contango 

Sometimes logistics work against the small operators. If ordering something at my LBS commits me to buy it (as it would, if it's not something he'd normally stock and would be unlikely to sell to anyone else), and ordering it online gives me freedom to look at the product and return it if it's not what I wanted (which it does, given UK legislation on distance selling), then the chances are I'll buy it online. Likewise if the LBS gives me a brand new saddle to try out and I don't like it, he's a small enough business that the losses he'd incur on people turning new saddles into used (or "demonstrator") saddles would make it not financially viable for him to be very flexible where returns were concerned. So I'd go to a bigger outlet that did take returns - when I bought my last saddle it was from a much larger shop that said I could return it within a month for any reason, in any condition, if I decided it wasn't what I wanted and they'd give me a credit towards another saddle. I guess there's some limit as to how many times you can do that but they certainly didn't seem averse to someone trying a few before they settled on one.

If you bought the $10 bottle you were obviously satisfied with his opinion. Where's the problem? He's there to make a profit.

And your attitude is within your control.

Rowan

Something tells me that you still wouldn't have been satisfied with the $4 bottle, either.

As a by-the-by, not all water bottles are created equal.

Robert P

I was satisfied with the $1.50 bottle I got at Walmart but was going to take a ride right after a tuneup and was going to pick one up since I was in the store and didn't have the Wal-bottle with me. He claimed the $10 Giant-branded bottle doesn't give off toxins. I actually started a thread about that here.

It doesn't give me further incentive to patronize him if I not only sense he's steering me to more expensive items not because he really thinks they're better but because they're more expensive and then instead of being appreciative of the business I've given him, cops an attitude if I don't buy every last item from him - particularly when he had a shot at selling me the right item and failed.

02Giant 

You had previously purchased a $1.50 walmart bottle and are satisfied with it, and yet you bought a $10 bottle because you had to have one immediately, even though he had a $4 bottle...and it is the LBS fault???
Do you accept responsibility for any of your decisions?

BIGDCYCLES

I have the same view of any LBS, attitude for me is everything, followed by pricing. Treat me like doo doo and I will not buy from you. So far out of the shops I have been to in my area two have really earned my business and respect, with a couple running close behind and still have not been in a few. I test run them by going in and talking to the employees and maybe making a small purchase to guage if it is all about money for them or not. If I spend a little and get a lot in return then I know where they stand. Spend a little and get brushed off and I will not go back. Too many options in my area.

Robert P

I checked with the post office - as I thought on parcel select one end or the other has to pay the postage again. Not the case with first class or priority.

Robert P

I wouldn't go in there though and bring up a problem with something I got from someone else

And like others you seem to fail to grasp a key point - I didn't have a "problem". I have a brand-new bike seat that I'm under no obligation to do anything with but have it occupy space in my house. The ebay seller refunded my money without my asking and without any condition or even suggestion that I return it - and I'm not about to spend more money on a seat that was delivered way late and that I now have no use for. You think it isn't the seller's fault - it sure isn't my fault. My only "problem" was a notion that despite there being no obligation to do so I'd make this effort to get something for the ebay seller since it wouldn't cost me anything. The realistically likely outcome for the LBS was they'd make a few bucks. Yeah, this that or the other could be the potential downside for the LBS, and a jetliner could crash into his shop too, but....

The LBS guy's sole result from interacting with me has been to put profit in his pocket, including from selling me a seat that isn't cutting it. This all falls out of his memory as soon as he discovers I bought something elsewhere. I don't see this as a valid attitude. Curious to me that some of you apparently do.

J.C. Koto

GP

I go to two shops that have no return policies. I've only seen the policy enforced when people act like a-holes.

WVU_Engineer

Breech of etiquette is what this was, a bit silly but still. My first thought would have been to put the seat on eBay, Craigslist etc myself if I no longer wanted it.

Wanderer

You should have called the ebay seller, to see what he wanted..............

