rant.....

[JMacBass65]

It's called a business for a reason. If it's anything like the bicycle business when I was in it, the labor department is lilely "break even" in terms of what it costs to run it, and the revenue it generates purely charging for work. The profit comes from selling the strings (and other items). "Hey, while you are here, would you like to buy some polish and a rag, do you need any picks, a strap?"

Those are high margin items that keep, the place in business. The "shop" stuff they do just keeps people coming in the door.

If my service bay in the bike shop didn't sell cables, tubes/tires, brake pads, etc. in the context of tune ups, etc, I'd have shut that part of the store down.

 

[Jeff K]

I wouldn't buy the strings from him either. If he's charging $54.00 for the LaBella's, and I can get them for $34.00, I'll go for the $34.00. Sure, I'd buy them from the guy if he was charging $3.00 more. But a $20.00 difference? Sorry. (Three words: Bass Strings Online...)

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I wouldn't buy the strings from him either. If he's charging $54.00 for the LaBella's, and I can get them for $34.00, I'll go for the $34.00. Sure, I'd buy them from the guy if he was charging $3.00 more. But a $20.00 difference? Sorry. (Three words: Bass Strings Online...)

One word: Hurry!

 

[DirtDog]

Part of his job is to sell you new strings. Unless he refused to use strings provided by you, I don’t see an issue.

"We can order them for you". I'm getting to despise this coming from bricks and mortar retail stores (not just local music stores). Sure, you can order them - at a 50% premium and a week's wait. Why as a consumer would I do that if I can order them online myself more quickly and less expensively? I realize that this is a longstanding issue for bricks and mortar retail and my personal threshold for poor customer service is diminishing rapidly.

I went through this recently with motorcycle tires. Of course, no one locally stocks what I like but I'll give the retail shop the business first, 'cause I'm like that. So, after a visit to the store, having the guy rummage through 3 or 4 distributors catalogs, three more follow up phone calls followed by a week of non-response, I gave up and ordered them from the on-line superstore in minutes. The tires were on my front doorstep about 18 hours later and shipping was free.

Of course, this isn't unique to motorcycle retail. I have had the same experience with pretty much all the retailers I frequent - clothing, musical gear, specialty carpentry tools, sporting goods, etc. Only thing I tend to buy in store is groceries, shoes/boots and building supplies.

If the retail stores can't stock every product and product line known to man, how can they compete? Service, service and service. With exceptional levels of customer service that people are willing to pay for. You can't buy that online. One motorcycle shop around here has adapted to this reality. They've realized that they can't stock for every niche - or compete on price for special orders - so they charge a small additional fee to install NEW tires sourced elsewhere and can turn around a tire install the same day, often while you wait. Good profit margin in that, more than hard goods, anyways. Of course, the additional fee is waived if the tires are bought in store (in stock or ordered).

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

"We can order them for you". I'm getting to despise this coming from bricks and mortar retail stores (not just local music stores). Sure, you can order them - at a 50% premium and a week's wait. Why as a consumer would I do that if I can order them online myself more quickly and less expensively? I realize that this is a longstanding issue for bricks and mortar retail and my personal threshold for poor customer service is diminishing rapidly.

I went through this recently with motorcycle tires. Of course, no one locally stocks what I like but I'll give the retail shop the business first, 'cause I'm like that. So, after a visit to the store, having the guy rummage through 3 or 4 distributors catalogs, three more follow up phone calls followed by a week of non-response, I gave up and ordered them from the on-line superstore in minutes. The tires were on my front doorstep about 18 hours later and shipping was free.

Of course, this isn't unique to motorcycle retail. I have had the same experience with pretty much all the retailers I frequent - clothing, musical gear, specialty carpentry tools, sporting goods, etc. Only thing I tend to buy in store is groceries, shoes/boots and building supplies.

