what do you look for in a shop?
 

ok so as soem of you may know i run a shop here in central jersey. and i think i do a pretty good job, but there is always room for improvement. i want to try and promote commuting in my area and in my shop. what are things you guys generally need and look for a shop to have. myself and my mechanics are top notch and i have a very low problem rate on repairs... but what else can i do? i dont want to turn into some jerk at a shop that just wants ur dollar.

i look for a commuter friendly shop of course. somewhere that isn't entirely focused on pushing the latest and greatest 2 ounce saving racematic xtreme 4000 doo-dad. instead someone that understands bicycling as lifestyle not just a sport. it helps if they're not arseholes too.

parts, quick service, tires tubes lights batteries bags... package deals, Norris has started putting together packages with a new hybrid fenders, rack lights lock bag tools, extra tubes pump etc, for around 400 that kind of thing is attractive and shows the owner is thinking about the needs of his clients at the time. sell me new tires and tubes a new pump and throw in a tube for a little extra. Don't try to sell me that new shiny sexy road bike, its pretty, but i would tear it up in no time with my kind of riding. When i go into a shop, I want to be greeted and asked what i am after. Remember most of us can oreder the majority of parts and accessories online, so if we come in it is not looking for selection.

yea i know it's next to impossible to compete with online... it's really frustrating tho when people come in to have me install soemthign they just got this "great deal" on and it doesn't fit. i mean yea they need to do their research but i feel bad for them.

all i've ever done is work for shops since i was 13 sweepign the floor and polishing bike in exchange for tube and random parts. i've worked in lots of shops and was offered the position i'm in now a few months ago and i really want to make my shop the best it possibly can be. i'm not the owner so i can't call all the shots. but i can do enough.

there's a lot of roadie weight weinies around here that come in talkign about there wattage. thats all well and good. but bikes were originally a good cheap form of fun tranportation and i think most of the US needs to be reminded of that

I like to be able to walk in with my bike and get quick adjustments or repairs done without having to make an appointment and leave the bike.

I like to be able to walk back into the shop area and have the mechanic explain to me step-by-step what he's doing and why so that next time I can try it myself. If he isn't annoyed that I'm there, that's a big plus.

I like taking my bike to a shop that really cares about how the bike is working. If I take it in to get a derailer adjusted and the mechanic whips out a spoke wrench to true the wheel a little just because the wobble bothers him, he gets my respect.

First off, as with any sub-genre of cycling, is great service. It sounds like you have that covered.

Don't make the mistake of ignoring that aging fat guy wandering around the store in order to spend more time with the spandex crowd. That cost my closest LBS thousands, just from me, in the last few years. Have lots of fit specific accessories in stock. I can buy a rack online, but helmets, shoes, and clothing I will pay a higher price to see them in person and try them on, and my size is never in stock. Same goes for bags and paniers. Of course, you still have to have a few racks on hand for those that want you to put them on for them.

Like for the race crowd, become a good bike fitter. Bike Fit to rider is just as important for the commuter.

Offer periodic maintenace classes for at home adjusting the bike. You won't really lose service business teaching people how to adjust the brakes and gears, since they will take a greater interest in bike maintenance overall. That means supplies sales, and upgrade/maintenance visits to your shop with an interest in better bike functioning.

Carry a good bike selection. The more the better. We all have a different idea about what the ideal bike is for a given area and purpose. But I am not sure having the cheapest bikes is that good if they skimp on quality. I have another LBS that I would use instead of walmart for a child's bike, but that's about it. No coincidence that they are skimpy on the service there too.

Always give honest, good advice. that's part of the service thing, but the advice should be because you believe it, not becuase its what you sell.

1. Promote culture. If I can hang out at the shop I'll inevitably spend more money. And if I'm hanging out there I probably like it. You can do this by:
* Having stimulating conversation with regulars, when you have time.
* Running events, this helps your customers to get to know each other. One event could be a weekly ride that starts and ends at your shop. You might try and talk a local restaurant into selling food: Food + cycling + beer == yay.

2. Be competent. If you have any salesmen or wrenches who aren't make sure they become proficient or find a new source of employment. There's nothing worse than asking a questions and not getting an answer, or even a believable promise of an answer.

