The Bike Shop

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Showrooming and your local LBS (Read 22 times)

    . Would you like to take a guess where our largest pricing pressure comes from? They were named earlier in this thread.

    It must be Meijers Smile

    Life Goals:

    #1: Do what I can do

    #2: Enjoy life

     

     

      In all seriousness, I'm NOT a shopper.  I don't shop for sunglasses, clothes, running gear, cars, trucks, electronics, or bike gear.  I hate retail outlets, and have no concept of what women mean by "retail therapy".

       

      But, my wife believes in retail therapy and will browse through multiple retail outlets for hours a month (I have no idea whether that's 2 hours a month or 15 hours a month...).

      Part of her browsing is 'therapy' (getting away from my son and I).

      Part of her browsing is understanding market prices (and realizing a deal when she sees one and capitalizing on that deal when she sees it).

       

      The only retail store I'll enter and browse around in is the "local LBS" (local L hehe).  I'll go 1 time per year around my birthday, and maybe a 2nd time if there's a rainy Saturday.  For my birthday weekend, I may buy something because it's nearly biking season in February.  Mostly, though, I'm looking for ideas and new gadgets and gizmos that I've never seen before.  Likely, I won't buy them on my 1st sight of them.

       

      I guess it may be a "big city with many options" versus a "small city with 1 Mom & Pop shop" difference, but I find it rather odd to point fingers and call names when consumers do what we have the ability to do.

       

      As I mentioned in a previous post, customer relationships don't always need to begin with a handshake and a smile.  They can originate from a text message or an email.  My bike shop of choice (Ada Bike Shop in Ada, Michigan) is 1200 miles from me, but the customer service is absolutely marvelous.  FWIW, the customer service I receive from 1200 miles away is better than the customer service I imagine anybody could receive from a LBS.  I'm very willing to get my finger nails dirty and work on the bike myself with the parts I receive from out of state.  If I run into challenges, I will go to my local bike shop for help and support.  They know me there, and also know that I use another bike shop from out of state most of the time.

       

      Cheers,

      Brian

      Life Goals:

      #1: Do what I can do

      #2: Enjoy life

       

       

      xhristopher


        And there's also showrooming your local running store...

         

        If I'm going into the local running store to try on shoes I make sure I buy them there.

         

        But... when I start buying the same shoe model over and over it's time to take it online. It's not just about the pricing. It's more convenient.

        Slo


          Brian

           

          I think, or so it seems, you are converging Shopping and Showrooming.

           

          I have no problem with shopping. I do have a problem with being fitted on a bike or using the resources of a store when you fully intend to purchase that item somewhere else.

            Brian

             

            I think, or so it seems, you are converging Shopping and Showrooming.

             

            Yes, you bet I am.  It's a gray area.

            (None of this would have lead to me posting multiple times within this lousy thread if that author was gentler with his damn words....)

            Life Goals:

            #1: Do what I can do

            #2: Enjoy life

             

             

            Nakedbabytoes


            levitation specialist

              I use the Internet to find out what I am looking for specifically, then call or go down to my LBS and see if they have it/can get it. Sometimes it works out and I can get it from them and sometimes I can't. Same with my local running store, I research online, go down there or call them, if they have it...great! I don't mind paying full price and local tax. Support my hometown economy.

              I shop for food at Walmart because it is cheap. It is a weekly list of things I always need to get and frankly, I can get my groceries in one place and for $20-$30 less each week at Walmart & store brands. For things I NEED routinely, yes I go for the cheapest way I can get it.

               

              My LBS is great! I get clothes from them, hats, bike parts, 2 of my bikes, tires, CO2 stuff, bags, etc. I guess I do it backwards, researching what I want to see first, then going shopping.

               

              But times change and business has to change with it. Mail order has been around a long time, it is just more instantaneous now. We can do it right then & there, get free 2 day ship, and not pay tax. Local businesses can compete as long as they do the research as well. Offer package discounts or special deals like 10% off accessories for 30 days when buying a complete bike or free tuneups for the first year, etc. Business has to get savvy and compete in other ways that matter. I go to my LBS because I like them. I don't shop amazon because I like them.

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