Do you ask for discount for brand new bike?

brit66

I'm thinking of buying a new bike from my LBS (£1899).

Has anyone asked for and got any discount off a brand new bike from their LBS (full retail price, not already discounted)? If no money off, what about something like a tyre of two thrown in instead?

Being British, I've never really done the haggling thing, but if I hear others have been successful I might give it a try. After all, £1,900 is no small sum of money.

w00dster

Have quite often had 10% off the price.
On one occasion the LBS was unable to reduce the price but they did throw in quite a lot of clothing and pedals.
I've found that buying the bike and building the relationship with the LBS has been more valuable in the long run. Pretty much everything I buy is a now at 10% discount.

Dazza993

I don't think anyone should ever be ashamed of asking for a discount. I know it mightn't be the British thing to do be there's a saying in Newcastle which goes "Shy bairns get nowt" (shy children get nothing)

What's the worst that's going to happen? They say no and you still buy the bike anyway.

As w00dster says, ask for a discount or ask for some accessories to be included. Quite often accessories will have a lower cost to the shop but a higher value to you as a purchaser. You then feel you've got a bargain but it hasn't cost the LBS as much as the RRP for the accessories.

Also some bike shops will offer you the ability to put the bike (especially a £1900 bike) on 0% finance. This costs them, so if you're paying by cash/card then 10-15% discount in lieu of the 0% finance should be expected.

alihisgreat

You can always quote the online price and see what they say...

Nothing like trying to get them to price match wiggle/ribble/CRC etc. to wind them up

kajjal

New bike prices tend to be fixed by the brands much like ipad prices. They do have manufacturers discounts from time to time and end of season sales can be good value with 20%+ reductions. Strangely if something is offered at 0% finance legally it can't be offered for less not using finance as this means you are being charged for the finance.

As above try for a discount, extras thrown in and watch out for fake sales where over priced bikes are reduced to still too high prices. Price match is also useful.

craigus89

If they can't budge on the price, then ask if they can throw in other bits you're likely getting like pedals, bottle cages etc. not much money but it all helps.

Place I got mine from had already discounted the bike loads so I had them chuck in pedals, cages and Garmin sensors which would have set me back £100 +

slowmart

Have you a specific model or brand in mind?

Discounts on this years bikes will start towards September so it's only a matter of timing

Search online for the best price, use this comparison as a narrative with the local shop - while you want to establish and build a relationship with your LBS what can they do?

BTW. Site rules mean post a pic when the deed is done.

DKay

I always find that the way you ask for a discount makes a difference. If you just outright ask for one, then it comes across as a bit cheeky. But, if you say that you've seen it cheaper elsewhere, but you really want to give your business to a local shop (even if you're not local!) and then broach the topic of what can they do on the price, then that usually works.

As already said though, if they can't budge on the price, they will almost always throw in some freebies instead.

Grill

Kajjal wrote:

New bike prices tend to be fixed by the brands much like ipad prices. They do have manufacturers discounts from time to time and end of season sales can be good value with 20%+ reductions. Strangely if something is offered at 0% finance legally it can't be offered for less not using finance as this means you are being charged for the finance.

As above try for a discount, extras thrown in and watch out for fake sales where over priced bikes are reduced to still too high prices. Price match is also useful.

There are very few brands that operate this way (Spec and Trek being the obvious). Even then reseller agreements are typically based around advertising discounts, so they'll typically still give you 10% if you ask.

ayjaycee

My LBS gave me 15% off on production of my Armed Forces ID card last year - that was off the £900 ish RRP of a 2015 Specialized Allez Elite.

Even without such ID, it won't cost you anything to ask!

foggymike

As above, what are you interested in?

napoleond

I shoplifted from Wiggle the other day. Filled my basket with all sorts of expensive booty then left the page without paying.

Gaz777

My LBS has discounted all my new bikes, and not just end of line items. My last purchase was a 2015 bike in August 2014. It was a brand new model and one of the first in the country I believe. I still got 12.5% off the list price. It made the bike a similar cost to Internet bikes from different brands (at a similar spec) but with the back up of an actual shop.

DeVlaeminck

Shop closest to me offer any club/BC/CTC etc member 10% off parts/accessories and 5% off bikes and don't even ask for evidence you are in a club. I would be amazed if a shop wouldn't offer you at least 5% if you ask - I'd actually ask outright but do it politely - say you like it but it's a bit over budget is there any flexibility on the price.

Giraffoto

NapoleonD wrote:

I shoplifted from Wiggle the other day. Filled my basket with all sorts of expensive booty then left the page without paying.

It was the perfect crime until you bragged about it online . . .

Back on topic - yes, and I got one. The best way to ask is to get the question in before the price is mentioned:
"What price can you do that for?" seems to be a good way to phrase it.

964cup

I always ask for a discount, or a deal, on anything where there's even the slightest chance the person serving me can authorise one, or can ask someone else to. Why would you ever pay more than you had to? Before you all jump on me, note that I would, and do, pay more for something from a local shop than I would on-line, because locality, after-sales support (and immediate availability where relevant) are part of the offer, so I'm getting more value. By definition, therefore, the shop has to have those two (or three) things to merit charging me any more than the best available market price.

Omar Little

Worth bearing in mind that it costs most shops about 10-15% of the price if the purchase goes through via a cycle to work scheme (with a 3rd party taking that slice to provide the admin etc.) So if paying cash then i'd expect no less than 10% off of RRP.

Matthewfalle

Yup - always ask for discount, whether it be club, military or cheeky.

Production of a MOD 90 in certain towns get 50% off no questions on anything, which is nice

stueys

LBS's make resonable margin on bikes, on components and accessories not so much. But the real value with an LBs is forming a long term relationship with the guys (if it's a good one) which will probably prove more valuable to you long term. So always worth asking, you'll get some movement, but throwing things in is less painful for them (service, kit, etc).

jswba

I would ask them to throw in a couple of services instead of a discount (assuming they've not already offered them to you as part of the price). My LBS (M Steel in Newcastle) gives you three services in twelve months with every bike purchase, which is a pretty good deal IMO.

djhermer

NapoleonD wrote:

I shoplifted from Wiggle the other day. Filled my basket with all sorts of expensive booty then left the page without paying.

They'll keep peppering you with "Was something wrong?" emails until you cave in.