"...then bought what we wanted for a lower price on Amazon..."
Interestingly enough my local bike store is pretty much the opposite for me.
I bought a new/last year’s model for $400-450 off MSRP. I paid them $90 for a 3 year service plan (Bring it in whenever I want for 100 mile checkups, 10% off everything.) and so far they’ve had it up on the rack twice and I’ve spent another $300.
They make me laugh a lot when they told me they had someone in that bought a bike on a nameless online discount store and it was a nameless bike they spent $900 on that was “Comparable to Specialized or Canondale”. You know where this is going right?
So $90 to put it together, $150 more to get parts that fit/worked and another $100 in labor and that $900 bike became $1,240 with no guarantee because it had been altered from the kit that came in the box.... that didn’t work.
Oh and my last year’s brand name bike that was $1,500 was $1,040.
So, how did that discount work out for you?
“It is wonderful when people visit our local bicycle shop, talk to the owner about bikes, helmets, and accessories for an hour...and then drive home to order online to save $5.00.”
Agree. Online shopping is good for some stuff, like books and groceries, but I like Mom and Pops (the few that are left) for bigger items.
Five bucks, yeah not worth it. But 50 or a 100? Worth it.
I almost always research online then buy local. I even do so for our local Best Buy, which everyone seems to hate, as I would rather try to keep people employed than get ten bucks off an item.
I used to be into bikes and I always bought everything at our local bike shop. They are still around and I will be going there soon to get new tires and handlebars for my old Trek mountain bike so I can start riding again up in northern Michigan.
Which is why I always support my LBS. The only thing I’ve ordered online was a skin suit ... And that’s only because the local didn’t carry them.