LBS or On-line Dilemma?

[Mywifesirrational]

I'd be buying online and saving myself $41, thats 3/4 a tank of petrol in my smallish non masculine car - or the fuel for 4-5 trips to the youies from Meblourne.

I have not bought a single thing from a LBS for more than 5 years (I have purchased from Au online stores - TBSM, YVC, Pushys...), I'll buy online if it saves 30c + it comes to my door, I don't have to waste petrol and travel time going to an LBS and being served by a 16 year old on saturday morning. The argument is that all the local stores will close, well I don't use them anyways, I own all the tools I'll ever need and if the online shops jack there prices up with the demise of the LBS, another online store will undercut them, that's how it works.

My experience with online overseas warranty has been excellent, with both wiggle and CRC not even asking for proof, they just expressed a replacement item to me no questions asked (admittedly minor items, not forks, frames other $$$ items). Last LBS related warranty took 3 months of stuffing around. So from my experience of service quality Online > LBS.

 

[mitchy_]

i'm happy to pay for good service. good service.

so far the couple of shops i've tried have been run by numpties, stuffed things up, damaged things, dont stock anything apart from 100 of the same bike in different colours and/or been massively overpriced.
thusly i will buy online and service my own parts.

being expensive and shit isn't a viable business model, why should we have to support their decision?

 

[Kind_cir]

If your rich enough to pay a bit extra then go to the LBS over online. If the ass is falling out of your pants and your poor, go with the cheapest option.

Some things you wnt to eyeball and get the right fit so you have to go to the LBS.

Don't use the LBS for window shopping for arts online and tie up there time with questions if your only intention is to screw them and buy online.

 

[JoelFitz]

dont stock anything apart from 100 of the same bike in different colours and/or been massively overpriced.
thusly i will buy online and service my own parts.

For me thats the big problem, they never have what I actually am after and then 1 - 2 weeks wait. For the extra $$ premium I'd want to buy then and there.

 

[willsy01]

Last LBS I went into the owner spent 10 minutes crapping on about how dumb his customers are.

Last 2 I went to said they'd get me prices and give me a call later in the week.......I had to chase both of them up after 2 weeks and they'd done nothing about it.

 

[rumblefish]

Last LBS I went into the owner spent 10 minutes crapping on about how dumb his customers are.

I have a LBS with an owner that does exactly the same. The other guys in the shop offer great service and that's what keeps me going back there.

 

[leighaus]

My lbs isn't my closest lbs. I go to him for advice and parts. I figure the knowledge abd time he spends without charging a cent it's worth the slight increase over buying online.

There's obviously items I'll buy online because they are now custom and not stocked by the lbs.
If your lbs I'd good,repay the service

 

[sawtell]

I'd be buying online and saving myself $41, thats 3/4 a tank of petrol in my smallish non masculine car - or the fuel for 4-5 trips to the youies from Meblourne.

I have not bought a single thing from a LBS for more than 5 years (I have purchased from Au online stores - TBSM, YVC, Pushys...), I'll buy online if it saves 30c + it comes to my door, I don't have to waste petrol and travel time going to an LBS and being served by a 16 year old on saturday morning. The argument is that all the local stores will close, well I don't use them anyways, I own all the tools I'll ever need and if the online shops jack there prices up with the demise of the LBS, another online store will undercut them, that's how it works.

My experience with online overseas warranty has been excellent, with both wiggle and CRC not even asking for proof, they just expressed a replacement item to me no questions asked (admittedly minor items, not forks, frames other $$$ items). Last LBS related warranty took 3 months of stuffing around. So from my experience of service quality Online > LBS.

+1 to every point of this... i might buy a new tube locally if i destroy one, maybe.
But generally when doing an internet buy i chuck in a few tubes/gear cables into the order as well so I always have some spares floating around.

 

[Vedsy]

I shop online almost exclusively. Mainly because of price, but also because my local shops very rarely, if ever have what I want in stock. So if I have to wait anyway, I'll order it online, wait the week and save the cash too.

