yeah well, it's a common problem in specialty retail ...pay peanuts, get monkeys. We all look for the salesperson/technician who knows their stuff. I'd say most shops have one or two guys who know their stuff and the rest just get by. There are exceptions ...but not many.
Like I said ...devil's advocate.
Last edited by telenick; 03-31-05 at 03:25 PM.