LBS vs Mail Order

[Mike V]

I need two of the same part. It was a non stock item for the LBS. The mail order had it in stock. Ordered and payed in full at LBS and they told me it would be 3-5 business days. Went home and ordered and got email saying 3-5 days. Let's see what happens.

[duff_duffy]

Are we betting? Taking sides?

[weisan]

.

[giordana93]

Originally Posted by Mike V

I need two of the same part. It was a non stock item for the LBS. The mail order had it in stock. Ordered and payed in full at LBS and they told me it would be 3-5 business days. Went home and ordered and got email saying 3-5 days. Let's see what happens.

and your point is?

[Blue Jays]

Should be a great race! Campagnolo part will be faster than Shimano or SRAM.

[Mike V]

Originally Posted by giordana93

and your point is?

Both ordered on 2/16. I went in to LBS and ordered what I thought I needed. Remembered when I got home that I needed another one and ordered online.

I got an email a week later from mail order that my order shipped. Nothing from LBS.

[ultraman6970]

I had similar experience from european online store, US based online and lbs... interestingly enough the USA online store i had to cancel the order after 30 days, the LBS did so so with like 2 weeks after I got the stuff from the UK.

Some online retailers list stuff they dont have in stock and once they get and order they order the stuff... the few shops I knew worked that way arent in bussiness anymore like for example Airpump.com?.. lbs well... I did not know what to think... or even speculate about it, I know for them was like a tiny flip but one flip then another flip and so and so on you accumulate clients willing to use them but personally i did not come back, actually the shop closed.

[earlfoss]

It will arrive at the shop on time but since you already paid for it they'll forget to call you for a week or two to let you know it's in.

[Mike V]

Originally Posted by earlfoss

It will arrive at the shop on time but since you already paid for it they'll forget to call you for a week or two to let you know it's in.

Monday would have been on time. My guess is that they know I'll come in on the weekend and will call Friday. They know me well and know I'm not around most weekdays.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Mike V

Monday would have been on time. My guess is that they know I'll come in on the weekend and will call Friday. They know me well and know I'm not around most weekdays.

OK, nice little thread, what are we talking about? What gadget did you need to order 2 of?

[Mike V]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

OK, nice little thread, what are we talking about? What gadget did you need to order 2 of?

Chris King 1 inch Gripnut silver

[unterhausen]

my lbs sends me a text when they get my stuff. QBP is delivered the next day for most things, unless I order late in the day. I almost always take longer to go get it than it takes for them to get it.

The advantage to the LBS is no package shows up at the door. My wife catastrophizes about packages, not so much about the money

[amerikaner]

I think it's that most LBS dont make money of selling parts, but make money selling full bikes and/or service. A few of my LBS who are Trek dealers seem to place warehouse orders ok once a week...which makes sense, but what really sucks is that I'm in an area where Trek's warehouse is less than 40miles away.

There needs to be better logistics between LBS and their suppliers in order to compete with online retailers.

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[giordana93]

Originally Posted by earlfoss

It will arrive at the shop on time but since you already paid for it they'll forget to call you for a week or two to let you know it's in.

or they will call the day it gets in, or the next, after box of 20 other widgets is unpacked and packing lists rectified, leave a voicemail, then customer will call back a week later complaining they never called....

actually I'm surprised it takes a week to get a shipping notification from mail order; that is slow in today's climate

[dave thompson]

Originally Posted by amerikaner

I think it's that most LBS dont make money of selling parts, but make money selling full bikes and/or service. A few of my LBS who are Trek dealers seem to place warehouse orders ok once a week...which makes sense, but what really sucks is that I'm in an area where Trek's warehouse is less than 40miles away.

There needs to be better logistics between LBS and their suppliers in order to compete with online retailers.

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An issue that LBS face with special orders is that they must pay shipping on orders under a certain dollar amount, which is specified by the vendor. So the shop accumulates these special orders until the value exceeds this minimum. Shipping can add a significant percentage to the final cost.

An example would be that it costs the same to ship a one dollar bill as it would to ship a hundred dollar bill. In this example if the shipping cost were $1 for each, the one dollar bill now cost 100% more, where the hundred dollar bill would cost only 1% more.

Also the shop may get a discount on an order over a certain value.