3. Carry good brands. If half of your stuff says Trek or Bontrager, get some new stuff. Trek makes nice bikes, but so do a dozen other companies. And, at least around here, everyone carries Trek. I love my Trek, I don't need another one right now.

4. Offer immediate service whenever possible.


Remember, we can order stuff online. We come to the shop for expertise, immediate purchase, and someone to talk to. For enthusiasts the bike shop needs to be a fun place, not a tiny wal-mart: Or worse, a tiny Ethan Allen (overpriced stuff that's "in"). If you can't offer at least two of those then I'm likely to look around.
Again:
1. Expertise. I don't want wrong answers or dumbfounded looks. Don't tell me the part I asked for doesn't exist, look it up.
2. Immediate purchase. Have it in stock. Or order it quickly. If I have to wait 2 weeks for a common part I won't be happy.
3. Small talk. I don't want to be rushed out with my purchase, if I'm in a hurry you'll be able to tell.

comprehension of utility cycling, not just focus on purely athletic endeavours.

I like shops with friendly employees. In my favorite shop the guy even knows my name. The online thing is a must. I won't buy anything online but I would browse your site on every payday looking for something that I don't need, to check the price. Then I will go to your shop and buy it.

Get a rack in there with some good AND affordable clothing. $30 jerseys, $40 pants and $80 bibs.

If you have a spot that can't be filled with merchandise, put in a big poster of the local map with all the bike routes and stuff. When you see people staring at the map too long, approach them and tell them about your shop-organized local bike rides (you do organize rides right?).

And give away lots of free water bottles (with the shop's logo, phone and url). We love free water bottles.

Keep Freddish things like presta adapters, patch kits, blinkies, dork straps, velcro tie-downs, rain capes. Keep them up front in a prominent place, or just as prominent as the latest CF racing doo-dads.

Maybe an old couch and coffee table in a corner of the shop. Just a place to sit and relax if you need.

Keep a floor pump and a water cooler near the front so folks can fill a water bottle or pump a few more PSI in on the way home.

Encourage your staff to bike commute so they'll know the commuting mindset.

I've got two LBS's to choose from.

For about a month I was only aware of one of them, it has 4 floors, the bottom being the mechanics area, the main/second is mostly accessories, the third is a where all the bikes are and an indoor track, the 4th has stater stuff.

Unless I need something asap/today I always go to the other shop that I found. It's a cramped place, with only a very basic selection of stuff on hand. However, they treat me like they appreciate my business, they remember the last time I was in there and can recall the conversations we have had, so I don't have to explain my riding style or what I ride on in detail from the beginning every time I go in there. So even though I usually have to wait 3-5 days for the things I order from them, it comes in a friendlier manner, oh and I've found always cheaper.

So I would say maybe the best thing you can do is care, or atleast pretend really well. :D

Don't sell bikes. Sell them PEACE OF MIND. Put it in your window in big letters if you want. Most good bikes stores already have service. provide the service and PEACE OF MIND. Warranties, and KEEPING the customer INFORMED (explaining the hows and whys), will gain their trust. Once there they wont mind giving you their money, because they will KNOW its a good investment.

follow up courtesy calls are what reminds, and makes a customer return to you. Dont just sell and forget it. a flyer or card in the mail once every 6 months will remind that customer or their positive experience with you. adding a little touch like signing with a pen will make it stand out. LET THEM KNOW YOU STILL CARE ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. The tricky part is to "remind" and "offer" not "solicit".

oh and don't treat people bad when they are appalled at a $600 bike (they dont KNOW). KEEP THEM INFORMED. tell them why and the difference between cheaper bikes and yours. 1 in 10 is what they say right?

GOOD LUCK!

DONT: Tell me your too busy doing inventory to bother answering a question!

Other than that..... Just what everyone else has said.... Be willing to talk to the customer and find out what they want and need. I have two bike shops with in reasonable distance to my house.

One is literally a mile down the road. I will NEVER GO THERE AGAIN! They were to busy doing inventory to answer a qestion! They have a vintage schwinn sign in the window.... and DON'T SELL SCHWINN's! (Hang it in the back, but not in the window!) They gave me a hastle over returning a defective pump... They have limited brands and are WAY over priced. Their sales kids (Cant be older than 18, any of em') had the audacity to tell me I didnt know what I was talking about.... one I did, and two they weren't even polite about it!

