new bike

bikermartin

i am getting a new road bike in next week to 2 weeks, going to spend up to 1500 euros.

i went to bike shop (a) ask about a particular bike i wanted, they said they would have to get it from another bike shop that sells that brand. he said i would have little comeback on it if i bought it ?? other people came into the shop , he went to attend them and left me waiting on him for another 30 minutes, while he chatted away on the off chance the other was buying a 300 euro bike. i was willing that evening to make the deal on a bike a order it and pay what depoist he required ?? this is all after 2 days before i was briefly in the shop for to ask owner to find out if my size is available and to phone me asap with the availability . i have worked in retail , and have sold to people in their own homes. i would not treat an existing customer , and someone who is spending this kind of money in this manner.

today bikeshop (b)

ask about my no 1 choice of bike, this shop does sell them. he was to phone me this evening but dident. so i phoned him. he said he dident get the chance. he said the bike i want is not available at moment, but said the supplier can supply the frameset and parts minus groupset to him. tyhe bikeshop owner said he can source the groupset elsewhere, and build up the bike, but................. IT WILL COST MORE MONEY !! ??

am i been taken for a fool or what ?

is this normal practice ? the attitude in theese 2 shops is a disgrace .

does any one have any comments ?:eek::mad:


the extra cost is 150 euros over the complete bike price

Magilla Gorilla

Sounds pretty familiar to most of my bike shop experiences. To be honest, I find most of my retail experiences in this country usuallly have elements of this type of treatment.

I don't want someone in my face the minute I walk in, or completely over-the-top have-a-nice-day insincerity. But I would like someone to acknowledge my presence, an offer of help if I need it, and FULL attention when I do ask for it. That means not answering the phone while talking to me, walking away to chat to other (regular?) customers etc.

I've bought two new bikes in just over a year off the internet- spending about €3,000 in the process. If I thought I could get decent service in a local bike shop, I may have spent some of that money in this country.

I did visit Cyclesuperstore to test ride one model a few weeks ago, and the service was so-so, better than my last visit several years ago. Overall though, I felt ignored enough to not really care about the purchase even though I was interested and had left work early to travel 25 miles to the shop...............

Lumen

Don't get angry, just move on. Keep trying until you find a shop who can give you what you want.

You don't say where you are, but I generally have better experiences with shops outside Dublin, although there are exceptions.

FWIW, I don't think the service in the second shop is necessarily bad, they're just trying to maintain margins. It can often be easier and more profitable to sell 5 cheap bikes than 1 expensive one.

lescol

I wouldn't visit either shop again. Put up the name of the bike you're interested in and I'm sure there'll be lots of advice on where to buy it.

gerardduff

I'm convinced that this is exactly what happens anytime there is a government incentive for anything in this country. The customer gets shafted!

A friend of mine is having a similar problem of bad manners and a bike shop taking advantage. He's buying a second hand bike, advertised for €950 on the web is suddenly €1150 when he went and enquired about it. He was told by the shop assistant "there's no money off as I'm not making a penny on this as it is". Can't remember if that was before or after the sum of €550 tax break was mentioned...but if I had to guess:rolleyes:

I think he should go to Slaney's or CRC and I'll be suggesting that to him.

bikermartin

the first shop have lost the sale and my custom from now on. the second shop is probably where i will buy . it is well equiped and well stocked, and the owner is knowledgeable and a keen cyclist .... which is a bonus. this is what i hope to order on monday morning .



http://www.kellys-bicycles.com/index.php?id=ie_product&product_id=21054&countries_id=103&countries_name=ie&cat_id=243&subcat_id=244

Bikeshop (a) said it will not be available , and have no idea if it will ???


i will maintain my own bikes anyway so will only need shop if a warrenty claim is required ?



wicklow/wexford area

Lumen

The Bike Shop in Wexford town has a good rep, and some nice gear in there.

I've only bought small stuff from them but they've been a pleasure to deal with.

dave.obrien

gerardduff wrote: »

Can't remember if that was before or after the sum of €550 tax break was mentioned...but if I had to guess:rolleyes: .

Just to clear that up, the bike shop doesn't suffer because of the tax break, they still receive full money. In fact, the customer even pays full whack for it too, the difference is that they pay from their gross/pre-tax pay. In other words, they are now allowed to pay with money that the government would normally have partially, em, "re-appropriated"... The customer does this by getting their employee to release that money in a lump sum on the condition that they will pay this back, in either a lump sum or over time. The only person that benefits financially is the customer. Well, the bike shops too through increased number of sales, but anyway!

gerardduff

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I'm suggesting the guy in the shop heard my mate saying something along the lines...I'll pay with a cheque from my employer and make the difference up in cash" and the bike shop owner says something like "Ok...it'll be €1150 then"

dave.obrien

gerardduff wrote: »

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I'm suggesting the guy in the shop heard my mate saying something along the lines...I'll pay with a cheque from my employer and make the difference up in cash" and the bike shop owner says something like "Ok...it'll be €1150 then"

I see, sounds dodgy alright!