Bad bike shop experience

el tel

Last night had a very odd and annoying experience with a bike shop.

Recently I've been looking at getting a new set of wheels and narrowed my choice down to Xero XR-1 or Xero-XRC1. Conveniently there is a shop in Carrickfergus Co. Antrim (well known as a Planet X supplier) who have these wheels advertised prominently on their website. I wanted to check both wheels out and buy my choice there and then so I could have them them for this Sunday's Malin Head 60 mile leisure event. I phoned the shop on Monday asking if they had both types there and they confirmed they did, 50 boxes of Xero wheels in their store room. Happy days I thought. I went to the shop last night (late night opening), completing a 50 mile round trip to do so.

I arrived in good time, an hour before closing and the shop quiet with only customer getting a puncture repair. I purposely avoided going on Saturday as I know it can be very busy. I met the proprietor and asked about seeing each of the wheelsets I was interesed in and which were not on display.

Prop. "You should have phoned before you came up"
Me: "I did. On Monday. You said you had 50 boxes of them"
Prop. "Well, you should have phoned. There's a woman waiting to get a puncture fixed and they are all in the store room"
Me. "That's ok, I'll wait"
Prop (reluctantly) "I'll take a look"

2 mins later, he appears. With one wheel.

Prop: "This is the XCR-1"
Me "Don't you also have the the XR-1s with the bladed spokes so I can compare?"
Prop: "They're all in boxes in the store room which is locked, but it looks like that" (pointing to a wheel on a bike hanging from the wall)
Me: "I wouldn't mind having having a look at each so I can decide and buy"
Prop: "We aren't a conventional bike shop. You should have phoned to save the journey"
Me: <silent bewilderment>
Prop: Why don't you phone me tomorrow so I can get them down for you?"
Me: <departs>

WTF was the problem? I had £210 in my pocket to give him for his wheels which he had in abundance yet wouldn't sell me. I've never experinced that before.

flickerx

Whenever you talk to ANYONE on the phone in such a situation - customer service, deliveries, confirming whether or not you can take your bike on a train, etc - my advice is ALWAYS GET THEIR NAME so you can say the next day when thick headed sales assistant/floor manager/security guard/whatever person of minor importance is just messing with your head for the sake of it, you can then retort with "But I talked to X yesterday and they said it was fine." Once they hear a name, they usually go "Oh ok" and then do exactly what you want.

I'd forward your story on to the owner of the place, let him know that he/she's lost a sale. It'd be good to give the name of the sales asst. that was doing you no favours.

blorg

Some people don't want your money. Particularly ridiculous as exceptional service is the only way local shops are going to survive. Maybe he thought you were just window shopping, I don't know. I wouldn't have a problem with his fixing the puncture if that was ahead of you, but "come back tomorrow" is ridiculous.

el tel

When I phoned and when I went to the shop it was the proprietor I spoke to. He remembered me when I told him I had phoned earlier in the week. I've spent a lot of money in his shop over the years so couldn't believe his new 'non-selling' business model.


Edit to add: You are right Blorg. I could have bought the same wheels online from England for £10 less but thought I'd go to the shop on the off-chance I might also see something else I might like (those Planet X bikes did look good...)

Ger the man

Exact same thing happened me when trying to buy a car, I ended up just walking out of the garage. The owner (whom I previously called to confirm the car was still available) rang me back offering me a more expensive model and I told him exactly what I thought of his establishment. He completely denied ever speaking to me on the phone.

BUACHAILL

careful on the car salesmen as i am one myself ha ha. it all just boils down to bad manners. treat people with respect and you will sell more, my motto anyway. i would remind the guy in the bike shop how much you have bought from him and that you are not impressed with his service. if he is any good or half geniune he will try cut you a deal for his bad mood

beans

I got unlucky with my bike-shop recently - I had a list to be filled for my Mercian build, all of which they couldn't order in and advised getting online. That wasn't the problem, it was the constant "I'll ring you tomorrow to update you on the status" which was never followed up; muddles over the parts they could get lead to several trips to the shop, lots of standing around and being fobbed off; forgetful sales assistants, who didn't assist... one of them went on his lunch while looking for my wheels, and left me there with my eyelid twitching :rolleyes:

The repercussions of poor service aren't felt because there's so much consumer spending; so that shop lost me, but they'll stay afloat. I registered my dissatisfaction with the owner, so perhaps things will change. And if not, I hope when they're gone that someone with a business head fills the void.

</rant>

beans

Double-post it seems?