Little Darwin

I order plenty of parts online, and I also make sure to give the few shops close by some business as well.

I think it is honorable to buy where you get the advice, but I know that honor is not necessarily a common attribute among shoppers.

I believe that other industries have similar issues, such as auto body shops. I would probably not go to a place that charges for estimates, but those that offer free estimates must absorb the costs through the services when they do charge... So, I would suspect that people would tend to avoid bike shops if charged for preliminary information.

Being a user (and not provider) of LBS products and services, I would say that I like the "corner store" mentality that my favorite local shops offer. Willing to take the time to answer questions, and they once in a while throw a deal my way. I had them measure a frame for a seat post, there was no charge... and I seem to recall that I bought a post from them. If they were to start charging for measuring etc and apply it toward purchase, I would still go there. However, it would probably keep some customers away from a great shop.