|   Price Haggling | FoolCyclist
Jan 10, 2002 10:37 PM | | If I am going to pay cash for a new bike how much would be reasonable to ask them to come down on the price? I have 3 grand that I am ready to put towards a new rig and I want to get the most bike I can. How much have you had a shop come down in sticker price? |
| For this years model?.... | fred³
Jan 11, 2002 3:58 AM | | you can most likely expect zero discount for cash, but then again that's just the shops around here. Just get the right bike for you and pay the cash.
fred3 |
| Will totally depend on the shop... | Squash
Jan 11, 2002 4:55 AM | | For 02 models be prepared to spend MSRP for the bike. The 02 models are still too fresh to be discounted much, for cash or otherwise. You may still find some killer deals on any left over 01's, but I'm sure the pickings are getting pretty slim. Like fred said, be prepared to hand over full price for anything current. But don't pay over MSRP.
Good Dirt |
| re: Price Haggling | diyj98
Jan 11, 2002 10:34 AM | | It all depends on the shop. Many shops around here won't budge one penny off suggested retail. I work for a shop that will sometimes knock off $100 to several hundred on the high end stuff. We're small and rural and depend on price to bring customers in from some pretty long distances. I've knocked as much as $500 off some of the high end bikes just to turn inventory. |
| Is it acceptable to haggle? | Nat
Jan 11, 2002 12:30 PM | | I've never quite understood why people felt compelled to haggle at a bike shop. I've always thought of bike shops as retailers, much like grocery stores, clothing stores, supermarkets, and cd stores, and I couldn't imagine trying to haggle down the price of boneless chicken breasts or a new pair of jeans. Is it because people think of bikes kind of like cars, where it's accepted that you haggle? Is it accepted in the industry that one tries to haggle at a bike shop? |
| Okay... | Nat
Jan 11, 2002 12:35 PM | | "These are our new husky-sized loose-fit corduroy jeans, we just got them in this week! They're $29.95."
"Emmmmm, how about $20, because I really usually prefer Dockers? Maybe you can throw in that purple polo shirt too?"
"Sir, please leave immediately. And thanks for shopping at the Gap!" |
| but the gap slashed when no one bought | dan
Jan 13, 2002 4:01 AM | | |
| Is it acceptable to haggle? | diyj98
Jan 11, 2002 12:36 PM | | It seems to be accepted just about anywhere with larger ticket items. It's not uncommon to see haggling at places that sell, cars, guns, bows, and even bikes. It's always the shop owner or managers choice to just say "sorry, the price if firm". |
| I reckon... | Nat
Jan 11, 2002 12:46 PM | | Maybe you're right. I don't really think of bikes as big ticket items I guess. Even the expensive ones are pretty darn cheap. Hell, Best Buy sells tv's that cost more than Ellsworths. |
| I reckon... | Trip0202
Jan 13, 2002 6:30 PM | | Hey, I've actually had the price of a MP3 player knocked down 40 bucks because I only had $200 for one. The price of it was $240 and I just talked to the guy and he talked to someone else and I had the price go down 40 bucks. I'm planning on buying a Giant XTC SE 2 and I'm going to try to get the price down on that, and I'm sure I'll get at least $20 off,lol. Just go around and try to get the price lowered, I'm sure you'll find someone who will do it. |
| TV | fattirewilly
Jan 14, 2002 5:23 AM | | Try haggling for you next big ticket AV item. It will work. When you find a $2,000 item on line for $1,500 but want the convenience of running down the street to pick it up, someone will work with you. Salesmen gotta eat... |
| Sir...please put down the salt and pepper... | Nat
Jan 11, 2002 12:41 PM | | "Today's special is a BBQ beef brisket sandwich with fries or coleslaw, $5.99."
