What sort of discount should I expect?

Nuggs

Hi Gang

I'm off to my LBS to order my first road bike at the weekend. I'm wondering what sort of discount I should expect/push for (if any).

I'm spending a decent amount of money and would hope they could do some sort of a deal. On the other hand, I don't want to be a dick and demand something unreasonable - I want these guys to be my mates, let me spend the winter drooling over things in their shop and help me keep my bike in good running order...

My shopping list is:

Bike: £1,300
Shoes: £80
Pedals: £40
Cleats: £14
Mitts: £20
Cages: £12
Bottles: £8
CO2 Pump: £18

GRAND TOTAL: £1,492

What do you reckon?

APIII

I reckon:
1. Most shops will give regular customers a discount. Have you bought much from there before?
2. My LBS offers a 10% discount to members of the local club or the CTC. Worth checking if yours does a similar thing
3. Shops that offer 0% finance will often be willing to offer a cash discount in place of this, as it works out cheaper for them in the long run.
4. If none of the above, just ask. There's usually a bit of give somewhere along the line, mostly in the form of discounted accessories, free servicing, etc.

Nuggs

Thanks for the advice

APIII wrote:

1. Most shops will give regular customers a discount. Have you bought much from there before?

No -it's my first bike for 15 years. I'm planning to spend a lot more with them over the years though!

RufusA

I guess a lot depends on the LBS, and how much margin they have on the bike.

FWIW when buying a Spesh Sirrus off my local LBS for £500 with around £200 of accessories, they were happy to knock just over £100 off the total price.

Assuming available margins are similar it would be nice to hope that all of the accessories could be thrown in for free (along with initial set up etc.)

Rufus.

milese

I'd say 10% minimum, as long as your not having finance.

grayo59

I bought a new Specialized allez last month at a LBS in Bristol last month and they gave 10% off the bike and accessories.

acorn_user

The margin on bikes is poor, but the margin on accesories is usually pretty good. You might get some slack on the gear. Btw, your pedals will probably include cleats.

Random Vince

most bike shops will tell you to come back in a month or so for the cables tightneing and the bike checking over for free.

webbhost

Bike: £1,300
Shoes: £80
Pedals: £40
Cleats: £14
Mitts: £20
Cages: £12
Bottles: £8
CO2 Pump: £18

I know its a little off topic, but you said you are getting a CO2 pump, however I see no standard pump in your list? CO2 is ok for on the roads, but give it a few days and your tyres will tend to go very very soft as CO2 leaks out. Happened to me, and a few other people on here when I posted asking about it.

Just thought I'd mention to save yourself alot of fustration thiking you have a flat one day.

Nuggs

webbhost wrote:

Bike: £1,300
Shoes: £80
Pedals: £40
Cleats: £14
Mitts: £20
Cages: £12
Bottles: £8
CO2 Pump: £18

I know its a little off topic, but you said you are getting a CO2 pump, however I see no standard pump in your list? CO2 is ok for on the roads, but give it a few days and your tyres will tend to go very very soft as CO2 leaks out. Happened to me, and a few other people on here when I posted asking about it.

Just thought I'd mention to save yourself alot of fustration thiking you have a flat one day.

Yup - I'm going to order a Renkompressor. My LBS don't have any in stock...

PHcp

What are the prices you're quoting, are they RRP or has the shop already discounted them?
Do your research, how much do these thing cost from an internet box shifter?
If there's little difference, the shop aren't going to have a lot of margin to play with.
If there's a big difference, make it clear that you know this, that you'd rather buy from them, that you understand they can't match the internet, then see what they can offer.
How much over the cheapest you're prepared to pay depends on how highly you value the service you're getting, there's no right or wrong.

HungryCol

10% as a rule of thumb but round down if you can and dont quibble over a few quid.

graham_g

HungryCol wrote:

dont quibble over a few quid.

This is a biggie - nothing gives worse kharma than arguing down to the nearest pound when you're already spending hundreds. Especially when you then go down the pub after and whack £20 in the gambers

feel

too late now possibly but i always suggest sorting out the discounts before you actually say what you want. eg "what discount could you give me on this £800 bike, what if i stretched to this £1000, or maybe even that £1300 one" Don't say everything you want straightaway or give the impression that you are definitely going to buy today. It also helps if you know the price of some of the bigger things on the internet and see how close they will get to those prices. Having said that i don't mind paying a little bit over the odds at my LBS because of all the help and advice they give me.

1892

If you haven't already decided what bike your having you will get a better discount on an older model go for a 2007 model not a 2008 there might not be a lot of difference between the two other than colour.
I got a 2006 model about 1/2 price in september because the new range(2008) had just come out & they wanted rid of it, still seeing the same bike for sale now for more than I paid for it.

Slipknotjonny

The average LBS will be looking at a profit margin of around 30 - 38% on new bikes, with some margins on the more exclusive marques being much tighter than this.

The big mark up is on the accessories, so you might be able to get them to include accessories that you need, or get more expensive accessories than you had planned but negotiate a better deal on them.

To be honest I would not be doing anymore than a 5% discount on a spend of less than £600

Nuggs

Slipknotjonny wrote:

To be honest I would not be doing anymore than a 5% discount on a spend of less than £600

I ended up spending quite a bit more than that...

In the end I got a good discount (10%), a few freebies and a whole lot of (priceless) goodwill.

top_bhoy

1892 wrote:

If you haven't already decided what bike your having you will get a better discount on an older model go for a 2007 model not a 2008 there might not be a lot of difference between the two other than colour.
I got a 2006 model about 1/2 price in september because the new range(2008) had just come out & they wanted rid of it, still seeing the same bike for sale now for more than I paid for it.

...and colour aside, sometimes the differences between years are huge. It pays to check and compare the specs before buying. If it is only the colour which is the difference and its cheaper, you're onto a winner!!!

top_bhoy

Nuggs wrote:

Slipknotjonny wrote:

To be honest I would not be doing anymore than a 5% discount on a spend of less than £600

I ended up spending quite a bit more than that...

In the end I got a good discount (10%), a few freebies and a whole lot of (priceless) goodwill.

Well done! Sounds like everyone is satisfied with their lot.

Felix-da-house-mouse

I bought Lucy last year and asked about 0% finance which i was almost putting pen to paper when i asked if i pay now what discount do i get and the ended up knocking around £150 off which is around 10% i guess but then i tried to wangle a free chainlock which was reduced from £35 to £12 he nearly chewed my ear off so watch how far you push them. lol