http://www.cyclorama.net/blog/ramblings/full-price/
Full price?!
Thursday, April 1st, 2010 by Mick Allan
I worked in cycle shops for over twenty years. Preparations for the Cyclorama Retailers section had me reminiscing about working at the sharp end of the cycle industry. It’s not easy running a bike shop, customer expectations are high and margins are low. Finding and retaining experienced staff at lower than average wages is never easy. And as an employee it was often quite a challenge to retain ones sense of humour when dealing with the general cycling public. Whenever I meet up with my old bike shop mates the talk soon turns to particularly memorable episodes involving certain ‘clients’. ‘Client’ being the code word we used for difficult customers.
Picture the scene, an early season sunny Saturday afternoon, a busy shop and a client who seems genuinely interested. I’ve walked him up the price-points, explaining the fundamental differences between £300, £400, £500, £600 and £700 bikes. He seems a friendly guy. He’s with his wife who waits patiently nearby. He keeps asking questions and I feel like I’m on track for a sale. After an hour or more I approach the close, it seems like he’s struggling to find questions to ask and my shop is getting really busy around us. He has already stated that he definitely wants to purchase a bike today.
Eventually I say; ‘Which bike are you particularly interested in? If you’d like me to have it checked over now it can be ready to go in half an hour’.
He wanders back down the shop, points to a bike and says: ‘What’s your best price?’
‘£300′ says I, ‘Just as it says on the price label Sir’.
You’re not understanding me’, says he. ‘What. Is. Your. Best. Price?’
To which I reply, as politely as is humanly possible, words to the effect that; ‘The price is on the sticker Sir, that’s how much we charge because we are a small but nonetheless full-service cycle shop with a carefully selected range of fine products, knowledgeable staff and a hard earned reputation for the quality of our assembly. That is a brand-new-bike inasmuch as it is not this year’s model but next year’s and has just arrived in store. It represents such great value for money that I do not anticipate having any difficulty selling each and every one that we order. At the suggested retail price. In fact there is a very high likelihood that our supplier will run out of stock half way through the year leaving us crying out for more. Just like they did last year. And the year before that. I’ve been happy to stand here for all this time providing you with all the information you need to make an informed decision on the purchase of a machine which you may likely own for the next decade. That’s the price, right there on the sticker. It represents a gross profit to us of £X, much of which has been absorbed by my wages standing here talking to you. But if it makes the difference between you buying the bike and walking out of here empty handed I am prepared to offer you a discount on any components and accessories you purchase with the bike today.
To which he responded; ‘I don’t want any accessories, just the bike. And let me tell you, (drawing nearer, his eyes fixed to mine) I never. Ever. Pay full price. For anything.
I’ll ask you again; What is your best price?
I said; ‘I’m sorry that we can’t do business today,’ smiled, and walked away.
He stormed out.
Two days later he came back into the shop (without his wife), avoided my gaze, approached another member of staff and bought the bike straight off the shop floor.
I often wondered how on earth he was able to get through life ‘not paying full price for anything’. Supermarkets and petrol stations must have been challenging!
The bottom line is, if we want high quality, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, full-service high-street bicycle retailers to survive in good health we cannot expect them to charge high-volume, low-service, internet retailer prices. We are right to expect high levels of competence and professionalism but we can’t simultaneously beat them up over price.
Bicycle shops, use them or lose them! The world will surely be a poorer place when they’ve gone.
) I wouldn't want Bianchi logos all over it.