The other is about fifteen miles away. Its a TREK store. They have a limited selection, but everything is quality and they are always willing to answer questions! They have no problems with my having my three boys in the shop (7yo, 3yo & 18mo) and two of the sales girls put the older ones on the display kids bikes and talked to them for all of five minuets! The store was empty, and that free'd me up to talk to one of the guys about brifters and such.... They orgonize rides, teach classes every saturday and LIKE THEIR CUSTOMERS! They could use more commuting stuff, but it could be worse! They could be like the other shop!

All good points above. I will throw my 2 cents in here because I just switched bike shops. Firstly, owner operated is best. The shop I just left had a stream of employees who seemed less than interested in the customer. And, they were too busy to keep the annoyed look off their faces when you asked a question. I don't know if they were over worked and understaffed or what. The owner is never around.

Also, don't try to sell me a new bike when I bring my dirty commuter in and need adjustments. I'll ask you if I'm interested in buying.

I guess what I am saying is service; which has already been said several times above.

Spelling, grammar, keyboard navigation and shift key use?

Don't hire mechanics that gauge their ears. The shop I use hires respectable, representative employees.

"Gauge their ears"? Not familiar with that expression. What does it mean?

The first thing I look for is a friendly staff. Not just somebody to sell me something, but somebody that will take the time to talk bikes and cycling with me. I want to hear about their last race or training ride. I want to tell them about my last commute.

Second thing is do they have the widget that I am looking for? If they don't, can they get it? How fast?

What kind of service plan do they have on new bikes? Even if a bike is not what I'm looking for, that tells me how much they are willing to stand behind their products. I have one LBS in my area that has 30 days free adjustments. I don't shop there much. I have another that has 1 year free tune-ups as many times as you want. That's the shop I go to first.

Oh, I knew a rant of bad LBS stories were coming, but I didn't want to start it. My favorite:

I brought my wifes bike in for modification. It was a very heavy, very stylish retro type cruiser unsuited to her skill level and the local terrain. Against my advice, I bought it for her in the hopes that if she liked the bike, she would take up cycling. As I predicted, she couldn't grind it over the local hills, got discouraged, and didn't want to ride it. I requested a smaller chainring up front to help her out. I come back on the appointed date, and they are annoyed that the part they ordered didn't fit. The guy proceeds to make fun of my wife's bike choice and fitness level. I can see the bike in the back with parts off, so I didn't demand it back on the spot. I picked it up a week later and never spent another dime in the shop thereafter. My wife wasn't there, I just said they were jerks and I wasn't going back there. It was not a low level employee I was dealing with either.

Personally, I look for a shop that doesn't lie to me to take my money and that has somewhat competitive prices. In the age of the internet I'm not paying full price for everything while getting nothing but lies in return. I'm a little salty from a few shops in my area. I do my own wrenching though and probably won't ever buy a complete bike again.

If I was to run a shop, I'd try and sell people bicycles that they want. I would make sure they get fitted well before they left. I would make sure they know that if they have ANY problems, they can bring the bike back and get it fixed. I would call new customers a month or so after the purchase to follow up on fit and any issues. The way I see it, the more I can offer to do for the customer, the more they are in my store. It's win-win. I know everytime I step into a bike shop I'm always eying new bikes and I usually end up buying something.

I dunno they need to be polite and helpful first of all, and not the types who carry a big ego about themselves, its ok if they do..but please dont talk down to customers and treat them like noobs. Had some shop do this, plain rude.

also good prices is important and a selection of parts and bikes is nice

thats about it..mainly if they are friendly and knowledgeable that is all i need. Most can order a bike if they dont stock it.

oh also they should have a good fitting person on hand, and the proper gear to fit bike.

My fav shop in vegas is Mcghie's , and pro cyclery

Everyone else here has made great points. Obviously for commuting quick turnaround is key since people need their bikes on a daily basis. And customer education is good because once you explain to someone how to do routine repairs like tubes and chains, they'll start thinking of more expensive things to worry about!

