PhotoJoe 

Good call. Every credit/debit card purchase costs around 2.5% and they have to price the bike assuming you'll use plastic. If you offer cash, they won't be charged that and may be willing to pass that on. Again, no money out of the owner's pocket while saving you money.

Nachoman

Join a club. Lots of bike shops give discounts to local cycling clubs.
Around here, you would get between a 10 and 20 percent discount.

GlennR

Mine was a Project One custom build, I paid 50% at the time of order. And they passed the saving of credit card fees on to me. After all said and done i saved about $15 off the price listed on Trek's website.

GlennR

I see you beat me to it...

I got "Tree'd"

RoadTire 

Haggling isn't a game for the retailers here in the US - it's an annoyance. I'm the only one in my family that hasn't worked retail, so have listened to 3 kids and my wife talk about appreciating and good customers getting breaks and assistance, while time-wasters just do nothing but ... waste time. Sales folk don't make enough to put up with it. Why not just get your fantasy jollies at a LBS that already has prices you like?

Not saying that asking for a better price, offering cash to get a discount, etc, is wrong, I do that when it seems appropriate, but haggling on bikes? Come on....

GlennR

Agreed... nothing wrong with asking, but beating up the LBS is poor form.

I did ask this general question at a few Trek dealers "When buying a Project One bike is there any flexibility in the price given by Trek"? Two said no, the price you see is the price you pay. One said they'd "work with me". And one said they'd only wanted to sell what was in stock and showed me a SLR 6 at full list price.

I purchased from the one that said they're work with me... and they sure did.

Hmmm

I don't haggle with the LBS. It's rude and disrespectful.

Sy Reene

Do LBS shops take a lot of product on consignment or some sort of deal with the manufacturers that if product doesn't sell they can either return to manufacturer or manufacturer will rebate some money to the LBS if it ends up in inventory after the season? ie. so they can sell at lower price and not lose money?

eg.. I recently bought a Pearl Izumi quest jersey for about $28 from an online retailer. Not sure if last season's or not. Most stores regular retail on this is $65. We commonly hear that that LBS aren't making money, but this to me indicates most stores are selling at least at a 100% markup (on clothing anyway). Does the bargaining position begin with the 100% markup knowledge, or are some shops (online or not) getting discounts from the manufacturers as the season gets toward the end but only on new inventory they order from the distributors?

CliffordK

Personally I never haggle over "new" stuff.
Although I could imagine doing it a bit over a custom build.

However, I sometimes do at the local co-op. Often filled with used trash. About 10% of the stuff is marked, 90% of the stuff the person checking out makes up prices on the spot. I might point out a broken spoke in a wheel or something.

Or, the other day I wanted a extra-wide rim, which was built into a wheel. I didn't want the hub, the spokes probably wouldn't work for me... tire was worn down. They wanted too much for the wheel, so I left it. I'll probably pay more for the "right" rim new somewhere else, or keep my eye open for a thrift store beater that I can salvage the parts I need off of, now that I have an idea of what should be available.

MikeyBoyAz

@[Sy Reene] New bikes on the showroom floor are capitol purchased by the LBS. In my favorite LBS's case, their profit on high end bikes is marginal at best. Accessories are typically over 100% but as much as 200% marked up. Online retailers don't have sales staff or showroom overhead and can order just-in-time in many cases, minimizing tied up capitol. Typically the manufacturers have a minimum allowed advertised price, but once the model year is over the items can be liquidated without penalty of violating MAAP which is likely why you found the product for so cheap.

bt

how about the price beggars that don't have money in hand...

smh

coldehammer

I'd refrain from using the term "haggle" to negotiating. It is part of the purchasing experience, same as buying a car. I don't sympathize with the LBS owners, they know what their bottom dollar is and know how it works. They are not rookies either.

I usually ask what is involved in their bike price. More often than not, they include "free one year warranty, 10% off accessories on the next purchase, etc". I add that all up and say . . I just want the bike - I don't need any of that. Let's negotiate on that and lower the price . . usually both of us are happy.

RollCNY

I also think haggling is regional. In some markets, it is expected. In some markets, it is rude. We met NYC folks in Jamaica who found the best part of the trip to be that every price on everything can be haggled. I found that to be the worst part of the trip.

2702

I would think a bike over 2k is worth asking about a discount. Lower than that, forget it unless I am in China or Asia where that stuff happens all the time but I hear its going the opposite way now pay the list price or just walk.

WHOOOSSHHH...

Why not just beat em down and offer to pay full price for the tires if they'll throw in the bike...sheesssshhh
By the way 2k is a nice price for a starter bike. It's not like they'll go outta business if they lose your $200-$300 profit

StanSeven

I haggle where that's the buying norm like autos and home improvement. I don't in other situations like dentists, accountants, and bike shops.

hueyhoolihan

if you want to haggle. just haggle. rationalizing it serves no purpose.

coasting 

I totally agree that having a good regular LBS is important but let's not put these bike shop businesses on a pedestal, shall we. I have had excellent service from a good and honest owner and in that situation I will not only not try to haggle price down but may even pay more: I was looking for a £25 stem and he said he was out of stock but had a £40 model. I bought it because I know the owner is honest.

Before I found my go-to shop, I came across a whole bunch of crooks who saw a new customer as a good target for their shenanigens. One shop quoted me a ridiculous price for changing bar tape and when I questioned it, he said it was a major operation that would take him 45 mins and need to strip the front end to put the tape on. oh please! He was not the only one to try that one on.

MRT2

No, seems like a pointless thing to haggle over. The bike sat in a showroom and may have been built as recently as 5 or 6 months ago or, at most, a year ago. Do you feel the need to replace one year old tires with less than 50 miles on them? Besides, the "new" tires the bike shop is likely to throw in for free might be even older stock than the ones they are replacing.

rpenmanparker 

No, it's actually not. It is how business is conducted. Win-win negotiating is always in good form.

sam_cyclist

Most test rides are very short. Typically a few miles. Let's say an average of 5 miles (perhaps a bit high?), and maybe 20 test rides (a bit high also), so, 100 miles of test riding.

An average set of tires might last you 3K miles. Is it really worth replacing them at (maybe) 100 miles, when they still have 3K miles left? If you are concerned about some dirt on the tires, you can easily wipe them off with water and a rag, 10 seconds per tire. However, the tires will get dirty again a few seconds into your first ride.

RR3

I have never haggled with the LBS. Always paid what they asked kinda out of pity....they obviously work with really low margins. Bike shops aren't what they used to be....no service, never have what you want to buy, and they have zero spare parts to sell you. I now just buy my stuff online and do all my own work.

Buying a motor vehicle? I just tell them what I am paying. If they don't accept, I walk. They call the next day.

MRT2

Likely fewer miles. Op is likely to put more wear on the tires on his first ride as they have on them now.

bt

such a shrewd business person you are....

coldehammer

It's a dog eat dog world out there . . why add a "service" when I know darn well I'll do it myself?