Is Specialized a bike shop or a boutique?

[Hackster]

Bought my Camber from concept store in CT. They happily swopped out a couple of pieces of the gruppo. I paid in the difference, as calculated by them. They probably made a small profit on the swop, assuming they sold those parts on. Find a concept store that talks your language, and be reasonable with your requests.

 

Incidentally, the service I received from them was probably the best I've ever had from any bike shop. And I've spent good money at a number of bike shops in CT.

[Reden]

Who cares what they are.

Still a nice place to go to.

[gummibear]

Bought my Camber from concept store in CT. They happily swopped out a couple of pieces of the gruppo. I paid in the difference, as calculated by them. They probably made a small profit on the swop, assuming they sold those parts on. Find a concept store that talks your language, and be reasonable with your requests.

 

Incidentally, the service I received from them was probably the best I've ever had from any bike shop. And I've spent good money at a number of bike shops in CT.

They obviously saw your Ferrari key and Rolex when you walked in and knew you were a big spender

[LOOK695]

They obviously saw your Ferrari key and Rolex when you walked in and knew you were a big spender

Ferrari with a bike rack?????

[VicanZA]

concept store - finding new ways to separate you from your cash. 

[gummibear]

Ferrari with a bike rack?

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/12/418dc48cee8ebd117247662a6b2d674d.jpg

[Groenkloof1]

Thanks for all the responses

 

It still is a nice shop to visit and they certainly have some good stuff- shoes, saddles etc are the best in my view.

 

For a more choice driven experience on bike parts, I still prefer my LBS

 

Great to have different options!

 

And perhaps I am asking too much to expect a swap out as some have suggested, however,  I am still glad to hear others have successfully swapped out parts    

[edgarblount]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/12/418dc48cee8ebd117247662a6b2d674d.jpg

Saw that pic as well. A bit of info on this pic. Somebody is actually holding the back wheel. The Perrari belongs to the one and only Mnr A Geldenhuys a.k.a Mnr USN and the bike apparently belonged to the late Burry Stander.

[Cat2forLife]

Sorry if this has been said before, but to the OP, if you want to upgrade group set and wheels, why not just buy the model up?

 

You are in a concept store after all. They will have just about every model available. Which is incidentally one of the pro's of being a concept store.

 

I think perhaps you are being a bit whiny and full of nonsense in my honest opinion..

[Skinnyone]

Looks like I need to get into the bike game....

 

I would think that the accounting bit would be the easiest part...

 

Problem with bike shops in the main, is that they operate a simple point of sale system, ie: they don't gather client info, & in the process invoice all purchases through each clients account. (Sometimes I have to wonder why...) They also fail to get a database at the point of sale, so great opportunity lost for return business.

 

I would open a client account for Skinnyone, with cell & email. Done.

 

I would then credit Skinnyone's account with 1 x Spez 100mm stem ( slightly below my standard cost as I now am carrying unintended stock), and then Invoice Skinny for the full value of bike + ritchey 80mm stem (that cost me 1 phone call @ R1.25 to generate R1000.00 turnover in an up sale) & please a customer. The package works out the balance. Sounds too easy to me.

 

I sometimes read articles about brick & mortar bike shops bitchin about the online guys, but here someone has opened the barn door real wide, and it gets kicked shut... Wow!

 

Me thinks the days of making easy money are long behind us. Either differentiate or someone will.

 

Rant over. 

Don't disagree at all, problem comes about when the bike shop has temp staff on the weekend (that is the busiest) and the temp staff are getting paid R200/day - so do you think they are going to take the time to learn the accounting system and implement your procedures?

 

Also easier said than done when you have a line at the point of sale of people who just want to pay for their stuff and get out because they have already spent too much time in there and the other half is now sitting at the coffee shop asking what is taking so long....now you come to the till and say I need to swap this stem and take this one...the staff member says no problem we'll sort the paperwork out later, does a straight swap and puts the "old" stem to one side and deals with the next client.

 

Temp staff member goes home and forgets about the stem, I come in on Monday and find a random stem lying around, ask every one and no one knows about it, put it to one side and forget about it. Come stock take time we are 10 stems down over the last year because of similar scenarios...

 

So all good saying put these procedures in place but take into consideration the human factor and you get the above results - ALWAYS it does not matter if the temp who pulled that stunt gets his pay docked - he loses R200 for a Saturday...you lose an R800 stem...and by the time you as the shop owner work it out that temp has moved on...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Don't disagree at all, problem comes about when the bike shop has temp staff on the weekend (that is the busiest) and the temp staff are getting paid R200/day - so do you think they are going to take the time to learn the accounting system and implement your procedures?

 

Also easier said than done when you have a line at the point of sale of people who just want to pay for their stuff and get out because they have already spent too much time in there and the other half is now sitting at the coffee shop asking what is taking so long....now you come to the till and say I need to swap this stem and take this one...the staff member says no problem we'll sort the paperwork out later, does a straight swap and puts the "old" stem to one side and deals with the next client.