If the retail stores can't stock every product and product line known to man, how can they compete? Service, service and service. With exceptional levels of customer service that people are willing to pay for. You can't buy that online. One motorcycle shop around here has adapted to this reality. They've realized that they can't stock for every niche - or compete on price for special orders - so they charge a small additional fee to install NEW tires sourced elsewhere and can turn around a tire install the same day, often while you wait. Good profit margin in that, more than hard goods, anyways. Of course, the additional fee is waived if the tires are bought in store (in stock or ordered).

The brick and mortar is a big part of the cost of doing business.
You don’t have to pay to shop at the B & M stores.
Why do people always complain about the choices they make?

If the person buying strings on line knows how to change their own strings, what’s the problem?
You got a good deal on tires for your bike, and they were on your doorstep quickly.
But did you mount and balance them yourself?

 

[DirtDog]

But did you mount and balance them yourself?

Yes.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Yes.

Good for you then.
Seems like we are on the same page.

 

[DirtDog]

Good for you then.
Seems like we are on the same page.

I'm thinking of milling my own lumber so I don't have to go to Home Depot anymore.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I'm thinking of milling my own lumber so I don't have to go to Home Depot anymore.

You’d be da man in my book.
Self reliance is a quality long lost in most.
Most don’t even consider how the lumber gets to HD.
Of course most wouldn’t know a stud from a furring strip either.

 

[FunkHead]

Let the guy put the shops strings on. Then the setup is good and you can change them out next time yourself. Maybe then tweak the setup based on how you felt about the 1st set.
I think if you realize why it is necessary for the Brick & Mortar shop to charge a little more, then you will be more willing to pony up $20 more bucks.

 

[FunkHead]

I'm thinking of milling my own lumber so I don't have to go to Home Depot anymore.

I like to go to my local Mom & Pop Lumber yard Vs. Home depot.
The lumber is always better quality.
They dedicate the necessary time to meet my needs.
They load the lumber in my truck.
They tie a red flag on it for me if it sticks out.
My Home Depot is really great for many other thing though. I like them there too.

 

[MJ5150]

I like to go to my local Mom & Pop Lumber yard Vs. Home depot.
The lumber is always better quality.
They dedicate the necessary time to meet my needs.
They load the lumber in my truck.
They tie a red flag on it for me if it sticks out.
My Home Depot is really great for many other thing though. I like them there too.

I'm with you 100% on the lumber. That cheap stuff from China that HD and Lowe's sells is crap.

-Mike

 

[Alkali Ike]

W

I'm with you 100% on the lumber. That cheap stuff from China that HD and Lowe's sells is crap.

-Mike

Wait, what? I’ve purchased a lot of lumber from HD over the years and I’ve never once encountered any from China. It’s almost all from the Pacific NW & Canada. But I’m in Oregon. Is it a regional thing? I wouldn’t buy wood sourced from China unless it’s the only option.

Now stuff like flooring is a completely different story.

Invalid Link Removed

“I worked for home depot lumber department. Most of the lumber doesn't come from China like that other guy said. The only wood products from China in the lumber department are Luan underlayment and wood finials. These products are built specifically for home depot in assemblies in China, not by a 3rd party vendor. Pressure treated lumber comes from different vendors depending on area, but all vendors (I.e. prowood, yellawood, etc.) compete to buy from mills in the Pacific northwest and Canada. Home depot, Lowe's, ace hardware, etc. all get their wood from the same mills, the only difference is the companies that distribute that lumber. As far as 2x whitewood goes, it generally comes from Canada (canfor). Sheathing and plywood is typically locally sourced, coming from nearby lumber mills. Hardwood plywood and certain primed boards will be sourced from South America. Oh and 1x8, etc. "Common boards" generally come from Sweden.”

 

[DirtDog]

You’d be da man in my book.
Self reliance is a quality long lost in most.
Most don’t even consider how the lumber gets to HD.
Of course most wouldn’t know a stud from a furring strip either.

Helps that I have a few hundred thou in SPF boardfeet on my rural property!