Did you get a discount at all off list/ rrp?

p1tse

I was at cyclesurgery and just asked a quick cheeky question, is that the best price? guy replied back yes, no movement

alihisgreat

Its best to ask for a price match.. I got £100 off my bike (and £40 of goodies thrown in + free first service etc.) which was £200 cheaper on-line

a lot of shops will be willing to price match smaller stuff too.

p1tse

Thanks

I assume price match the other places / online will have to show as in stock?

Grill

I love my lbs but at the end of the day my loyalty lies with my wallet. As others have suggested see if they'll price match and if not buy elsewhere.

Wobblehead

Grill wrote:

I love my lbs but at the end of the day my loyalty lies with my wallet. As others have suggested see if they'll price match and if not buy elsewhere.

Pretty much what Grill says, don't mind paying a few quid more though as they will look after me in different ways, jumping queue's with repairs, free tweaks to bike, few free repairs as well.

Just bought a cracking bike from them at a great price, don't think I could have beaten it if I had tried (tried a bit but failed)

Always good to stay on the right side of them.

charlie_potatoes

My LBS has always made it clear that he is up for a haggle.
When I do replace mine in the new year I will be looking to spend a fair few quid. I won't be wanting to pay list price during these troubled times

slowondefy2

Asking along the lines of, 'Is that the best you can do?' isn't a good start. It looks like you're saying, 'Yes, I've decided that I want this bike and I can pay the asking price, but I'm just looking for what I can get'. The salesman knows that all they have to do is stick to their guns and you'll be getting the debit card out.

Better is to essentially ignore the asking price and simply offer an amount. Obviously you have to start above the price of the next model down the line-up, otherwise the salesman might simply offer you that bike instead and you do have to have a bit of a rapport!

But I'm as rubbish as the next person at getting money off. I find buying cars a nightmare!

Wobblehead

slowondefy2 wrote:

Asking along the lines of, 'Is that the best you can do?' isn't a good start. It looks like you're saying, 'Yes, I've decided that I want this bike and I can pay the asking price, but I'm just looking for what I can get'. The salesman knows that all they have to do is stick to their guns and you'll be getting the debit card out.

Better is to essentially ignore the asking price and simply offer an amount. Obviously you have to start above the price of the next model down the line-up, otherwise the salesman might simply offer you that bike instead and you do have to have a bit of a rapport!

But I'm as rubbish as the next person at getting money off. I find buying cars a nightmare!

If it is a debit card you need to be looking at a more expensive bike to start with...

p1tse

Well I said its a 2012 model is that best price, when I've already hinted my budget is closer to the next model down thinking he might just want a sell lol

Wobblehead

p1tse wrote:

Well I said its a 2012 model is that best price, when I've already hinted my budget is closer to the next model down thinking he might just want a sell lol

If there is no movement on price, try to get stuff thrown in, they will be probably be on high margins on extras, what is worth £40 to you costs them £20

cookeeemonster

I've bought a fair amount of stuff at cycle surgery using price match - even for full price stuff for half price because it was in the sale elsewhere (and unlike Evans, they're not picky on who they choose to price match)

Basically it must be in stock elsewhere but that's about it. The Internet is your friend here

Else tell them to knock £100 off or you'll go elsewhere

slowondefy2

Wobblehead wrote:

If it is a debit card you need to be looking at a more expensive bike to start with...

? I've bought cars over £10,000 with a debit card. And why the snobbishness about expense?

Wacky Racer

If you;re going to haggle, you need to be positive. If you tell them it's the product you want, but you are able to get a better deal elsewhere, and be up front with them about it. Tell them that you'd prefer to buy it from your LBS, but only if they can help out on the price. Be prepared to walk away, you can bet they will try to win your business.

stepdavi

I got a trek mad one 3.5 2012 about 4 months ago for £1280 (rrp £1800) from royles in wilmslow, I know its not cycle surgery but it can be done

MountainMonster

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

And about Debit Cards, the transaction fee for debit cards tends to only be about 20p or so, so I think anything over a 5er is acceptable for cards. It's credit cards that are the problem.

meesterbond

MountainMonster wrote:

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

And about Debit Cards, the transaction fee for debit cards tends to only be about 20p or so, so I think anything over a 5er is acceptable for cards. It's credit cards that are the problem.

John Lewis will price match on everything ('never knowingly undersold') so yep, would definitely ask for a discount there. PC World would generally have to pay me to go in there, so less of an issue.

charlie_potatoes

MountainMonster wrote:

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

I would and do so often.
There are some good deals to be had if you have the front to haggle

Wacky Racer

Just been to my LBS and made three purchases to the tune of £200. Got 10% off just by asking for it. They get to keep my business, I save £20. We are both happy.

Anonymous

Best place to haggle is the Waitrose Deli counter

Wobblehead

slowondefy2 wrote:

Wobblehead wrote:

If it is a debit card you need to be looking at a more expensive bike to start with...