I was however, really surprised this last weekend when I went to get some new downhill pants at a local moto shop. I hadnt even considered buying locally because I assumed nobody would have stock and if they did would be super expensive. I was wrong, this place had heaps of stock, the size I needed and only 10 bucks more than CRC. Staff was also super friendly and helpful. I ended up getting the pants, gloves and a few other bits and pieces. So I've changed my tune a bit, and will be looking to buy locally more often from now on.

 

[scblack]

If your rich enough to pay a bit extra then go to the LBS over online. If the ass is falling out of your pants and your poor, go with the cheapest option.

Nah, not at all.

Why would a person pay a much higher price because they have more in the bank? One thing to do is if you have the extra funds, buy online, but buy a better model or brand for the same price as the LBS option. OR pay the lower online price and add the difference to buy something else. Best option and what I and most else does, is pay the lower price and ignore the higher price, use the difference for getting on with life.

People do not get or remain rich by choosing to pay higher prices "because they can". Wealthy people are generally smart enough to shop around and get the best value. LAZY people will pay the higher price because its the LBS. I am hardly rich but I am able to buy any bike part I could possibly want with the best bling factor. I do NOT pay a higher price than I need to ever.

 

[Capone]

Nah, not at all.

Why would a person pay a much higher price because they have more in the bank? One thing to do is if you have the extra funds, buy online, but buy a better model or brand for the same price as the LBS option. OR pay the lower online price and add the difference to buy something else. Best option and what I and most else does, is pay the lower price and ignore the higher price, use the difference for getting on with life.

People do not get or remain rich by choosing to pay higher prices "because they can". Wealthy people are generally smart enough to shop around and get the best value. LAZY people will pay the higher price because its the LBS. I am hardly rich but I am able to buy any bike part I could possibly want with the best bling factor. I do NOT pay a higher price than I need to ever.

Kidding right :der:

 

[pharmaboy]

Nah, not at all.

Why would a person pay a much higher price because they have more in the bank? One thing to do is if you have the extra funds, buy online, but buy a better model or brand for the same price as the LBS option. OR pay the lower online price and add the difference to buy something else. Best option and what I and most else does, is pay the lower price and ignore the higher price, use the difference for getting on with life.

People do not get or remain rich by choosing to pay higher prices "because they can". Wealthy people are generally smart enough to shop around and get the best value. LAZY people will pay the higher price because its the LBS. I am hardly rich but I am able to buy any bike part I could possibly want with the best bling factor. I do NOT pay a higher price than I need to ever.

Lol, yes, saying if you have money you should buy local is tantamount to saying lbs owners are in need of charity.

Interesting regarding moto pants in the post a couple up. That has been my experience as well, that moto shops price reasonably, and people in moto don't seem to buy everything overseas , because its not any cheaper ( read not much cheaper).

I was looking at some protection. Local brands were 661 and fox both double crc price, rrp of g- form in Australia is 15 % higher. Go figure.

 

[mitchy_]

Lol, yes, saying if you have money you should buy local is tantamount to saying lbs owners are in need of charity.

Interesting regarding moto pants in the post a couple up. That has been my experience as well, that moto shops price reasonably, and people in moto don't seem to buy everything overseas , because its not any cheaper ( read not much cheaper).

I was looking at some protection. Local brands were 661 and fox both double crc price, rrp of g- form in Australia is 15 % higher. Go figure.

ditto. all the protective gear i've bought for myself, or parts for my quads were bought locally as it was a small difference in price.

 

[fimpBIKES]

went to the local shop today and paid 3x what i would at CRC for some headset spacers

but they had them in stock and offered good service + i wanted them now


often i have found in the past that if its a matter of speed CRC is QUICKER for me
thats a lot to do with how the shops only do weekly/monthly orders with the distributors or just plain forget
i find the customer service online to be pretty good, thats what a lot of shops dont realise.
you cant just say "im here and local, my sevice is better"
not often, from my experience

 

[clockworked]

As stated earlier, I like my current LBS but while living in other areas I was a fervent online shopper. But, the other thing worth mentioning (sort of as dozer said) is that a lot of bike shops aren't hanging out for you to buy some boutique item they have one of on the shelf, or have to order in. They're making their bread and butter on those retro-chic townie bikes with the baskets on them and yet another bmx for a parentally funded 12yo.

