It’s the margins. It’s not about searching for a bargain. If it’s cheaper online - buy it online. Don’t go into the shop and demand (yes most customers “demand” they don’t ask politely). You’ve chosen to visit that shop so either buy at that price or don’t buy from the shop. They will have calculated the price based on their overheads and the profit they need to make.
This is not the right example. Have you ever been into Waitrose and asked them to charge you the same as Lidl? Or gone into Lidl and said I can find this middle aisle item on Temu for much cheaper? That’s the relevant comparison.
If you choose to shop at Waitrose, you choose to pay their prices. If you choose to shop at Lidl, you pay their prices.
@Poet has rightly pointed out that this is a comparison of the bricks and mortar store price versus THEIR OWN online offering. Then that’s their choice.
But everyday Mr has people walk into the shop with various webpages open pointing out they can get it cheaper - well then stay at home and buy it online. And don’t complain when it’s an incorrect purchase and you have the hassle of returning the item.
Yes, that still kills the store. So if you’re someone fighting to “keep the high street open” then do just that - walk in, pay the marked price and walk out. Otherwise stick to online and don’t complain when there’s no high street left.
I don’t want to get into a protracted debate over semantics here … but every single person is of course open to try and ask Waitrose to match Lidl prices. 99.99999% chance they’ll say no.
Just as a bike shop or a grocer or a clothes shop or a tailor can also say no. Now i’m not saying that the pressure and expectation from the demanding individual are the same - as they probably expect to get that deal. I’m making no comment on how rude a person is or isn’t - you have the lived in experience of that, and it’s not right.
What i’m calling out is that the shop can say no and give the reasons/make the case for why. Again, granted, lots of people won’t want to here it. But that’s back in the free choice bucket.
But also, please make sure (in the case of this debate) that any of these bike shop owners/workers aren’t ever asking for discounts in any other area of life where smaller trader’s margins are being eroded. Because, as you know, that would be hypocritical. And you’re a very smart lady, and I think you knew the point I was trying to make. The other examples, away from the supermarket one, met the criteria of the point better.
At what point does a branded shop/brand become small enough for it to be ok for them to not suffer in your example. I get that you’re frustrated by the experience of the bike shop landscape because it affects you personally. But would you be as annoyed if it were something else?
Yes I would because I know a few independent shop owners and they get just as annoyed when someone comes in asking for a discount, but when questioned if they did that at M&S, Aldi, Waitrose, H&M, Body Shop (whatever chain store you want) the answer is always no.
Yes, the shop owner also responds “no” to the request. But why even ask in the first place!!! The price is the price. We aren’t in the souks in Marrakech.
ETA: I’m a stubborn and I will die over this argument. We agree that people in public facing roles get treated like utter rubbish - this is very much in that category. People see shop workers as below them so they just expect the discount and to be put on a pedestal because they’re spending money. No, respect first, money means nothing.
Don’t get the “Waitrose” comparison - the price is not the price in John Lewis when buying anything, why should it be in a bike shop? And supermarkets often “price match” other supermarkets, even Waitrose.
THEIR CHOICE! Based on their assessment of the market and their costs and overheads.
It is not price match based a random customer demand.
I agree with @gingerbongo point that the shop can refuse. And I have used John Lewis price matching service - and had it refused.
My challenge is in the wrong place here clearly, because everyone is a reasonable person. There’s a much wider population out there who are just right arses about the whole price matching thing.
This was what started you complaing - the cycle store choosing to match online
But even if not, it’s ludicrous to not ask a shop to start doing something “Have you thought about stocking squirt lube, it’s a really good lube?” “Our stock is our stock, piss off, we know how to run our business” is not a normal response. If a shop can seriously not deal with someone asking for a discount, they need to get out of the business, the John Lewis example shows that it is a completely normal thing for shops to do, not in any way weird.
There are some shops that will respond like that. But a reasonable query should get a reasonable response.
Like I said, here is the wrong place to challenge. So I won’t again. But know that if I hear or see any of you being an arse about price matching you will feel my wrath.
There are a lot of d1cks out there in the cycling world. Thankfully they don’t seem to be on this forum.
You’ve picked an odd hill to die on here. If you’ve done you’re research & you know you can buy an item from the local BS at an online rate then it’s in the BS’s interest that you buy from them rather than online.
They will make still a profit on it & it’s highly likely you will buy something else while you’re there.
If you go to the BS to peruse what they have there than that is a little different.
They genuinely don’t make profit in many cases. And not always.
Like I’ve said this is the wrong crowd to have this argument with so I’m stopping. You’re all reasonable people. There’s a large proportion of population that aren’t.
Because bike shops and the bike industry discount all the time. You can’t throw out discounts when it suits you and expect the average customer to understand the nuance of manufacturer backed discounts, an independent clearing stock because of cash flow or whatever reasons. If the industry is seen to offer discounts then customers will ask. Likewise if a business offers pricematch, expect requests to pricematch.
Oh don’t start me again! Yes they did and how many LBS failed because of this. So my crusade is to stop this idiotic practice for all the reasons noted above - you wouldn’t do it at Lidl so stop doing it in the bike shop.
How cold is is overnight where you are? I’ve been fancying a camping trip with my daughter but it’s still 0°C overnight and I’m concerned we’d be cold. And the poor dogs.
Pannier bolt snapped at Ashton-under-Lyne, used a voile strap to lash it. Held fine. “Found” some farmers twine to replace the strap holding my tent.
Slow going. Didn’t hit my planned site, but I’d got a closer and further one, too. So fine.
1° overnight with a frog trying to attack me ALL NIGHT. Freezing.
Woke up to a puncture. Which meant (and @Doka should know this road…and be able to guess my
Opinion of it ) Langsett (ish) over the Strines and into Yorkshire Bridge for a track pump, as I couldn’t see the culprit, wasted two cans of gas and needed to reseat the tyre.
Amazing.
Then did Winnats broken road. Cos I’d not done enough hills.
and I will die over this argument. We agree that people in public facing roles get treated like utter rubbish - this is very much in that category. People see shop workers as below them so they just expect the discount and to be put on a pedestal because they’re spending money. No, respect first, money means nothing.
) Langsett (ish) over the Strines and into Yorkshire Bridge for a track pump, as I couldn’t see the culprit, wasted two cans of gas and needed to reseat the tyre.