Why I shop online.

[youngoldbloke]

Cannot see your logic in this. My 2 local LBSs both have specific major brands, which makes it easier to showroom (Trek, Bontrager, Endura, Specialized etc) as they are commodity items and more easily compared than if they stocked a rare esoteric brand that is harder to find elsewhere

I don't think I have anything from those brands on any of my 3 bikes. I do have some Endura overshoes however, bought after looking at reviews, online. My most local town has 1 (good) LBS, the alternative town 2, easily accessible, and 2 or 3 others. To visit them all would take me all day. One of them may have had the Endura overshoes, but the range available is not impressive. I recently wanted some screw on bar ends. Yesterday I was In London, I visited Condor, and a branch of Evans - no screw on bar ends in either. I bought them online - Wiggle.

 

[youngoldbloke]

I always try to use my LBS as they provide service most onlie retailers are unable to compete with.
I don't look at the price closely and compare, if its what I am willing to pay for the product I buy it.
They treat me exceptionally well and now have a decent range of my favorite brands in stock as they continue to improve the service they offer to me.

Buying soley on price is very short sighted imho... When online retailers have closed high street shop do you think they will ultimately keep the prices low once their are no other alternatives?

Maybe - but very understanable if you only have limited funds available. I have noticed that the prices at the big online retailers - Wiggle, CRC, PBK have ceased to be competitive as they have become well known and successful. I used to order quite a lot from them, but find I am ordering more and more from other suppliers, including the German ones, Rose and Bike-Discount

 

[Davidc]

Things are changing, and business models need to adapt or retailers will fail, whether online or real-world, big or small.

The more imaginative bricks and mortar chains are encouraging 'showrooming'. They include John Lewis, M&S, Staples, Currys and Halfords.

The more forward looking online retailers are providing order online and collect in person. They include Tesco, Sainsbury's, Argos, Amazon and the first 4 in the paragraph above.

At least 3 of our 5 LBS here will match online prices.

Many other stores will match online prices.

Jessops staff may have put up a sign saying thank you for shopping at Amazon. Jessops went bust not because of Amazon but because they ceased to provide consumers with what they wanted. In particular Jessops web offering was dismal. Same goes for Woolworth, HMV, Blockbuster and many others.

Retailers prosper when they provide what the customer wants, if they don't do that they fail. It doesn't matter whether it's a real or a vrtual shop that always applies.

 

[DRHysted]

If my LBS give me that advice I use them (I'm paying for their knowledge as well as the goods).
If I've done my own research, then I use whoever I choose, but in the knowledge that if I've got it wrong I can only blame myself.

My LBS always checks their own website before selling stuff to me, to see if it's cheaper.