Originally Posted by GuitarWizard
......the amount of stuff you can read and learn about online is amazing, and anyone who is serious about doing things - whether it be getting into cycling, running, skydiving, climbing mountains, etc. - can be fairly well-versed in having a general idea of what they want/need before even stepping foot into a store....
...which is why there is no excuse for a shop employee not to have a grasp of at least the basic features of his/her product.
I worked in shops for six years or so in the early 90s and I was a top salesperson because I knew what I was talking about, and I took the time to educate the consumer and match a bike to their needs.
Recently, I've run into very few folks who have any idea what they're selling.