Saving Hawaii

Threads like this remind me why I don't work in retail.

raqball

Is this not what every business on the planet earth does? They sell a product at a profit..

I just purchased a Macbook Pro Retina.. Did the Apple store interact with me for any other reason than to make a sale? They didn't come to my house, pound on my door and force me at gunpoint to buy the PC.. It was actually I who went to them..

I assume you went to the LBS to make these purchases? Or did they somehow kidnap you, force you to remove money from an ATM machine and hand it over to them?

You were not forced to buy from the LBS. You went there of your own free will and made an adult decision to purchase the previous items..

MRT2

I will pay a few bucks more for a water bottle that looks cool over a generic bottle. Sometimes when traveling, I will buy a bottle from a LBS as a souvenir.

I hazard a guess that some who ride Giant will pay an extra $6 just to have the logo and color of the bottle match the bike. If you don't care, stick with the cheaper generic.

MRT2

Absolutely, though OP seems to believe the LBS is trying to rip him off; intentionally charging him more for inferior items. I don't mind paying more when there is a benefit to me.

Btw, my favorite lbs will sometimes pleasantly surprise me, finding parts cheaper than what they originally quote me. Recently, I replaced my brake pads. Lbs initially recommended a particular Kool Stop pad. When I came to pick up the bike, bike shop informed new the model I ordered didn't fit my brakes, but the good news was, the Kool Stop replacement pad for my brakes was 30% cheaper.

dynaryder

Actually,I'd say you have a moral obligation to either return the seat or pay the seller.

But then,that whole Eagle Scout thing does tend to skew my world view.

jpatkinson

I would have mailed the seat back to the original eBay seller. I can't see why anyone could feel like any other behavior is acceptable.

Rowan

It;s called ethics.

Bandera

For the OP:

When I was in the business we only purchased components from our distribution channels where we had terms and conditions.
"Pst, hey buddy I got this saddle....." was not our operative purchasing norm and would not be considered under any circumstance, thanks but no thanks......

Regarding service work we did our best to assure that the estimated cost and time of completion was accurate. If not we contacted the customer on cost/time overruns. Where and how we stored service work was our concern, but it was secure and never damaged in storage. Show up when told to and your machine was ready to go, what happened in between was work in progress and whose machine was in line ahead of you was none of your concern.

A variety of price points/ user benefits were offered in bikes, accessories and services. Customers could select what was appropriate for their requirements and our knowledgeable staff assisted as requested.

Don't like how I run my operation? Find another that meets your needs.

Is there something that I've missed?

-Bandera

Rowan

BINGO!!!

Walmart seems a good bet right now.

raqball

Robert P

As noted elsewhere in this thread, apparently what he wanted was to give me a refund since that was the immediate response to my message expressing my consternation over the delay, in which I didn't mention a refund.

Okay I'll spell it out. I'm not going to spend $12 plus gas, time and further inconvenience so he can make $5 and end up with only a $12 hole in my bank account to show for it when A) he didn't make it a condition of a refund B) I got crap service C) there are potentially other alternatives. As it is, he didn't get a ding in his seller rep over a transaction that didn't go well.

If I manage to sell it through some other channel like Craigslist, someone at work, whatever, I'll be happy to send him the proceeds. He may even make more that way. I figured I'd give the LBS first dibs - that certainly worked like a charm. It did give me an insight as to their mindset...and their short memory.

Gallo

So I guess I am bored as I read the whole post. OP is wrong he should contact seller and request ups shipping tag to return saddle at no cost.

LBS is right because as far as I am concerned saddle is stolen now.

If you like the saddle and it was "free" why not keep it for a future date.

MRT2

"I must be in a good location because the LBS where I got my bike has prices that are competitive with online vendors. Plus I get immediate gratification and good information."

Posted by Robert P on May 5.
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/946284-i-want-support-my-lbs-but-rant-coming.html

raqball

Confirmation this is nothing more than a troll thread!

Thanks for the link.. I am owtta here...