[duke walker]

so , i do like the guy at my lbs. but i need a whatever. msrp is x. online is msrp -30%. lbs is msrp + 30%. so online is -50% of lbs. what would you do?

 

[SteveUK]

I'd take the day off and go for a ride.

 

[tomk96]

depends on total price. shop should atleast match MSRP. if the difference is $40, go online, if $4, go to the shop.

 

[Freemtnrider]

depends on total price. shop should atleast match MSRP. if the difference is $40, go online, if $4, go to the shop.

I'll second that. dont be afraid to tell the lbs what you think either. I am sure in some way they will appreciate the feedback. They may think twice about the next product they mark up.

 

[Guest]

I have a philosophy that paying over MSRP is f*&^ing unacceptable. I personally don't feel I should have to haggle over every stupid little purchase I make. I have to negotiate massive deals at work and just don't need that in my personal life. Plan ahead, buy what you need online, and never go to that shop again... Life is too short to put up with that crap.

regards,
bm

 

[Dangeruss]

MSRP + 30% ?! Errr, skroo that! Depending on the part, wholesale can be as much as 40% below MSRP, so there's a nice margin already built into suggested retail. It does depend on the total price, and how soon you need / want the part. Don't forget to factor in the added shipping charges against the possible sales tax break when considering online purchases.

My favorite online shop typically offers 10% off MSRP on orders of $100 dollars+ and 15% on $300+ orders, no sales tax and very reasonable shipping. I do all my own maint and building, so the LBS loyalty issue is almost a non-issue for me.

 

[TrekJeff]

I have a good enough relationship with my LBS that when I see something grossly over priced I can laugh at it loud, in the shop and ask..."Are you serious, this sells for X at X plus 10 for shipping" It's all about developing relationships, bot online and at the LBS. Let them know you want to spend your money at there shop, but let them know what the other offerings are. But when an LBS totally B/S's you saying, I can't even buy them at that price (ie Time ATAC cleats priced at the LBS for $30 when they're available for 18 at pricepoint) then spend it elsewhere.

 

[MdniteDrftr]

depends on total price. shop should atleast match MSRP. if the difference is $40, go online, if $4, go to the shop.

I second that.

Everytime I go into my LBS, they're very friendly, asking me how riding is going, how my bike is doing, they've given me great advice time and time again, and they've also saved my ass a few times (the time I needed a new chain a few hours before I was to go to VT to do some biking), so I dont mind paying a few extra bucks, the service alone is worth it IMO.

Also, customer loyalty comes back around. I went to the LBS ther other day looking for a helmet, and they had a nice Giro for $140. The owner saw that I was liking it, but that I didnt wanna shell out $140, so he goes, "Tell you what, Ill cut you a deal, $100 and the helmet is yours." Well, guess whos riding with a new Giro.

 

[SnowMongoose]

I rock the LBSes for stuff that I 'need' to see before I buy, or stuff I need that day.
otherwise, I go online and save a grip o' cash.

 

[Snowpug]

I guess it depends on your relationship with your LBS. I have a great one and they will always try and match online prices for me on everything. If they can't they get pretty damn close. I prefer to see and touch things before I buy them.

As everyone said though if the difference is substantial then I would probably go online.

 

[Mitrovarr]

I'd consider something 30% over MSRP to be insulting to the point of not buying it there on principle, even if I could haggle it down or get him to price match. Even full MSRP is, in my opinion, kind of pushing it.

However, if you do decide to go the internet route, don't be a jerk and take up tons of the guy's time asking questions about or trying out whatever it is you're looking to get. Don't forget that online you'll get dinged for shipping and you'll have to install/assemble it yourself, which can be expensive or dangerous if you don't have the tools or experience to do it properly.

However, if that doesn't bother you (you can handle it or assembly isn't relevant for that item) I'd hit the online retailers for sure. Why would you even think about paying the LBS's exorbitant price - to keep a store that charges 30% over MSRP in business? You're doing a favor to the public by helping put him out of business.

 

[rocks'r'friends]

Anyone charging over MSRP should be shot on site, or at least driven out of business. Most shops I deal with use msrp as a base and then go down. As far as I know, in Canada mrsp allows for a 100% markup on most items (not bikes), buy for 50 sell for 100. But we northerners also tend to pay at least 30% more, with exchange included, than you do on the south side of the 49th.
Luckily I have a great relationship with my lbs and they generally drop from 15-30% off the sticker.
I have never made any large purchases online, just some rockymounts off ebay, this was an items my lbs couldn't even get.

 

[Acme54321]

Even full MSRP is, in my opinion, kind of pushing it.

How is that pushing it? Do you go to the grocery store and haggle them over a box of cereal?

 

[Guyechka]

Let me just tell a little story about the brakes I bought from my LBS for about $75 more than what I would have paid online. First, I talked with the owner and asked if he could give me a better deal than their sticker price. He immediately dropped the price $50. He set the brakes aside for me (sort of on layaway). In a few weeks I had the money to buy them. I took them home to mount them on my bike, but the front brake just wouldn't cooperate. Back to the shop, where they diagnosed the problem right away (I was trying to fit a PM mount brake to an IS mount fork). No problem, they just exchanged the caliper. While they were at it, they faced the mount. Something went wrong while they were doing this operation, and they had to bleed the brake. After a few days the bike was ready to ride. That's when the squeaking started in the rear. Back to the shop, where they faced the rear mount. At the end of it all, I had brakes that worked.

I'm not sure how much facing and bleeding would cost if I had bought the brakes online, but the LBS didn't charge a thing. Did I save that $75? Maybe not quite, but I came close. What's more, the shop put my bike ahead of others so the work would be done within a couple of days. The bottom line is that the shops will usually go out of their way to make you happy, even expending extra time and money, but the online retailers just can't do that.

 

[ronniedee]

If you're a racer, don't forget what your LBS does to support the local grassroots scene. My local race series would not be the same without the support of the local shops. And, honestly, I've never ridden more than after my first local race.

I can't speak for your scene, but the online shops do not support mine. Just one more thing to consider.

On the flip side... $40 is $40. I'm going online to save $40. I'll stick with the LBS for $5 or $10.

Marking up prices above MSRP is ridiculous. I have not ever noticed that.

 

[Toff]

How is that pushing it? Do you go to the grocery store and haggle them over a box of cereal?

If that box of cereal was $100+ then your damn right I would haggle.

 

[ThrashNY]

It makes sense to me to go with the cheaper deal!! It's about money and business. The LBS knows this.

Pick up your extras/incidentals at the shop that don't save you alot with S/H.

 

[nachomc]

I've only had a situation like this once. Jenson had a part for $30 and my LBS had it for $55. I called the LBS and told them I really wanted to buy the part from them but the price gap was too big. I asked if they'd come down to $35 (I figured I'd pay $5 or so to ship) and they said yeah no problem.

Ended up working out great. I got to support my LBS, which I love and I got the part I wanted that day instead of waiting for it to be shipped :thumbsup:

 

[Eric Hoefer]

Isn't it illegal to sell above msrp without notifying the customer?

 

[Guest]

Isn't it illegal to sell above msrp without notifying the customer?

In the words of the great golfer Ty Webb, "This isn't Russia. Is this Russia? This isn't Russia."

Of course, if you live in Russia, then disregard this quote...

bm