I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post this, but...

I just bought a new bike this weekend. I checked the web site of the shop I bought it from, and the price listed is about $100 less than what I paid. Incidentally, this is a model of bike that was discontinued by the manufacturer in 2008. Should I go back to the shop to try to get the $100 back? Or, is it my fault for not checking the website first? Do bicycle purchases typically work like car purchases where you are expected to negotiate the price rather than just accepting their first offer?

thanks for any advice

List price = MSRP or manufacturer's Suggested retail price. I ran across this once and the shop owner told me that the extra cost provides XX months/years of free tuneups. Sounded fair to me

Thanks for the info. I will have to ask them about the tuneups.

The price listed on the shop's website was not the MSRP. It was actually much less than the MSRP. I actually got charged a price very close, but less than, the MSRP. My concern was that they were advertising one price, but charging another (false advertising).

No!! Never!!
The profit margin on bikes is low compared to the other items that a bike shop sells.

Ah, so you paid much less than the MSRP, but you feel it wasn't enough of a discount? Did you feel the price was fair when you bought the bike? Any way to tell if the price was lowered on the website after you purchased? Are you sure it's the exact same bike?

Bike pricing is often based upon what the dealer paid for it to the manufacturer. If it was purchased in 2008 for X amount of dollars, X amount of margin is added to the price. If the manufacturer is closing 2008 bikes out for X price to the dealers this year, they add X amount of margin and come up with the price you pay. The closeout may very well be on specific sizes that are left in the warehouse. Also, if a dealer is closing out 2008 bikes, often it is at their cost just to recoup capital.

Of course you are fully welcome to go down there and demand your $100. You may become "that guy" in the process though.

The price listed on the shop's website is much less than the MSRP. I did not pay much less than the MSRP. Of course I thought that the price was fair when I bought it, otherwise I wouldn't have bought it. I am almost positive that it is the exact same bike. According to the google cache dated May 24, 2009 04:51:09 GMT, the price of the bike has not changed since then. I don't want to go back and ask for the $100 back if it is an unreasonable request. That's why I posted the question here first. Basically, I don't want to become, as you put it, "that guy" unless they truly did rip me off. Maybe I should just accept the price and move on, and use this as a lesson for the future to do my homework before making a purchase.

Yes, you should go talk to the shop's owner. They may say you won't get the money, but what will it hurt? It's a hundred bucks, and wouldn't it be nice to buy a new bag or rack or ... Of course, they may be extremely apologetic after recognizing the mistake, give you back your money and offer a discount on a helmet or something. just be nice.

I'm pretty sure some of these other responders didn't quite catch what you were saying in your post. You have every right to feel a little cheated that they gave you a higher price than advertised (probably spotting you as a rookie to the bike buying experience). I'm pretty sure any shop that did that to me would lose my business for the future.

And yes, you can haggle, especially on last year's models. They want them gone just as much as you want a bike.

Agreed. Also take the bike, your receipt and a copy of the web advertisement with you. Could be a employee error or in some respect a different model than you actually bought. Try to deal with the shop owner or manager and be polite.