Question for bike shop employees
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,595
Bikes: 1992 Serotta Colorado II,Co-Motion Speedster, Giant Escape Hybrid, 1977 Schwinn Super Le Tour
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 455 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 112 Times
in
85 Posts
Question for bike shop employees
For those of you who work either full or or in a shop what type of discount do you get?
Likes For ClydeClydeson:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 567
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 241 Post(s)
Liked 232 Times
in
153 Posts
Last shop I worked at the discount on parts/accessories/clothing was cost + 10%. Complete bikes were only available pro-form. The nice part is the shop still extends me the cost + 10% on any special order parts & accessories even thought I haven't worked there in 5+ years.
Edit: I forgot to include this: I was a mechanic at the last shop. All tools were at cost. Occasionally the owner would give us the tools.
Edit: I forgot to include this: I was a mechanic at the last shop. All tools were at cost. Occasionally the owner would give us the tools.
Last edited by RGMN; 06-10-21 at 07:16 AM.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,081
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4204 Post(s)
Liked 3,861 Times
in
2,309 Posts
Cost + 10%, as mentioned, is the common discount. I'll add that as a shop owner (in a former life) I did restrict employee purchases in a couple of ways. One was if the product was in short supply. Or if we had too few on hand, I would "strongly suggest" the employee wait for their want to be ordered, to get the discount. The other was when I learned the item wasn't for them but for a friend or a repair they were doing "on the side". Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Kips Bay, NY
Posts: 2,212
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 576 Post(s)
Liked 1,001 Times
in
488 Posts
I guess I was lucky, I got all items at cost.
Likes For DorkDisk:
#6
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,519
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4353 Post(s)
Liked 3,993 Times
in
2,665 Posts
It really depends on the manufacturer or distributor. Some shops may only allow employee purchase through the shop and some may allow you to do it yourself and some manufacturers require you to go through the shop. In the end I will say it is well worth it to work in a shop not just for discounts but valuable learning and a potentially more fun work environment.
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,595
Bikes: 1992 Serotta Colorado II,Co-Motion Speedster, Giant Escape Hybrid, 1977 Schwinn Super Le Tour
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 455 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 112 Times
in
85 Posts
I pay cost + 12% but we can put our purchases bon layaway.
#9
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
#10
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
#11
Senior member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 8,117
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 943 Post(s)
Liked 658 Times
in
371 Posts
A 100% markup equates to 50% margin. The smalls will be well over that, the big stuff, considerably less. 35% margin on bikes was good when I ran my shop. If your business plan is not predicated on those kind of numbers, be prepared to be laughed out of the bank.
Likes For Dan Burkhart:
#12
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,784
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3588 Post(s)
Liked 3,400 Times
in
1,934 Posts
Cost plus 10% is what I got at Trek. And Trek's cost was far below the bike shops' cost. It took me a long time to get over sticker shock at bike shops.
#14
Advocatus Diaboli
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,635
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4733 Post(s)
Liked 1,532 Times
in
1,003 Posts
But it's never really direct to consumer, unless the assembled bike is drop shipped to your door from a factory in China, which I doubt is the case. Just think of the journey the bike's groupset travels before it ends up in your hands (built onto the bike).
#15
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
Yeah, no drive for them to charge less unless another brand begins to offer similar perceived quality for a lower price.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 219
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 111 Post(s)
Liked 69 Times
in
51 Posts
So all those markups and expenses are eliminated.
Canyon will ship directly to me. I do final assembly or hire a local company to do the assembly- and Canyon has worked out a 'deal' (with kickbacks, probably) with them.
A website is a lot cheaper than a brick-and-mortar store with all the costs that are involved there.
But I guess I shouldn't feel too sorry for the LBS, since it sounds like new bike sales are the smallest part of their profits.
And when all the LBS here switched their emphasis to e-bikes, that changed my attitude as well.
#17
Full Member
It really depends on the manufacturer or distributor. Some shops may only allow employee purchase through the shop and some may allow you to do it yourself and some manufacturers require you to go through the shop. In the end I will say it is well worth it to work in a shop not just for discounts but valuable learning and a potentially more fun work environment.
Your math is incorrect.
We're a Trek Dealer. Gone are the days of 'oh, you're an employee? Here's your discount'. Trek makes you watch a ton of product info videos before you're eligible for the maximum discount. (I'd say you have to watch over 30 hours of videos and pass quizzes to get the max level) But as I said earlier, the max discount is a screaming deal which is probably close to a Trek employee's discount.
#18
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
We're a Trek Dealer. Gone are the days of 'oh, you're an employee? Here's your discount'. Trek makes you watch a ton of product info videos before you're eligible for the maximum discount. (I'd say you have to watch over 30 hours of videos and pass quizzes to get the max level) But as I said earlier, the max discount is a screaming deal which is probably close to a Trek employee's discount.
I don't think anyone gives out discounts right away. Ours was after 60 days, IIRC.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Northern Shenandoah Valley
Posts: 4,141
Bikes: More bikes than riders
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1446 Post(s)
Liked 762 Times
in
570 Posts
One of my local bike shops typically marks what I presume is the wholesale price up by 100%, yes. He's got one of those display counters with a glass top designed to have a computer monitor below it. It's not super easy to see what he's looking at, but he doesn't try to hide it, either, and I can usually see what he's seeing as he's looking something up. For typical commodity parts (like a cassette or something like that) that he'd need to order in, I see his price from QBP or J&G or whatever distributor he's using and the price he quotes me is usually double that price. Exceptions are parts with a controlled MSRP -- like Surly frames or forks as an example. He just ordered me a Surly fork on Saturday and it showed him the same $130 MSRP that I can see on the website or that I can get from any other LBS.
Interestingly, my other LBS would typically quote me prices on things that were closer to what I could find online. Maybe they have the same wholesale price and just mark it up less than the other shop, I don't know.
Interestingly, my other LBS would typically quote me prices on things that were closer to what I could find online. Maybe they have the same wholesale price and just mark it up less than the other shop, I don't know.
#20
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
Besides discounts through the shop you can also get pro deals from Shimano. This requires watching a lot of videos and taking quizes afterwards. We didn't get paid for watching Shimano videos, but the deals are pretty good once you get to the top level.
Last edited by LesterOfPuppets; 06-10-21 at 06:47 PM.
#21
Full Member
#22
Advocatus Diaboli
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,635
Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4733 Post(s)
Liked 1,532 Times
in
1,003 Posts
Can anyone watch these videos to get discounts, or you need to work at a shop too?
#23
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
#24
cowboy, steel horse, etc
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 44,837
Bikes: everywhere
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12768 Post(s)
Liked 7,683 Times
in
4,078 Posts
#25
Full Member
I don't work in the day-to-day aspect of the shop, I don't think they do, but I would not object if they watched the videos on company time. Especially during off times in the winter. You learn the products watching the vids. But if someone is 'cramming' to buy a bike, then they do it on their own time. Including the owners who work at the shop daily.