syncro87

We're overanalyzing it here, but I have some free time and nothing else to do right now, hence the long response. lol...

I wasn't there, so I can't really say. But my gut feeling is that they are not offended that you bought something online. It's that you bought something online then had the audacity to try to work out some kind of deal with me (speaking as the brick and mortar guy) to help your your online seller. Why in the world would I have the slightest interest in helping out the online seller so he could get some money back from you? From the shop owner point of view, you already did stupidly spend your own money by buying something online, sight unseen, when you could have paid a little more and had better service up front at my store.

So I think he's upset not at your having bought online per se, but I think I too would be offended when you tried to work out a deal with me on some online item to help out some dude 1000 miles away. I can totally see why someone would consider your attempted deal completely ridiculous and somewhat offensive perhaps. Yep.

First of all, if I buy something from you on the street, it's used. I can't sell it as new in my store. I can't warrant it, because I have no recourse with my supplier. Are you going to warrant the item like his wholesaler would, since you are in fact the wholesaler now? No. So he's selling a used seat. What in the world does he have to gain to even make it worth messing with this. This aside from the fact that the end result if he helps you out is that he really isn't helping you...he's helping the online retailer. You have already said you don't care, so he's not helping you.

I'm not excusing his attitude with you or being slow to repair your bike in retaliation. Nope, that is probably not acceptable. But think about it. When you offend someone, and since it's his livelihood he probably takes the business personally, what kind of service are you going to get? If I am rude and abrasive to a service provider, I'm probably not going to get as much "house" when I go in there versus a store where I treat the people well and they like me.

All I can say is that I can see how what you did was offensive to them. They perceived you as rude and offensive. I'm not saying it excuses them treating you poorly. I am somewhat amazed that you even thought it was appropriate to attempt to sell the shop your seat from someone else. That totally blows my mind. But apparently you think it's ok, and normal, and don't see how that would offend someone. Ok, then. We have a difference of opinion there, but no biggie.

It sounds like this might not be the friendliest shop in the world AND you probably didn't exactly make any friends doing what you did, either. A little of both. I don't know. Others smarter than me will chime in.