Flounce

So I believe in supporting your local bike shop.

Mine is not perfect, and that is being generous, but I'm not perfect either. And they are my boys, I bought my bike from them and they provide lifetime tuning of the shifting for free, and I buy overpriced products from them because they can't compete with internet companies with no overhead, and their shop is in an expensive area, I get it.

I recently asked them to buy me a bike part , I will keep it vague for anonymity. I assumed they would charge a bit over the cheapest I could find elsewhere, and then some, and then charge me a bit much for labor, okay fine.

They ordered it. It was 3-4 weeks before they called me saying it was ready. Only then did I call two local bike shops that are within 20 minutes driving for comparative pricing, to make sure I would only overpay by a little bit.

The other two local shops quoted me 300, installed. My LBS - who had already ordered the part for me - told me 500 plus labor. I asked for them to price match the other local shops, at least for the cost of the part, and they went down to 425 installed. I told them that I'm willing to pay more than 300 because I want to support them and also because they already ordered the part for me so I feel some obligation now, but $125 more than the other local bike shops is too much. They wouldn't budge (said that 300 is close to cost for them) and said I should buy it from the other stores, and that it'd be no big deal, but reading between the lines, I can tell they were unhappy and I understand that, i.e. they had already ordered the part for me and then I decide to not buy it.

So I'm buying it from the other place.

I've been reasonable, right? Would you have ultimately bought from the LBS at the higher price because they already ordered the part for you ? I kinda feel that it will be hard for me to go back to them for free tuning and have them order stuff for me now, given what happened.

------UPDATE-------

Thank you, all. I appreciate your thoughts.

A sufficient number of people here feel that I've been unreasonable/unfair as to change my mind:

I just emailed my bike shop and told them that I'll take responsibility for failing to do my homework - I had wrongly assumed that their price would be somewhat similar to other LBS prices - and as such I'll be completing the transaction with them, since they ordered it for me.

It is true that my LBS has consistently charged me more for products than other shops and I have been okay with it up until now. I have other shops I go to occasionally and will probably go to them from now on, even if they are bit further away. The main draw of this place was that it's just down the street from me. I can tune shifting and do some maintenance stuff myself (chain swap, brake pads, service hubs, true wheels etc), i ride around 5K miles a year and am not a total newb. It was just convenient to stop by whenever I pass by in front of them and have them look over the bike while I chat with the mechanic and pick his brain on bike topics, he is a cool guy but has no say over pricing.

Sy Reene

forget price quotes for the moment.. As a starting point, what is MSRP on the item, and what is the estimated labor time req'd for installation?

PepeM

Ask price first and order later. Avoid this type of situations.

Flounce

MSRP $500. don't know labor time, but on one bike shops online price list for labor it was $25.

Yes thanks, I've learned that I should ask price first before ordering. My question was regarding whether I was reasonable or unreasonable given my predicament caused by not doing my research beforehand.

Noddy

Sounds like they had no wholesale source for it and bought it at retail somewhere - and what on earth took them 3-4 weeks to get in this age of free 2-day shipping and electrons moving through tubes?
Loyalty is a tough one - it works both ways for one thing - and they do have to earn your business - but the pricing should have been nailed down before you asked them to order it - you were a little too trusting or laid back.

Paul Barnard

I would have sucked it up and completed the deal with them, then as I paid told them that they had lost a loyal customer.

PepeM

Well, I'd say that the 'nice' thing to do is to take the part, since you did ask them to order it. After that, it is up to you to decide whether you want to keep dealing with them or not. But there is certainly no obligation on your part to do anything, so if you want to save some money just go to one of the other places and call it a day.

PepeM

Well, they are in no obligation to price match, are they? Had he checked beforehand and told them he would only buy from them at the price the other stores quote, then they could have told him 'sorry, doesn't work for us' at that point and the transaction wouldn't have taken place. Putting all the blame on the shop on this one is a bit unfair, imo.