"Ummmmm, can I get both fries AND slaw? How about you toss in a soda too? And some pickles? Make that a whole plate of pickles. And extra bbq sauce. No tomatoes though--I hate tomatoes." |
| I'll take 5k lbs of chicken | dan
Jan 13, 2002 3:58 AM | | if you were a food store buying 3-4 thousand dollars worth of chicken you'd expect something.If a bike has a msrp of 3300 I expect to pay 3k and did. |
| re: Price Haggling | John
Jan 11, 2002 2:01 PM | | Play shops off against each other. Hey its YOUR $$$$. |
| Haggling Can Be Very Successful | DCS
Jan 11, 2002 2:31 PM | | Haggling is acceptable anytime you are dealing with a reasonably high-priced item (say over $100) where the seller's sale volumes are relatively low and where you could get the identical item from another seller. It is always the seller's right to say no -- and it is always your right to say "I guess I'll take my business elsewhere." BTW, even if you don't want to go elsewhere after a seller rejects your haggling bid, I have never had a seller refuse to sell to me if I agreed to his price. Essentially, you have nothing to lose except your bashfulness if you haggle POLITELY.
Haggling can also be remarkably effective, although it tends to be more effective with online dealers than local shops, since online dealers primarily compete on price as opposed to ongoing service relationships. (It still does work with local shops though, especially if you hint at referrals and additional business and come through to some extent). I have obtained frames and components considerably cheaper than advertised online or in print from all sorts of online bicycle dealers. It is not uncommon for me to get a 10-15% discount off of prices listed by major online dealers off their websites.
I could go on and describe tactics that have proven particularly effective for bikes, cars, jewelry, etc., but it would take a while. Also, if everyone else used those tactics, it might dilute their effectiveness for me. :) |
| as a shop owner... | Charles Coker
Jan 11, 2002 8:19 PM | | now granted, my business is a lot different than most "LBS"
I deal only in highend stuff and do probably 80-90% of my business mailorder, have very low overhead and am used to competing so to speak with other "mail order" shops..
If you come into my shop and I quote you a price I already know that I am very competitive with mail order prices as I act as one for the most part, so, I sell stuff to locals the same as I would to a mail order client, so, I may come down a little, maybe, depends on what it is.... I KNOW I sell everything at a better price than any other local shop, fact. I check prices with the mail order shops and I am always going to be priced right....
before I opened up a shop and had to buy something local, I wouldn't expect them to match a mail order shop, but to just "be competitive" with them...
so, I guess I would say do your homework, know what you "should" be able to get the bike for and it can't hurt to ask the guy if there's anything he can do with the price..
in short, the deal has to make sense for both parties...
Charles
hammerheadbikes |
| re: Price Haggling | Brad
Jan 12, 2002 9:52 PM | | Don't know where you're at, but if you're not in too much of a hurry, I would wait until the end of the 2002 season, (Sept. or Oct.) to buy a new ride. I'm from central Canada and was able to get whatever BIKE WAS AVAILABLE from the factory's for between 25-65% off retail. Most shops are willing to take less of a cut on a ride if you both know what you want and are patient enough to wait for it. Two reasons; towards the end of the season manufacturers really want to get rid of stock, and bike shops are given better deals from the factory on bikes they order, (some will even custom fit components).
Good Luck. |
| expect it | dan
Jan 13, 2002 4:25 AM | | most large shops I've bought from marked down the msrp without saying anything.It was $175 for $1500 '95 bike and $350 for $3350 '02 I saw some really good 2001 model prices.gary fisher sugar 1 team msrp $3200 @ $2400.trek fuel100 msrp$2700 @$2150.I got $2300 '99 scratched leftover in 2000 for @1250! you can expect the small shops to be more.the price of their parts is outrageous. |
| re: Price Haggling | dirdir
Jan 14, 2002 3:37 PM | | What is this is it acceptable to haggle stuff. Of course it is. Haggle for anything you want. You can ask and they can say yes or no. The only thing I would say is off limits is restaurant haggling. Ever notice that many of the wealthier people are cheap as hell? Why do we think it is perfectly ok to haggle for a car, but not a bike, or even grocery store food, etc.? To that end, most bike shops have little profit margin on the bikes. You will be more successful haggling for clothing, and accessories. Also, don't be afraid to ask to swap out parts on the bike you want. They may not do a straight up swap if the item you want is more than the part on the bike, but they should give you credit. |
| Why not restaurants? | Nat
Jan 15, 2002 12:04 AM | | Just curious, why do you feel that restaurants are off-limits whereas every other place is okay? |
| because.... | ms
Jan 15, 2002 12:06 PM | | they will spit in your food.
duh. |
| because.... | dirdir
Jan 15, 2002 12:34 PM | | Yea, that is true. Also, because you will never be able to prevail. Its just something I think people will look at you like a freak. |
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