? I've bought cars over £10,000 with a debit card. And why the snobbishness about expense?

Tongue in cheek comment aimed at people with a sense of humour :roll:

MountainMonster

meesterbond wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

And about Debit Cards, the transaction fee for debit cards tends to only be about 20p or so, so I think anything over a 5er is acceptable for cards. It's credit cards that are the problem.

John Lewis will price match on everything ('never knowingly undersold') so yep, would definitely ask for a discount there. PC World would generally have to pay me to go in there, so less of an issue.

Price matching and discounting are two very different things, though. Which is why I ask why do people ask for discounts. Price matching is common place, but so many people seem to feel they are entitled to a special discount just because they have bought x amount of goods. The people who say they will leave a shop if they don't get a discount is disgraceful, why such a sense of entitlement.

Wacky Racer

MountainMonster wrote:

meesterbond wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

And about Debit Cards, the transaction fee for debit cards tends to only be about 20p or so, so I think anything over a 5er is acceptable for cards. It's credit cards that are the problem.

John Lewis will price match on everything ('never knowingly undersold') so yep, would definitely ask for a discount there. PC World would generally have to pay me to go in there, so less of an issue.

Price matching and discounting are two very different things, though. Which is why I ask why do people ask for discounts. Price matching is common place, but so many people seem to feel they are entitled to a special discount just because they have bought x amount of goods. The people who say they will leave a shop if they don't get a discount is disgraceful, why such a sense of entitlement.

A ridiculous statement, and condescending too! I am entitled to decide what I want to pay for something, the shopkeeper is entitled to get the best price he can. There is virtually always somewhere in between that will satisfy both parties. I work damn hard for my money, no-one has suggested a discount is an entitlement, but the right to ask for one definitely is. I am perfectly at liberty to walk away from a deal, for any reason I like. It's up to the seller to entice me, not the other way around.

MountainMonster

Wacky Racer wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

meesterbond wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Why is it everyone asks for discounts on bikes from shops, and walks away if they don't give them. You wouldn't ask for discounts at PCWorld or John Lewis, so what makes bikes so different?

And about Debit Cards, the transaction fee for debit cards tends to only be about 20p or so, so I think anything over a 5er is acceptable for cards. It's credit cards that are the problem.

John Lewis will price match on everything ('never knowingly undersold') so yep, would definitely ask for a discount there. PC World would generally have to pay me to go in there, so less of an issue.

Price matching and discounting are two very different things, though. Which is why I ask why do people ask for discounts. Price matching is common place, but so many people seem to feel they are entitled to a special discount just because they have bought x amount of goods. The people who say they will leave a shop if they don't get a discount is disgraceful, why such a sense of entitlement.

A ridiculous statement, and condescending too! I am entitled to decide what I want to pay for something, the shopkeeper is entitled to get the best price he can. There is virtually always somewhere in between that will satisfy both parties. I work damn hard for my money, no-one has suggested a discount is an entitlement, but the right to ask for one definitely is. I am perfectly at liberty to walk away from a deal, for any reason I like. It's up to the seller to entice me, not the other way around.

I'm not saying asking is the problem, I just feel it is a bit wrong to not shop at a shop based on the fact they won't provide discounts for no reason other than you wanting one. I may see it a bit differently though having worked in retail for many years, and saw first hand things like this. Everyone is entitled to their own way though!

MisterMuncher

I think there's a sort of unwritten set of rules about where you can and can't ask for a discount, and definitely a subset of shops that expect it and factor it into their business model.

Offhand: car dealers, musical instrument shops, collectors items/antiques, most LBS. Anywhere where there's a degree of autonomy for the salesperson and generally fairly hefty margins. Coincidentally, also the businesses most likely to feel a squeeze from e-commerce despite the obvious advantages of seeing/trying items in person.

p1tse

Buying a high end bike I envisage it like buying a car, being your top list of expensive items
Places set as rrp, i was just questioning do people just except the rrp from retail?

I imagine most small lbs will give a small discount or most likely discount off accessories where the margins are higher

As for john Lewis you pay for their service and after sales and they price match
As for pc world and a like I would still ask, as the number of times I've heard people ask for discount of computer, big cooking appliances and actually getting something

Some places I won't bother for example Apple are set!

cookeeemonster

When buying motorcycles/scooters from the last few years I've done the following...

Find 5 (or more?) of the nearest shops to you that sell the bike you want, and email/call asking for the best price they can give (or what accessories they can throw in etc). You then take the best reply and ask the next two or three if they can beat it...usually they can. Then go back to the first one who gave you the best deal and ask them to beat that.

Saved me around £500 each time, some people get a lot more depending on the amount of competition of the dealers and brand you're after (i.e. you wont get as much choice with a specialist or little known brand).