Originally Posted by
j-law
Bike shops are failing because, at many, you don't get decent customer service unless the customer does the work to build the relationship. I find this completely unacceptable.
Other retail stores either earn your business with good customer service or understand that they will only be competing on price and will have to deal with online competitors. When I go shopping for a new TV, I wouldn't deal with the salesman being rude to me while talking about what I like/dislike in a TV, why is it any different in the bike shop?
This seems like really broad brush strokes. If bike shops are globally failing over customer service then Central New York must have missed out again. I have been treated far worse at Worst Buy and Staples (known as "The S word" in my household) than I have ever been at a bike shop.
It seems many employees at stores selling technical products think that expertise is magically bestowed with employment. Try buying PC parts in many retail stores. Noone wants to say "I don't know" or "That is not something that I have dealt with." Its nerd ego at work.