LBS frustration rant
- Thread starter trt-reece
- Start date
Kezza dawG, may I suggest that you familiarise yourself with the NSW defamation laws regarding your post.
top_oz_bloke
Likes Dirt
I thought I would dig this one up again to vent a little...
Normally I pretty much buy everything online. It's quick and it's easy.
But last Sat I decided to support a local business and buy some clipless shoes. I figured the premium I pay was worth it for being able try them on in store etc and make sure the fit is right. So I toddle down to my fav local shop try on a pair and decide yep these are the ones. Only catch is they are out of the colour I'm after but I'm in no hurry so I put the order in.
Now today I call up to get an eta on when they might be in and I'm told their next order goes in next Thu will probably arrive early the following week. Or alternatively I can pay $15 and have them freighted right away.
So buying locally I pay a $70 premium (which is over 60% more) and I have to wait more than twice as long compared with the likes of CRC/Wiggle.
Now this LBS are really helpful, friendly guys. Easily the best around (from my experiences) but they are making it pretty tough for me to consider buying more stuff from them.
Normally I pretty much buy everything online. It's quick and it's easy.
But last Sat I decided to support a local business and buy some clipless shoes. I figured the premium I pay was worth it for being able try them on in store etc and make sure the fit is right. So I toddle down to my fav local shop try on a pair and decide yep these are the ones. Only catch is they are out of the colour I'm after but I'm in no hurry so I put the order in.
Now today I call up to get an eta on when they might be in and I'm told their next order goes in next Thu will probably arrive early the following week. Or alternatively I can pay $15 and have them freighted right away.
So buying locally I pay a $70 premium (which is over 60% more) and I have to wait more than twice as long compared with the likes of CRC/Wiggle.
Now this LBS are really helpful, friendly guys. Easily the best around (from my experiences) but they are making it pretty tough for me to consider buying more stuff from them.
Not an inkling of hypocrisy in you name?! Top oz bloke, and the first sign of a slight set back for a "oz" shop your ready to throw the towel in and look overseas. Admittedly 70 dollars is a fair bit but every cent we spend overseas isnt doing jackshit for the australian mtb community or australian economy in general.
top_oz_bloke
Likes Dirt
I think I like the idea of supporting business more than the actual act of doing it.
My rant is more about the 'system' rather than the shop.
The extra cost I'm willing to bear because I get a little service as a result.
It's the freight/wait that shits me. It seems ridiculous that the product is in the country but it's going to take over two fucking weeks to actually get one to me. In the same time I could order and receive two packages from the UK.
There must be a better way of doing it.
My rant is more about the 'system' rather than the shop.
The extra cost I'm willing to bear because I get a little service as a result.
It's the freight/wait that shits me. It seems ridiculous that the product is in the country but it's going to take over two fucking weeks to actually get one to me. In the same time I could order and receive two packages from the UK.
There must be a better way of doing it.
Gripo
Eats Squid
I called up a bike shop recommended to me via the local distributor of said tyre importer.
On calling the bike shop and stating I'd like to buy said tyres (which aren't cheap) I was greeted with a "yeah, think we had them in stock, mate um um I've got a shop full of people, call back later" (imagine a voice with a lot of disinterest).
Yes, I did call back later but to a shop that I can trust to serve me.
Now the unfortunate thing is that the recommended bike shop won't get business from me, ever. If your too busy don't answer the damn phone, if you can't serve me on the phone how are you going to serve at the counter.
On calling the bike shop and stating I'd like to buy said tyres (which aren't cheap) I was greeted with a "yeah, think we had them in stock, mate um um I've got a shop full of people, call back later" (imagine a voice with a lot of disinterest).
Yes, I did call back later but to a shop that I can trust to serve me.
Now the unfortunate thing is that the recommended bike shop won't get business from me, ever. If your too busy don't answer the damn phone, if you can't serve me on the phone how are you going to serve at the counter.
floody
Wheel size expert
Fair suck of the sax mate, seriously... You'd be on here bitching if they hadn't picked up no doubt. Sounds like all he wanted to do was give you an accurate answer when he was free enough to sift through the tyres.
mlsred
Likes Dirt
I'm with floody, the world will not come to an abrupt end if you have to ring "said" bike shop the next day. Imagine the customers who are in the store, put yourself in there shoes, your standing there patiently waiting after having gone to the effort of actually going to the store and there's the sales assistant chatting away on the phone.
Gripo
Eats Squid
Jeez
ICGAF really gents, why pick up the phone?.
I guess it's a case of you had to be there (on the phone to said bike shop), a customer is a customer right?
I'm not whining about it.... I'm telling you lbs plebs how I interpreted the handling of my call which at best was pathetic and how your performance can effect potential longterm customers.
I didn't mean to offend you guys but isn't feedback (+ or -) a part of doing good buiness.
Jeez.........
ICGAF really gents, why pick up the phone?.
I guess it's a case of you had to be there (on the phone to said bike shop), a customer is a customer right?
