i was going to start a LBS thread with my question, but this one is here already... I have a new LBS near my house that is run by local respected people in the bike community. They have parts I like and would normally buy. But my dillema is about price. I have to pay almost twice as much as on the internet or at Performance. Example:
I needed some oury grips. A week ago when i brought them up to the counter... $16(+tax)! These are normally $10. Yesterday it was Nitto heat treated 125AAs... $120(+tax). I put them back. Anyone can go to Ben's online and pay $67.
Everything is way over-priced. Also, nothing has tags and they tell you the price once you get up to the counter. Then its extremely high. This new shop (which is on the Burke Gilman trail) is a nice place that specilaizes in track and urban bikes and has decent people running it. But I can't support it if it means paying double for things.
Based on those 2 examples: do you think this shop is pricing their items at more than double wholesale? I know that in retail, its normal for shops to buy something at wholesale and double it's price. But at this shop they seem to be doubling the normal retail price. Am I right? Or possibly they don't value me as a customer and make up a super high price so that I will simply leave... Could be. I feel like saying something, but I don't want to say "on the internet they cost...!"