The main pet peeves I have in some shops involve the layout and there may not be anything you can change about that. But if possible, recognize that people shop differently because of the internet and try to accommodate that different style. 1. Label prices clearly. 2. Make components and accessories accessible.

Like, the last time I stopped in the one near my house I wanted a bell. They were all hung behind the counter so I had to ask the girl to hand them to me one at a time to try them. Hello, obviously this is a prime example of why you would buy something in person, because you want to hear them! But here I had to inconvenience this person and try to remember what each bell sounded like from one ring as well as the price, because the prices weren't actually posted so I had to ask each time. A lot of commuters will want non-flashy items like that and they're going to want to examine it to make sure it will be comfortable to use on a daily basis and also they're going to base their decision on how economical it is. Don't cut them off from the information they need to make a decision.

Don't even get me started on the saddles. Sales staff needed a ladder to reach them. I think commuters are more likely to want to feel things in their hands rather than basing their decision on specs.

At another place, I stopped in on the way home to browse and I realized that since I'd just been told I didn't have to go to work the next day I could change out a part like I'd been meaning to. The convenience of having a project the next day might make up for the fact that I could get the part cheaper somewhere else. The fact is I'd already gone online and researched which kind I wanted, so really I just wanted to see if the store had it. I kept looking around and a mechanic, seeing that I couldn't find something, asked if he could help. I said the part I was looking for and he reached into the repair shop and handed me one. It was a pretty low-end brand and the point had been that I'd wanted to upgrade and I asked if he had any others. He handed me another one but it wasn't compatible with my type of bike. I explained this and he said oh, you want this one, indicating the first one. (Honestly, uh, the reason I didn't just say outright what I was looking for was that the brand was SRAM and I don't know how you pronounce that outloud.) He did in fact have another compatible version that was Shimano but when I asked how much it was for comparison he had to take them over to the register and scan them because of course they weren't labeled with pricetags. Aside from whether they had a good selection or not, the point is that you couldn't browse for components because the shop simply wasn't expecting customers to shop for them. Actually I guess that doesn't apply especially to commuters but it does speak to the fun aspect. Knowing about bikes is fun and I don't understand why some shops try to hide all the mechanical stuff. I think in some cases it intimidates people and limits the connection they feel with their bike.

Thanks for letting me rant a bit there.

Like, I said, there are a lot of good suggestions on the thread already. You sound passionate about commuting and it's just a matter of communicating that to people. And heck, why not encourage the "road weenies" to commute?

OH!!!! Is it too much to ask to have prices displayed on EVERYTHING? Bikes, Parts, Widgets.... EVERYTHING! Most shops don't. Is this so I have to ask for EVERYTHING???? That gets awfully anoying and tends to aggravate the clerks.

I worked at a local computer parts whole sale company for about 5 years. People really enjoyed coming to our shop because we were very easily approachable. We had a lot of different types of customers. End users, professionals, people who thought they were professionals, all kinds! It didn't matter what skill level or knowledge level I was always willing to help the person out with what they needed. I never condescended a customer or made them feel out of place. My job was to help the customer with what ever they wanted and that is what I did.

Personally I felt having a good attitude, trying to remember names and faces, and helping out when I had free time were very valued by customers. I haven't worked at the shop for almost 3 years now but I still run into people all over town who remember me. It might be different where you live because it's probably a larger area, but no matter where you're at you do have a community. I think trying to cater to the locals is your best bet though.

Also the online pricing thing is always tough, but having customers be able to bring their bike in and check things out is worth its weight in gold. Not to mention being able to assist folks with fitting their newly found gear or sizing them on a bike cannot be replaced by saving a few bucks. Unfortunately with brick and mortar you really just need to earn a rep for your service (I think). Having other customers come to your shop via word of mouth is the best free advertising. Let your service and attitude speak for its self.

I know computer parts are a lot different than bikes but I think it's still generally the same idea with a mixed service/retail business. Keep your people happy and hope that they keep coming back and bringing their friends.

If you don't mind my asking, what are you currently selling now? That would give me a good frame of reference, so I'm not writing about things you already know.

That is the necessary foundation for any LBS that wants to attract commuters.