 

Temp staff member goes home and forgets about the stem, I come in on Monday and find a random stem lying around, ask every one and no one knows about it, put it to one side and forget about it. Come stock take time we are 10 stems down over the last year because of similar scenarios...

 

So all good saying put these procedures in place but take into consideration the human factor and you get the above results - ALWAYS it does not matter if the temp who pulled that stunt gets his pay docked - he loses R200 for a Saturday...you lose an R800 stem...and by the time you as the shop owner work it out that temp has moved on...

Easy way of rectifying that. All stock standard bikes are for sale as per spec on floor. 

 

Alterations to spec carry a waiting period for price and stock calculation, to determine true cost of upgrade. You want a custom bike, Sir, you're going to have to wait a bit longer. 

 

Yes, it may mean the loss of a sale, but if you don't allow it you'll lose the sale anyway. 

[Hackster]

Slightly off topic.

 

I once went to a toyota dealership in Dubai where they offered minor service while you wait, took about 20 mins or so, no bookings required, menu pricing etc. They turned over about 400 cars per day.

 

My point is that there's always a better, faster, more efficient way to do business.

 

What impresses me about the Specialised stores is that, generally, and I'm sure there are exceptions, but generally, they are well laid out, stock is well presented (if somewhat limited) and someone offers to help me quite soon after walking in the door. Generally.

 

Point is their business model is slick and more corporate than most LBS, and I like that. I still like visiting and spending money at my LBS (they have a much bigger range of gear) but if I was to sell my Ferrari and Rolex and buy another new bike, my first port of call would be the Spez shop.

[scuzzy]

Looks like I need to get into the bike game....

 

I would think that the accounting bit would be the easiest part...

 

Problem with bike shops in the main, is that they operate a simple point of sale system, ie: they don't gather client info, & in the process invoice all purchases through each clients account. (Sometimes I have to wonder why...) They also fail to get a database at the point of sale, so great opportunity lost for return business.

 

I would open a client account for Skinnyone, with cell & email. Done.

 

I would then credit Skinnyone's account with 1 x Spez 100mm stem ( slightly below my standard cost as I now am carrying unintended stock), and then Invoice Skinny for the full value of bike + ritchey 80mm stem (that cost me 1 phone call @ R1.25 to generate R1000.00 turnover in an up sale) & please a customer. The package works out the balance. Sounds too easy to me.

 

I sometimes read articles about brick & mortar bike shops bitchin about the online guys, but here someone has opened the barn door real wide, and it gets kicked shut... Wow!

 

Me thinks the days of making easy money are long behind us. Either differentiate or someone will.

 

Rant over. 

 

I think the problem with this in a Spez shop is that they do not sell anything else other than Spez parts, so a Ritchey or Easton or AC Wheelset is not even an option for them.

 

I must admit though, that always when looking at a stock bike, I sort of accepted that "upgrades" would be extra, opposed to swapping it out.

 

Also, once you've added the new wheels or groupset, the bike ends up the same as the next level in the range, and I think that does not only go for Spez, but all of them.

[Long Wheel Base]

Saw that pic as well. A bit of info on this pic. Somebody is actually holding the back wheel. The Perrari belongs to the one and only Mnr A Geldenhuys a.k.a Mnr USN and the bike apparently belonged to the late Burry Stander.

100% correct. Albe lent the car to Burry and he tweeted that photo. And yes someone is holding the back wheel. I remember that tweet very clearly. He followed cherise at 947 in it one year.

[edgarblount]

100% correct. Albe lent the car to Burry and he tweeted that photo. And yes someone is holding the back wheel. I remember that tweet very clearly. He followed cherise at 947 in it one year.

Well, this pic has now gone full circle. I saw this pic in Google Images and followed the link to the Bike Hub where you LWB explained the story behind the pic. 

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/156183-road-bike-pedals/page-3

[KingTJ]

Don't disagree at all, problem comes about when the bike shop has temp staff on the weekend (that is the busiest) and the temp staff are getting paid R200/day - so do you think they are going to take the time to learn the accounting system and implement your procedures?

 

Also easier said than done when you have a line at the point of sale of people who just want to pay for their stuff and get out because they have already spent too much time in there and the other half is now sitting at the coffee shop asking what is taking so long....now you come to the till and say I need to swap this stem and take this one...the staff member says no problem we'll sort the paperwork out later, does a straight swap and puts the "old" stem to one side and deals with the next client.

 

Temp staff member goes home and forgets about the stem, I come in on Monday and find a random stem lying around, ask every one and no one knows about it, put it to one side and forget about it. Come stock take time we are 10 stems down over the last year because of similar scenarios...

 

So all good saying put these procedures in place but take into consideration the human factor and you get the above results - ALWAYS it does not matter if the temp who pulled that stunt gets his pay docked - he loses R200 for a Saturday...you lose an R800 stem...and by the time you as the shop owner work it out that temp has moved on...

 

I dont see how this can be the excuse, your staff is as good as you train them to be , and realistically your permanent staff should be manning the till or present in the shop.....if not i dont know why you are open.