Cheeky salesman

**Densial** · 31st August 2009, 10:23

Mully: yup see your point, I'm pretty new to bike buying, I'm just so fired up about it (buying a new bike, and riding) that I don't really want to be mucked around, y'know.

I spent the last 6 months researching what I want, got approval from the CFO

got the money in the bank right now, checking TM and MCT every single day, I have 3 bike search results on TM hitting my email every day, going to bike shops most weekends and even some lunch times. I know there are tire kickers out there but I figure you never know, as a salesman why would you risk pissing someone off? I can get a new bike ANYWHERE, I certainly don't need to go to shop X, hell I could probably get one shipped from Tauranga for free!

I don't begrudge him making his commiss (or what ever), it just sounded dodge to me, not quite trust worthy, y'know.

anyways I got everything from "it's his job" to "bloody leeches" in this thread, I can see there's a lot of passion out there, good to know

**Bend-it** · 31st August 2009, 10:30

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Jesus mate...if I lied and talked utter shit I'd lose my job. FACT.

Which is why you guys get my custom!

:

**Crasherfromwayback** · 31st August 2009, 10:50

Originally Posted by Densial

I can get a new bike ANYWHERE, I certainly don't need to go to shop X, hell I could probably get one shipped from Tauranga for free!

Hell...I'll fly you down here for free to buy it...or deliver it foc!

Pete

**Marmoot** · 31st August 2009, 10:55

Originally Posted by Densial

I thought I would be a bit cheaky

how's THAT for cheaky

Sounds like cheeky illiterate people?

Kind Regards,
Cheeky Spelling Nazi
0800 L2Spell

**diddie17** · 31st August 2009, 11:45

I guess he's just doing his job the best way he knows how, but I do think it's a bit cheeky asking how much and then telling you he didn't have the bike. As previously said though, approaches vary, and what pisses you off others will just smile and accept.

I had a situation recently where having bought my bike new and put a few K's on it, I was looking at trading and buying the latest model. It was something I'd been thinking about for a while and on that basis had enquired (making it clear that I wasn't quite ready) what the trade value was on my bike to help me with the thinking (and wife justification process).

When it got to the point I was ready, I went back in and got an almost insulting offer, being a good chunk less that I'd been given a few months earlier. When I questioned it I was told the market had changed, which I guess is fair enough to a level, although it was a huge difference.

I ended up saying no thanks, the bike owes me more than that, I'll just run it on for a while thanks. At this point they then started coming back to me saying, maybe we can do something, how much were you looking for as a difference. The reality though is that the damage has been done for me and my confidence in the shop has been shaken. This just did not feel like how you should treat someone looking to buy their third consecutive and second new bike from them. Not to mention all of the servicing etc. in between.

I never went back to them after they asked me what I wanted to pay, and I haven't made up my mind what to do, but I've certainly gone from being loyal to the shop to being open to look at other options now.

**Ixion** · 31st August 2009, 11:50

Originally Posted by Densial

ok, so a week ago I was over at cyclespot trying on a bike. I quite like it and after thinking for the week I thought I would be a bit cheaky and make a low ball over, see what happened.

So I send the nice salesman who's card I had an email saying I tried this particular bike on for size and would be interested in talking turkey. He sent back and email and said sure, give him a call. I did and told him I wanted a bike and liked this one and wanted a good deal, it was new after all!

He asked me what I wanted to pay, I told him, and he said that actually he didn't have that bike anymore, but did I want this other one instead!

how's THAT for cheaky, I've been telling my work mates, cheaky isn't really the word they used but you get the drift. Anyone else have any problems with these dudes?

I'm not clear where the problem is here. You wanted a particular bike, but you waited too long and someone else bought it. That's life, not the salesdude's fault. You could hardly expect to refuse to sell it to a definite buyer because someone else was "interested" in it.

But, being a good salesman, he didn't want to say "sucks to be you, piss off". So he tried to see if he could set up an alternative deal for you. To do that he needs to know what your budget is - because until he knows that he'll likely either offer you a deal on a bike that you just can't afford, or offer you something cheap that you don't want.

That's his job. He couldn't sell you the bike you wanted so he tried to find another way to make you happy. that's not really a bad thing to do.

**Densial** · 31st August 2009, 12:30

This is the third time I have typed this, I so have laptop quick keys

Ixion: It's not about him selling it I totally get that, it's not about him wanting to put me into another bike (actually a later model of what I was looking at) because I totally get that too, it's more me and him talking numbers and at the same time him having no intention of selling me the bike I was asking about. He knew when I emailed it was no longer for sale, he knew when I rang is was no longer for sale, but he still asked me what i wanted to pay for it. At that point I am thinking "I might be buying a bike, kewl" and at the same time he's thinking "I am not going to sell this bike to this buyer".

As for him finding my budget, I told him the bike I was after and that I had money in the bank, he had to assume I had at the very least 80-90% of that (if not more) if I wanted to talk turkey, there was really no need to let me think I was negotiating for a bike he didn't have.

Unless he thinks there is, which is fine, it's just my opinion really.

**MarkH** · 31st August 2009, 12:52

Originally Posted by 325rocket

different shop but ...

about a year ago
i had a test ride on a bike on thursday / liked it / agreed to a price / agreed to a trade in price for my bike. had to go on holiday on friday and agreed to complete the sale on monday. *the point to note here is that the price we agreed on was a pretty sharp price, not crazy cheap but pretty good.
monday rolls around and i head in to finish the deal only to be told the trade in would be less and the bike would cost more.
as i left i noticed a sold sticker on the bike but i kept walking. found out later they did a deal over the weekend that didnt require a trade and they got a better price.

is that just business???

I suppose it is just business - they certainly achieved the sale they wanted. I would think that in the long term they would make more money from gaining customers rather than gaining sales (one sale = how much profit, one customer buying a new bike every few years = how much profit).

But you have to accept some responsibility too - you should have handed over $500 or something and agreed to be back monday with your trade-in and the rest of the money. Once you pay the deposit you have a deal, they can't just back out of it.

**Robert Taylor** · 31st August 2009, 13:10

How about you give the salesman right of reply, he might not even know that he is being tried by media and their are two sides to every story.

**Mully** · 31st August 2009, 13:16

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

How about you give the salesman right of reply, he might not even know that he is being tried by media and their are two sides to every story.

What!!

This is KB, Mister.

How dare you suggest something so radical.

*Looks around for pitchfork and torch*

**Densial** · 31st August 2009, 13:26

I totally think up to half the people on this thread haven't read what I have written

**ynot slow** · 31st August 2009, 14:17

Any retail owner doesn't have to sell to anyone,not a good practice mind you.
You can be a bullshit artist in retail but you'll be found out.

The amount of times I was told on a Saturday morning "can you hold it for me",yes would be reply along with "we require a deposit fully refundable of $500"if they said no thanks,then I'd offer with "well if it's still here Monday can I ring you,or if by chance another customer wishes to buy it can I phone you"?Had a couple of sales completed either with previous customer being phoned and coming into buy,or them saying we can wait,usually with thanks for contacting us.
Sometimes though you get 2 sales people selling one item almost at once,we had that one weekend sold same identical bed,same size within 3 minutes,luckily we had 2 in stock,and then had an order on the Monday from people not proceeding the Saturday abusing the manager because they didn't buy,they should've been given priority over paying customers,manager who had dealt with them replied we gave you option of paying deposit sorry.

The thing is you admit you were cheeky with offer(we all are),but sales guy should have said we have another offer on it,how about this model.