I was shopping for a bicycle this week. I need to get off my butt and get some exercise, so I thought biking might be a good way to start.
I went online to see what the options were in 2008. I narrowed my choice down to a Trek or a Giant hybrid bicycle.
I went into my local bike store and was greeted by the shopkeeper. I told him what I was looking for and asked for his advice regarding size and choice.
He quickly told me the size I needed and gave me a rather expensive looking book that had all the bike options from Trek in it.
“Stop back when you’re ready,” was his closing question.
The fellow never took the bike off the rack.
He never offered to let me take a test ride.
He answered my question (what size) wasn't sure about the bike I was looking at being the right choice, gave me a book that had every bike in the world in it and told me to stop back when I was ready.
The truth is, I was ready to buy then, probably, if my choice was validated. No attempt to ask for the sale equaled no sale for the bike shop.
This same drill was repeated with one other personal visit to a Giant dealer and a phone call to another shop.
What’s the deal with bikes? Do they just fly off the shelf without having to be sold?
If that’s the case, many of us are in the completely wrong line of work.
