Negotiation:how much is too much?
 

When starting negotiating on a bike, what’s a good offer to start with a 2021 model Trek Emonda? The MSRP is 3400 euro but I know almost nobody pays MSRP. I don’t want to offend the dealer and risk having a bad relation with the only trek dealer in my city. I am looking at the lower tier 2700 euro 105 version undiscounted but if I can get the Ultegra model for a similar price I would jump on that.

I'll be interested to hear if any negotiation is possible these days....

Ask the shop what they would take. Offer to pay cash.

When I bought my 2015 Emonda SLR, before I asked the cost, I told the shop owner that I knew it was a special order and i'd pay cash upfront. I received a 22% discount off of list.

I assume we are talking about the Émonda SL 6 (€ 3399) which retails at £2900 on the Trek UK offiial E-store (€ 3189). It's very unlikely you will negotiate a price anywhere near the € 2700 mark. I've worked in the bike retail sector in the past for about 6 years, you'd be lucky to get 5% off the cost off a new model (about € 200). And as a retailer we'd what to shift the older stock first. With the state of the current supply issues caused by covid-19 and the high demand for bicycles world wide, it's a sellers market...putting the buyer in a less favourable possition to bargin. So lets say your Trek dealer gets the bike stocked in that store for € 2559, mark up is 36% = retail price € 3999...that 36% mark up is his profit less operating costs. He also has less to sell (supply issues again) so every cent he makes keeps his store open...And if you don't buy it at € 3399, then sure as eggs is eggs, some one will.

But as Mahatma Gandhi once said, "If you don't ask, you don't get."

Prepare to pay retail. Bikes are rarer these days...If you don't buy it, the next guy will...

Why would you expect to get Ultegra for the price of 105?

I'd think negotiation works best when you can refer to other options that you're also considering, at the pricepoint you wish to negotiate down to.

This is true. There are very few bikes in inventory right now. Shopped have mo motivation to sell at a discount. Now, maybe if you had bought several bikes from them.

This ^ Simple supply and demand. Now, you may be able to find a used one in a couple months when people realize they arent so into this as they thought when they impulse bought their bike...

I bought 4 bikes since June. Two were $1300 each, one was $2300, and the fourth was $2,900. Total discount - $0.00. The stores just laughed when I asked. They didn’t care if I walked. Same for shoes, clothes, helmets, pedals, and much other stuff.

You outfighting a team?

Yes, during Covid...there's 10x the demand than supply.

Sort of. A team of two.

Wife and I bought hybrids in June. Then, I decided I wanted a Domane. Found one I just had to have. Of course, she could not be outdone, so a Roubaix found its way on the rack when I brought the Domane home.

Retail therapy is frequently utilized in our house. Its only a problem if they stop printing currency.

Well, thanks for stimulating the economy ;)

BTW, when my wife bought her new bike, she negotiated a larger replacement "seat" and a kickstand for free. So you might not get a reduction on the bike but maybe have some accessories or free tune ups tossed in.
If the "seat" was any larger it would be made by Lazyboy.
https://i.imgur.com/pdDBNcq.jpg

Really? I just turn around and walk away from guys like you. Luckily I'm a mechanic and rarely have to deal with sales...it's bad enough when people don't value your skill...for something they obviously don't know how to do. Do you ask for discounts at the market? Do you negotiate the price of gasoline?

I have a home based business that I restore ignition distributors. Certain owners understand what I do and are thrilled I provide a service at a reasonable price. Others always ask for a discount and some give me a sob story. I tell them if they can't afford my price then maybe they can't afford a "hobby" car. Also if I discount them then should I offer a refund for everyone else I serviced for the past 20 years.

I to have some links to POW/MIA sites on my homepage and some tell me that they served. I usually give them a discount even though they never asked.

I know a number of businesses that offer discount to military and first responders.

lol. We stimulate the economy on a regular basis.

It's a business transaction. No reason to take it personally...Up until we bought my wife's new road bike a few months ago, I had NEVER paid retail on a new bike . I wouldn't even have considered it. Before COVID, discounts were easily obtained...Things are different with all the supply chain issues now. I didn't ask for a dollar off of my wife's bike because I knew that...

If you know of a shop selling the exact same bike for the exact same bike then walk in with the ad and cash, not credit card, in hand and ask if he will come close to the price. Don't necessarily expect him to match the price since he'll be handing you a built and tuned bike that should come with at least 1 free tune after a break in period. Whereas unless you can assemble your own bike, and you'd be amazed at all the ways people screw up basic assembly, and you know how to deal with minor shipping damage that often occurs; then thank him for his time when he says no and go buy it from online. I get that shops need to make money and that they have to have a proper markup, but if I'm to have the best I can afford in this hobby I'll pay what I can since I also have to shop for 5. It doesn't get me the newest but 3 of the last 4 bikes I bought were being clearanced by the manufacturer, I just had to go to the dealer and order the item at the new price which meant I got my discount while the shop got their full mark up. It meant a previous year's model but still brand new.

Unless I had no bikes, I wouldn't buy a bike right now. if I did, I would expect to get totally worked over on the price.

When certain sports cars are really desired and production can't meet demand (or the manufacturer limits production to increase desirability,) dealers add Huge markups .... because they can. If you want one, you have to pay for one.

Bike .... well, manufacturers know that people would pay ridiculous prices even before the CCP virus .... now, when everything is in short supply, I certainly wouldn't expect any rhythm from a dealer.

Offer cash and show a wad of bills, explaining that it is X hundred less than the dealer is asking but all you have. Maybe the dealer will go for it.

If I really wanted a new bike, I would wait for a year---hopefully the world's health will have improved some by then, and the market will be glutted with people who bought bikes they stopped riding once the bars and gyms re-opened. Then, maybe leftover 2021 models might be worth the mark-up.

Right now and until next fall, I would shop used. I would be ridiculously patient, and wait for the Dentist's Special that had all the good stuff that a high-income hobbyist can afford, and which had only a few hundred miles on it. expect these will be showing up before too long.

This winter was finally going to be the time I was going to buy a second bike. That's not happening.

Even tubes are going for huge markups nowadays. My local shop is down to 7 tubes TOTAL for road bikes.

Another forum claims Specialized is hiking prices dramatically in a week.

im seeing colnago CLX Ultegra disc for 2600, Canyon Ultimate Ultegra disc for 2700, Giant TCR Ultegra discs for 2600 and many other bikes that have similar specs (sometimes even better specs in cases like giant and the canyon) that don’t cost anywhere near 3300. Also not saying 2700 exactly, even 2900 will do

lmao calm down buddy it’s just a question

No negotiation on bike price. Maybe ask about some water bottle cages or something.

There's very low markup on bikes.