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It's in the article. Because these are the kind of customers who provide no loyalty back. They'll drive an hour to get a part from a different shop because it's

It's in the article. Because these are the kind of customers who provide no loyalty back. They'll drive an hour to get a part from a different shop because it's cheaper. There's nothing you can do to attract this kind of customer apart from lower margins. So why bother with them if you can run your business well by focusing on everybody else?

willcipriano 6y ago
If you aren't happy with selling items at the price you are selling them at, why sell them? I just don't see the reason to be rude about it.
marcosdumay 6y ago
Then increase your prices to a level you would be happy, and if they want to buy somewhere else, let them. Doing low quality work is a great way to lower both your reputation and job satisfaction. And you better be 100% certain of each customer's lifetime value, otherwise you'll have a problem.
- pixelbash 6y ago
  > And you better be 100% certain of each customer's lifetime value, otherwise you'll have a problem. This resonates with me. When i was younger I used to get ignored a lot at certain kinds of store. Now I have more money I still avoid them on principal.
- mauvehaus 6y ago
  The article’s point is that they can’t, or they’ll lose the custom of the people who have no loyalty to their LBS and shop on price alone.
  - marcosdumay 6y ago
    I get the exact opposite point from the article... Anyway, if you want to serve low-margin customers, optimize your business against them, and be happy with those low margins, because you won't get any of the high margin ones. Also, publicize your low-margin focus (tell up-front that you won't do non-billable services, and what service comes with what item), otherwise you'll be full of annoyed customers wanting reparations after a bad interaction.
watwut 6y ago
The claim is that this particular customer is net loss. In that case, the customer driving elsewhere because you raised price or stopped selling is a gain. The concept of selling part in a loss instead of raising price and then treating customer badly so that he does not buy that is still mystery.
- brudgers 6y ago
  The more absurd idea is stocking parts that sell at a loss (outside of a specific loss-leader sales campaign).
pmontra 6y ago
I do some basic repairs myself (up to changing the chain or ball bearings) but I don't want to do anything that requires special tools or dynamometer keys or just too much time. Sometimes the shop owner tells me to buy some parts myself (I remember the rotors of the disk brakes of two new wheels.) I bring them to him and he does the repairs. Maybe he was me pay more for his time but it's OK. Btw, the shop was flooded by customers looking for new bikes at the end of the lockdown here (Italy.) That lasted for a month with long lines at every bike shop until the warehouses run out of parts. I saw an increase of people using bicycles at least until temperature got past 30 C (86 F.)

willcipriano 6y ago

If you aren't happy with selling items at the price you are selling them at, why sell them? I just don't see the reason to be rude about it.

marcosdumay 6y ago

Then increase your prices to a level you would be happy, and if they want to buy somewhere else, let them. Doing low quality work is a great way to lower both your reputation and job satisfaction. And you better be 100% certain of each customer's lifetime value, otherwise you'll have a problem.

pixelbash 6y ago
> And you better be 100% certain of each customer's lifetime value, otherwise you'll have a problem. This resonates with me. When i was younger I used to get ignored a lot at certain kinds of store. Now I have more money I still avoid them on principal.
mauvehaus 6y ago
The article’s point is that they can’t, or they’ll lose the custom of the people who have no loyalty to their LBS and shop on price alone.
- marcosdumay 6y ago
  I get the exact opposite point from the article... Anyway, if you want to serve low-margin customers, optimize your business against them, and be happy with those low margins, because you won't get any of the high margin ones. Also, publicize your low-margin focus (tell up-front that you won't do non-billable services, and what service comes with what item), otherwise you'll be full of annoyed customers wanting reparations after a bad interaction.

watwut 6y ago

The claim is that this particular customer is net loss. In that case, the customer driving elsewhere because you raised price or stopped selling is a gain. The concept of selling part in a loss instead of raising price and then treating customer badly so that he does not buy that is still mystery.

brudgers 6y ago
The more absurd idea is stocking parts that sell at a loss (outside of a specific loss-leader sales campaign).

pmontra 6y ago

I do some basic repairs myself (up to changing the chain or ball bearings) but I don't want to do anything that requires special tools or dynamometer keys or just too much time. Sometimes the shop owner tells me to buy some parts myself (I remember the rotors of the disk brakes of two new wheels.) I bring them to him and he does the repairs. Maybe he was me pay more for his time but it's OK. Btw, the shop was flooded by customers looking for new bikes at the end of the lockdown here (Italy.) That lasted for a month with long lines at every bike shop until the warehouses run out of parts. I saw an increase of people using bicycles at least until temperature got past 30 C (86 F.)