Which is not to say that he is now obligated to keep dealing with them. He can do whatever he wants.

jamesdak 

Once I ask the LBS to order something for me I am committed. If I don't do my research beforehand it's on me. In the situation you describe I think you are totally wrong. It's your fault not to check price before ordering and since you didn't you really should have just completed the transaction with them.

I try to use my LBS as much as I can but I do order a lot on line because I just can't afford to do otherwise. So to me it's not all about supporting the shop but once you ask them to get it you should have been committed in my opinion.

Cyclist0108

I avoid moral issues like this buy buying over the internet. If I don't get a good price, it is only my fault. If I don't get it installed properly, I have no one to blame but myself. Bike shops seem to regard getting anything for you that they don't stock to be doing you a favor, not the other way around. So who knows, maybe you would be doing them a favor not to buy locally.

jefnvk

I never agree to ordering without an upfront price, but that doesn't help you. More than once I've told the LBS that if they have to order it in, I'll just do it myself, and they wish me a good day and hold no ill will. I don't get this notion that LBS hate you if you don't make every purchase from them at their full asking price. If that is the attitude of a LBS, they probably aren't worth supporting.

My loyalty exists as long as they can provide me products I need at a price I will pay (and, as the things I am generally looking for I have an urgency to get, I have no problem paying a premium if it is in stock). FWIW, I have a couple LBS I support, all for different things, as I know some are suited at some specialties better than others. I also have no problem cycling in Performance and REI, especially for my clothing, simply because I know no LBS will come close to the selection and prices they offer.

alcjphil

3-4 weeks is an unreasonable amount of time to wait. That should have been the first clue no matter what the price. It should be up to the shop to look to other suppliers if it takes that long to order a part. I can order parts from the UK and have them within a week. I assume that this is also true anywhere in the USA. Perhaps it is time to put pressure on local suppliers to improve delivery times. Prices are more difficult to deal with. Shops in North America are not dealing with the same price structures that European online sellers can access. Many of them are buying OEM components that are not available to shops here or even to distributors. Even if a local shop buys online to sell to you they still have to make a profit on any sale they make if they want to stay in business. Often, North American wholesale prices are no cheaper than what a consumer can pay online from European sites. No bike shop can make a profit by price matching online sellers. If they make no profit, they cannot stay in business. The main issue is the time it took to order the part. The price can be negotiated

Scooty Puff Jr

Exactly. I've never ordered anything from any type of business without knowing the price upfront.

While the LBS might be charging more than their competitors, its still not cool to have them order a part you wanted, then stick them with the part because you didn't ask them how much it costs.

speshelite

"Free lifetime shifting tuneups" are a ripoff. You need to tighten the cables after they stretch when new but they don't need adjustment after that. It's more of a one time thing.

They probably see you for a sucker after all of the over priced purchases you made and tried to screw you once again since you're a softie.

Now that you've decided you won't actually be overcharged, the shop is relieved that you've come to your senses.

You can bring your bike back for a "lifetime of free shifting tuneups" and they should honor that. After all, your bike probably doesn't need it and it might only take them a minute or two plus you've sunk so much cash into that place they'd be happy to. I doubt your refusal to getting screwed out of $200 will change things much.

Stop guilt tripping yourself and man the f up.

Even if they refuse to tune up your shifting you can do it yourself in the future in less time than it would take to drive or ride to the shop round trip, shoot the ---- and place yet another order for another item sold at astronomical rip off prices.

Ironfish653

^^ This.
Not cool to ask them to order the part for you, then bail on them after they've already got it for you.
I usually try to get a quote first, even if they can only ball-park it within +/- $50 or so.
If you decide not to order it, then it only cost a little time, now they're out the time, and the cost to get that part in. They may be unwilling to custom-order stuff for you in the future.

If it's some oddball or custom size, they may not be able to sell it unless someone else is looking for that exact thing.

speshelite

I haven't either. But the shop will just return the unused item. A minor inconvenience for the shop but considering how much they've screwed him (with his consent) so far, I doubt they have much cause for complaint.

