Originally Posted by
dwilbur3
Actually, the average American wouldn't have even the faintest idea where the nearest LBS is located. If they think they need a bike (a rare event indeed) they'll get a bike where they shop for everything else: WalMart, Target, etc.
If they did wander into an LBS they'd take one look at the prices and turn around and walk out. In their mind a bike costs $150 or less. They know, they've seen them at Xmart. Someone selling a $300 bike (much less a $1500 bike) is just crazy.
And if they think they want something higher quality, they'll just buy the $200 Xmart bike (with all its useless bells and whistles).
I hope that is NOT how the average American thinks..... Bikes are only one of many items that department stores sell that are of low quality. For instance you can buy power tools and musical instruments at any department store. Chances are you are not going to find any of those tools on a real jobsite, or those instruments on stage at a show. I would think that anyone who had enough synapses firing to find themselves in an LBS would KNOW why their prices are higher than a department stores...