Originally Posted by cg1985

I have no problem negotiating with "chain" stores. Unless it's a big huge store where the employee is generally a kid still in, or just out of high school. It's unfair to pressure them. But if it's a Chain "shop" I have no problem negotiating. They have the authority whether or not they tell you.

But if it's a local shop, particularly a recently opened (recently being in the last 5 to 7 years), I have a little bit of a problem with your statement.

Have you ever owned a business? Niether have I, but I do know a lot of small business owners, they owe a lot of money to a lot of people. Right now, a friend of mine owns a Company called VGkids, they do screen printing, Lots of small stuff, and few big things, they do contracts with Myspace secret shows, Modest mouse here and there, Upper playground out in cali, and recently, they are helping Drew Barrymore with her movie about derby girls coming up.

So you could call them pretty successful. In fact, right now he is having the most successful run the business has ever had, but he is still so far in debt it's ridiculous.

It doesn't matter what the shops "make" on the bike. They have overhead costs, and being a smaller business, it's going to be harder for them to cover those costs.

So In my opinion, unless it's a chain, or a bike store that is very well established in the community, and isn't in danger of closing, (which really isn't that many), trying to get them to drop the price is only going to hurt their business. And these business need the money to stay open. And people who are loyal to these shops are returned with loyalty. Which could mean free repairs, or discounts on accessories later on.

This isn't about "saving the bike store" this is about ensuring local success. From someone who lives in a community of starving businesses, it is more visible. Its hard to notice businesses closing when the rest of the city is doing well because it is populated with chain stores.