Scooty Puff Jr

How did they screw him ? They did exactly what he wanted, labor and mark up varies from business to business, that why its always good to get a estimate. I'm sure theres no love lost on either side, but all of this could've been easily avoided.

As far as the business being able to return it, depends on what was ordered, there are cases where parts cannot be returned to the supplier, or they're charged for restocking. When I worked at at a tire shop back in high school, if we ordered the wrong size or brand tire from the supplier, or the customer changed their mind, most times we were stuck with them.

jefnvk

Yep. I got a nice Jandd front rack this way, for $30 on a $70some MSRP. Shop gave me a great discount to get it out the door, because the special order didn't want it. It had sat there for the better part of a year, in a store that certainly does not cater to a touring crowd, so when I showed interest the price dropped in a hurry to clear it out.

speshelite

If the shop was dumb enough to order a $300 part without payment in full upon order, that's their problem.

redlude97

I just want to know what LBS, let alone 2 sells a $500 part for $300 and stocks it.

HerrKaLeun

Since they didn't tell you a price when you agreed to have them order the part, you are under no legal or moral obligation to buy.
No they are not obligated to price-match, but since they clearly try to take advantage of you you should make this your last purchase there or just buy elsewhere to begin with.

They would be well advised to tell clients a price before ordering and possibly take a deposit. Or they end up having to return a lot. some people may not be as scared as you - in 4 weeks a lot can happen and people change their mind. Hell I would have lost patience and ordered that thing elsewhere. What 4 weeks, did they have to mine bauxit, smelter it to aluminum and forge whatever piece that was?

I recently bought a derailleur hanger from LBS. They had it on their website for $22 (same as online dealers). But they didn't have an online option to order direct from website. So I went there, and they ordered it for me, but never told me a price. I just assumed it being on their website for $22, that is the price. I come to pick it up, and they try to charge $26. No big deal, but I reminded them of their website price and they only charged me $22. Not sure how they have 2 prices in their system, or if they make them up as they go, or just tried to fool me.

And free tuneups are worthless. it takes me more time to bring my bike in the car to LBS, let them have it for a day, and pick it up again than to just adjust my derailleurs in 1 minute myself.

Scooty Puff Jr

I think you're confusing the LBS of being dumb, with just being courteous. Most businesses that have done business with someone they know, normally take a order without a deposit or payment up front. Dumb or not, its a nice way of doing business to keep a customer, but you're right though, its the LBS problem, and they probably won't do it again without cash upfront.

Cyclist0108

I think the assumption that most of make (me included), i.e., that ordering a part via the bike shop is better for their business than ordering it from an internet vendor, might not be true. Then all the rest makes sense.

scurvycapn

Hope it's OK to piggyback off this, but I had some questions regarding LBS prices/services. I get that online retailers can slash below MSRP, but any opinions on LBS that charge above MSRP? I'm looking to upgrade wheels/brakes on one of my bikes, but the LBS I bought the bike from has the wheels priced 11% above MSRP versus another shop a mile away at MSRP. I'd hope maybe their online prices are out of date or maybe I could talk them down. Also, do LBS ever include installation when you're making larger purchases? For example, if I'm dropping $1300 on wheels/brakes that I could get online for less, would they do me a solid or am I likely going to get charged for install as well? I'm assuming it's usually the latter.

Flounce

Thank you, all. I appreciate your thoughts.

A sufficient number of people here feel that I've been unreasonable/unfair as to change my mind:

I just emailed my bike shop and told them that I'll take responsibility for failing to do my homework - I had wrongly assumed that their price would be somewhat similar to other LBS prices - and that I'll complete this transaction, since they've ordered it already.

I have other shops I go to and will probably go to them from now on, even if they are bit further away. The main draw of this place was that it's just down the street from me. I can tune shifting and do some maintenance stuff myself (chain swap, brake pads, service hubs, true wheels etc), i ride around 5K miles a year and am not a total newb. It was just convenient to stop by whenever I pass by in front of them and have them look over the bike while I chat with the mechanic and pick his brain on bike topics, he is a cool guy but has no say over pricing.