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Old May 7th 04, 08:31 PM
Ken
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Default Bike Stores Endangerd Because of Super Chain Stores?

(James Lynx) wrote in
om:
I am going to start riding again and haven't seriously ridden any
bikes in 20 years when I used to ride my BMX every where. I have been
reading on this newsgroup that people say not to buy from Costco and
other mega stores because the quality of the bikes aren't good, there
is no bike maintence done at these places, and also these stores sell
bikes so low they are a threat to bike store survival.


Big department stores have been selling bicycles probably for maybe many
decades. The major bicycle brands do not sell through department stores
because these stores lack the skill to assemble, fit, and service bikes
properly. The only bikes you find at department stores are disposables
(literally). The big box stores make their profit on volume, not service,
so they will never be very successful on items that require professional
service.

A bigger threat to local bike shops are the cut-rate shops that hire a
bunch of low-skill teenagers to do their service and sales work. These
shops do not take the time to understand the customers needs and fit the
bicycle to those needs. They charge lower prices, but many customers don't
realize that you get what you pay for and they would have been happier
paying a little more for better service.
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