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whats with these kids

At my friends shop, a group of kids hang out all the time almost everyday. They ask advice about everything, but then go off and buy things from mailorder shops. I don't think that is right :stosh: . THey waste the employees time and don't even really support or help out the shop. Have you ever seen this kind of thing.
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
23
SF, CA
Sure. Kids don't have much money. That's what they do. Give them time though... treat them right, even though they don't do the same in return... eventually they'll learn to appreciate their LBS. Then when they finally have jobs or need help wrenching their bikes, they'll happily pay for the luxury of having a good LBS.

Also, don't feel bad about explaining to them that you realize they don't have much money and are going to mail-order the parts, so when a paying customer comes into the shop they go to the bottom of the priority least. Don't say it in a mean way, just make it clear that it's the way it has to be for you guys to stay in business. You'll help them out when you can to be nice and keep them in the sport, but they're at the bottom of the food chain while they still order everything online.
 

odiwik

Monkey
Mar 2, 2004
252
0
Do you have the equipment in stock at decent prices? If that is the case, then f them. Otherwise, what can I say...
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
23
SF, CA
blurryfast said:
But they're parents buy them most everything, if not everything. One of them has a bighit fsr and another one has a stinky with a 888.
Right, but eventually they'll buy their own stuff or be in a position where they need an LBS.

However, if they are rude to employees, etc, kick them out. There's no room for that and it scares off paying customers.

Does the shop do group rides or similar events? Do they make an effort to get to know the kids? Nothing sells like guilt...
 

DH biker

Turbo Monkey
Dec 12, 2004
1,185
0
North East
blurryfast said:
But they're parents buy them most everything, if not everything. One of them has a bighit fsr and another one has a stinky with a 888.
That's something that can bother me. When i work construction all summer just to get a frame and these kids parents will buy them a complete bike "just becasue"
 

mtbpaint1

Monkey
Apr 25, 2005
326
0
University of Connecticut
what you do is get the shop to ask them if they want sponsorships and give them crappy jerseys that say the shops name on them. Then they will feel compelled to buy from the shop because they are "sponsored" by it. Kids get a kick out of that sort of stuff...like me
 

johnbrittain

Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
200
0
Amarillo, Texas
I used to be a grom kid that hung around a lbs and bought stuff off the internet, but that was simply because all the shops around had terrible prices, but after a while i grew on the shop and eventually got a job there for a little while and stopped buying everything online. just give 'em time and if that doesnt work, then i'd just go with dirtjumpP.1's advice. :nuts:
 

blt2ride

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2005
2,333
0
Chatsworth
Well, it's just one of those things. Here's a perfect example. The LBS sells a TLD D2 for like $299, and Beyond Bikes sells the same helmet for $199. What are you going to do? Well, most people I know will go to the LBS try on one for size, and order it from Beyond Bikes.

It's human nature, and there really isn't anything wrong with being a smart consumer, you wouldn't over pay for a bike, car, or house...
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
On school vacations a group of groms hangs out my LBS, and tighten their bikes all day, but they have to be watched constantly so they don't walk off with tools or parts, and when several real customers (adults) show up, the groms get booted.

There are worse things they could be doing.
 

WhiteRavenKS

Turbo Monkey
Aug 8, 2003
1,270
0
neither here nor there
dunno, but there was a vid a few years ago called "the grommets"...

if these kids do prove to be a bunch of punk asses you could just give them a bunch of bad advice, tell them wrong measurements and such. then when they have the headache of mailorder returns, they might appreciate their local shop a bit more.

i like ohio's idea better though.
 

ncrider

Turbo Monkey
Aug 15, 2004
1,564
0
Los Angeles
bballboy388 said:
why are they/me called gromes???
It's Grom not Grome.

Grommets are just what you're called by the older crew. Mostly it has to do with the fact that they're hyper, loud, young and obnoxious. Calling them groms is a way of letting them know there place and it's fun. I was actually kinda bummed when I realized i was no longer a grom, but then it dawned on me that I can now call them groms and kick there arses. Good times.
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
ncrider said:
It's Grom not Grome.

Grommets are just what you're called by the older crew. Mostly it has to do with the fact that they're hyper, loud, young and obnoxious. Calling them groms is a way of letting them know there place and it's fun. I was actually kinda bummed when I realized i was no longer a grom, but then it dawned on me that I can now call them groms and kick there arses. Good times.

You're still a grom.

:rolleyes:
 

Repack

Turbo Monkey
Nov 29, 2001
1,889
0
Boston Area
Thats nothing new. As a former shop employee/slave I say its the fault of the employee for wasting his/her time on them. Its easy to tell when someone is going to spend $ vs ask a bunch of Q's so they Know what to buy online.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
This is nothing new. These are budding bike junkies, they want to hang around bikes, talk about bikes, and fondle bikes. If you have the time to talk to them, you can sometimes make them understand that a shop has more overhead and offers some advantages over mail order. If they are cool, they should be willing to pay a little more than mail order, especially if you can lower your price a little bit - that way each side meets half-way, and you keep a customer who might then drop cash on other stuff. Some kids are just not worth it, but with others you can sometimes tap the parental checkbook if they see you making an effort to bridge the price gap and give their kids a place to indulge.
 
They seem to be good kids, but I just find it lazy that they hangout and ask for free advice, but won't help out with even little things at that shop. I don't mean to be rude to them, I just think they could help out after they have been helped out. If it is not even their own money and don't really apreciate the value of their parents money anyway, they might as well not act so cheap. I think these kids are into tricking out their bikes much more than how they ride them.