I'm not whining about it.... I'm telling you lbs plebs how I interpreted the handling of my call which at best was pathetic and how your performance can effect potential longterm customers.
I didn't mean to offend you guys but isn't feedback (+ or -) a part of doing good buiness.
Jeez.........
top_oz_bloke
Likes Dirt
If you must know, my user name is my own little humorous take on my local classic car wrecker. It's what I use when 'browny' is already taken.
Yeah, I like the idea of supporting local business, but I'm not going to get caught up in the sort of patriotic crap you are advocating. At the end of the day the business has to provide some sort of value to the transaction whether it be price, service, convenience, risk etc. If not I'll spend my money elsewhere. If aussie business can't compete then too bad for them.
That's bullshit. He could have said "No worries mate, i'm with a customer at the moment, can i grab your details and call you back asap". Asking a customer to call back later is just plain rude. What if he called back later and the guy was too busy again ?
mlsred
Likes Dirt
well then you can be the better man and ask what a good time to call would be, it would be much more effective than ranting to us over the net because he isn't going to come and join farkin just to see how unhappy you are with the service.
Are you serious ? Ask him when he expects all the customers to leave so i can call back and get some proper service ?
mlsred
Likes Dirt
No I implied that if he was busy there would be people waiting to be served or people asking questions etc, it would be like going to coles to do you shopping and the check out person is on the phone so you have to wait for them to finish on the phone.
again as has been said before sorting through and finding a set of specific tyres can take a fair while, and while he does that to earn say $100 the lady waiting to buy a brand new XC bike just walked out of the shop because of bad service.
micko01
Likes Bikes
Another rant.
I just got seriously burned by my lbs. About 6 weeks ago I had a stick rip the derailluer off my Nomad, destroyed the dropout, and snapped a few spokes on the rear wheel. My fork and shock were already pretty sad so I figured it was time for a rebuild.
So I dropped it off, but foolishly left the front wheel in my garage, because I figured "whats the point of putting the front wheel in back of the car to put it on at the shop and have it just sit there?". Folly, as my Nomad runs Fox 36 Van's with the 20mm axle, which logically I left in the fork. I didnt even think to take it out because its always in there.
I picked the bike up last week and got it home, put the back wheel back on and went to put the front wheel on and guess what? no front axle! I ring up the shop and they say they'll have a look for it and ring me back, and 30 minutes later call to say they didnt have it, and the fork rebuilder didnt have it either. I spoke to them the next day and they promised they would try and track it down.
I went in this morning as I was out of town for a week in the hope they would do the right thing and give me a new axle, but no; apparently it never came in with the axle, their argument being because they dont have it now it was obviously never there.
So now I'm up for a new axle. Awesome! My lbs are going to do me a deal on a new axle; aren't they nice guys! But I'm loathe to reward their incompetance with more business, so if anyone for some bizarre reason has a spare I now have a home for one and am happy to bash out a deal.
For everyone else I would encourage you to take your bike in to your lbs complete, then there is now course for argument if something goes missing.
And for people in Townsville, XXXXXXXXXX dont know crap about mountain bikes.
I just got seriously burned by my lbs. About 6 weeks ago I had a stick rip the derailluer off my Nomad, destroyed the dropout, and snapped a few spokes on the rear wheel. My fork and shock were already pretty sad so I figured it was time for a rebuild.
So I dropped it off, but foolishly left the front wheel in my garage, because I figured "whats the point of putting the front wheel in back of the car to put it on at the shop and have it just sit there?". Folly, as my Nomad runs Fox 36 Van's with the 20mm axle, which logically I left in the fork. I didnt even think to take it out because its always in there.
I picked the bike up last week and got it home, put the back wheel back on and went to put the front wheel on and guess what? no front axle! I ring up the shop and they say they'll have a look for it and ring me back, and 30 minutes later call to say they didnt have it, and the fork rebuilder didnt have it either. I spoke to them the next day and they promised they would try and track it down.
I went in this morning as I was out of town for a week in the hope they would do the right thing and give me a new axle, but no; apparently it never came in with the axle, their argument being because they dont have it now it was obviously never there.
So now I'm up for a new axle. Awesome! My lbs are going to do me a deal on a new axle; aren't they nice guys! But I'm loathe to reward their incompetance with more business, so if anyone for some bizarre reason has a spare I now have a home for one and am happy to bash out a deal.
For everyone else I would encourage you to take your bike in to your lbs complete, then there is now course for argument if something goes missing.
And for people in Townsville, XXXXXXXXXX dont know crap about mountain bikes.
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Ivan
Eats Squid
It only takes a few minutes in there to realise this.
Pm'd you with info on the axle.......
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Matt H
Eats Squid
Nothing to see here, folks.
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sockman
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I think we can put your bad experience down to poor timing on your part. Had you gone in a couple of days closer to when they put the order in it would inevitably arrive earlier.
Yeah, but if the shop is full of people spending their money is it not wiser for them to serve the actual customer, not the potential or hypothetical customer you are?