 

[RYDA]

Money be tight yo!

Sit in chair > Google "CRC" > find item > save upwards of 30% > wait for ~5 working days > get out of chair > receive part > profit?

 

[fatboyonabike]

customer service is dead.. I buy online whenever I can, mostly to save cash but also to get the latest gear. not all shops can afford to keep the latest and greatest on their shelves, and have to order in anyway, all you are doing is trimming the fat from the order(better in your pocket than theirs).
there is a place for the humble LBS, but its a worldwide marketplace these days and they need to adapt and overcome rather than bitch about OS importers and online sales..i am yet to be blown away by service from any of my local shops, and I know people in most of them, but its the owners who destroy the industry not the customers!...if your willing to risk the OS sale/postage , why not be rewarded with cheaper prices.
you can always buy 2nd hand gear from RB muppets who need to have the latest colour of everything shiny, much like myself.

 

[marc.r]

its hard to give good service when your shop is losing money and people keep asking for discounts

imagine trying to walk around with a smile on your face at your job knowing you could get sacked and walk away with a load of debt at any time!

 

[sawtell]

its hard to give good service when your shop is losing money and people keep asking for discounts

imagine trying to walk around with a smile on your face at your job knowing you could get sacked and walk away with a load of debt at any time!

Imagine giving to a charity when the people asking for money are grumpy and you don't even get a tax deduction out of it.......

Saying that bad service is the customers fault, sums up the issue with Australian retailers in every industry, It's never the stores fault.. It's the suppliers, the distributor, the manufacturer, the import tax, the shipping company, we bought the stock 6 months ago when the dollar was low etc etc.

Sounds harsh, but it's true.


Im glad I'm not in retail! It's a tough gig.. Building up a customer base. When there's people like me who have no loyalty at all to a store what so ever.


To the actual original question, what kind of shop says 'we can match the price with out GST' and expects to be taken seriously? ask them to sell it to you cash on the side with out GST haha... It's not even worth saying they can match it.



Edit: haha I do like the way these threads keep comin up year after year! The big test for shopping local for me is what happens over the next few months.. If shops start increasing prices and blame it on the Australian dollar, I will never buy local again!!!

 

[MARKL]

Ummm stop beating yourself up, I will let you in on a little secret...the LBS does not really care if you buy online.

Shocking I know but it is true, yes I know they whinge and blame that dangfangled internet thingy for their crap business model based on not carrying stock, not offering good service and not listening to customers but they do not care if we buy online, whinging is different. If they cared they would try and compete for my business.

I live in the biggest city in the country and based on my experience I am convinced that most LBSs do not care at all about selling anything to me...

• Most shops do not carry any X9/XT or above gear in stock...
• "You want a downhill bike hey, yeah I have this 4inch dualy bike I can sell you, it is a 2010 model so I might be able to knock $100 off as well"
• When was the last time you saw Hope or Formula brakes for sale on display ready to touch and feel at an LBS...
• "No we can't service your fork, it is two years old you will have to buy a new one...no I don't have one in stock"
• "Yeah, Tommy will true your wheels today, once school is out"
• No, we don't have a <<insert item>> in stock but we have <<wrong size, different, totally wrong, not anything like what you want>>that we can sell you at an inflated price..

If they cared and worked for my business this would not be the case but they are too busy selling Kmart bikes at inflated prices to mums and dads. I am not complaining, their business they can structure it however they like but FFS do not whinge when I buy something online that you do not stock or when you can't service my gear.:rant:

LBS are their as a business to make money not a charity, if the value equation works for you, great use it, if not buy online and don't feel bad about it.

There are some great LBS in Oz that really do offer great service and value but they are few and far between, however the reality is most shops only work at selling entry level stuff