Originally Posted by
vonfilm
I don’t care that much. I’m not losing any sleep over it. I benefitted for many years when people payed what I asked without negotiating or shopping for alternatives. I did learn not to do it myself.
I feel the same way about every product from every industry.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
There are a lot of bike shops around the world that struggle to keep their doors open, but manage to do so every day. If they can sell an occasional $14k bike to a customer that is in the market to buy a $14k bike, more power to them. If that helps keep their employees paid, and the doors open to serve the needs of the local bike community, I'm in favor of it.
Alternately, there is a LBS in my area that specializes in high-end bikes. If you want to spend $10k+ on the latest and greatest European super-bike, that's the shop for you. The owner has done VERY well for himself, financially, by tapping into the high-end niche in a way that is different than other shops in the area, and has a customer base to support it. You might see his success negatively. I just see a successful business...and a ton of happy customers.