LBS - taking the mick.

alan@darkroom.+.com (A.Lee) said:

I usually get my spares from my mate who I go racing with, he runs a LBS
(Wakies Cycle Centre, Codnor, Derbys.), and although I get a discount,
his prices are still no cheaper than when bought online, but I like to
support his shop, and he gets anything in if I need it.
I'm just building up a new MTB, and wanted a new chain, I'm likely to
need it tonight, so had to go to another LBS today (Websters in
Leicester) to get one (SRAM 9sp).
I asked if he had one in, "yes, £19.99". I reply, No, I want the
cheaper one, last time I bought one it was £12.
"£19.99 IS the cheap one, the better one is £32"
I said you are asking a bit much for that.
He said they had overheads, and that was the usual price.
Right, OK, I'll leave it.

I then rang my mate up, to make see what the price is - £13, and £20 for
the better one. £11 or £18 to me he says.He said he was still making a
decent profit at £11, to which I assumed he was paying less than £7 for
them.

So, later today, I was passing Lutterworth Cycle Centre, went in, and
his were also £13 and £20, Ok, I'll take one.

Now, how on earth can the 1st shop try and charge so much?
I like to support LBS's but they are just taking the [censored], when 2 other,
smaller shops can undercut them by such a margin.
Rant over.

Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
different chains.

Paul Rudin said:

Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
different chains.

Yep, PC951 iirc.
He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

On 18/12/2006 18:06, A.Lee said,

Quoted message said:

Yep, PC951 iirc.
He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"

I bought one of those in Weston-super-Mare, and I think I paid about £15
for it, IIRC. (No discount - I haven't even asked my LBS if they offer
the CTC discount.)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

A.Lee said:

Paul Rudin said:

Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
different chains.

Yep, PC951 iirc.
He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
Alan.

PC951 - £9.99 from Settle.

"A.Lee" <alan@darkroom.+.com> wrote in message
news:1hqjw0b.a5cp1mpcrxzkN%alan@darkroom.+.com...

Quoted message said:

I usually get my spares from my mate who I go racing with, he runs a LBS
(Wakies Cycle Centre, Codnor, Derbys.), and although I get a discount,
his prices are still no cheaper than when bought online, but I like to
support his shop, and he gets anything in if I need it.
I'm just building up a new MTB, and wanted a new chain, I'm likely to
need it tonight, so had to go to another LBS today (Websters in
Leicester) to get one (SRAM 9sp).
I asked if he had one in, "yes, £19.99". I reply, No, I want the
cheaper one, last time I bought one it was £12.
"£19.99 IS the cheap one, the better one is £32"
I said you are asking a bit much for that.
He said they had overheads, and that was the usual price.
Right, OK, I'll leave it.

I then rang my mate up, to make see what the price is - £13, and £20 for
the better one. £11 or £18 to me he says.He said he was still making a
decent profit at £11, to which I assumed he was paying less than £7 for
them.

So, later today, I was passing Lutterworth Cycle Centre, went in, and
his were also £13 and £20, Ok, I'll take one.

Now, how on earth can the 1st shop try and charge so much?
I like to support LBS's but they are just taking the [censored], when 2 other,
smaller shops can undercut them by such a margin.
Rant over.
Alan.

I had a very similar experience with JE James. A chain that's normally
around a tenner at my LBS was 20ish there. I needed it to go riding, so I
bought it.

Al C-F said:

A.Lee said:

Paul Rudin said:

Are you sure you're comparing prices for identical chains? I dunno
about the SRAM ones in particular but most manufacturers make a lot of
different chains.

Yep, PC951 iirc.
He even said, "you wont get 9 speed for less than £20"
Right, obviously deals with people who dont know what things should
cost, or hoodwinks them with his sales patter.
A quick look shows they are available for £11 from Parker Int.
Alan.

PC951 - £9.99 from Settle.

Probikekit does the next one up (PC971) for £10.99 including delivery.
No in stock at the moment but they do have a thing where they email you when
they get more in.