Some shops do, some don't. I can understand the for's and against's.
What I find annoying is the places that advertise they do but don't want to or wriggle out of it.
Eg.
I wanted a spesh carbon bottle cage.
I am out and find a spesh concept store. Bottle cage price is £39.99
However, it is available in 2 colours and they don't have the one I want. The guy says try Evans down the road.
Walk in Evans. Same cage but also they have right colour. The price is £44.99.
They have a 'price match' sign on the counter so I speak to the guy but he refuses to it as I haven't got it on a print out to show him.
I explain, just a few doors away the store has them. He says he knows but unless I show him it, even on my phone, he ain't doing it and even then, only if I insist!
I leave as the attitude was awful and I didn't want to give them my money.
Today I am out with my dad and spot a cycle surgery. Walk in, see the cage and same price as Evans. They too have price match policy. The guy says no probs.
When I ask about computers he says check and I will match that too. So I did and they did.
Like I say, I also use a lbs that doesn't price match so I know why some don't but then to advertise that you do, acknowledge the price is cheaper but not want to seems stupid.
Sorry for another SD rant guys!
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Felt almost famous (or perhaps infamous) as I popped back to the cycle surgery near my dads to pick up some PRO bike stands that they did a great deal on for me.
The staff member who'd helped out asked if I was SD from road.cc!
He'd seen this thread and thanked me for it.
Cool.
The good service means I will be returning soon as my son is looking for a new mtb after out growing his current bike.
I have no link with cycle surgery btw, other than becoming a more regular customer now.
Hope the bike shop owners/managers are reading this. They winge on and on about the internet and then allow staff to offer crap service (700 or 700c being a classic). I go to a lbs (Southfork, Braunton) because I get good service... simple. Sorry about the plug for Southfork in Braunton.
Sorry - they price-matched and charged you more?!
This is all so unfair on Evans. I bought a Topeak seatpack from them. The price in Evans was £12.95 - but £14 to £15 elsewhere. I told them and the staff used the internet to check the prices at three other chain stores. They price-matched it straight away - no questions, no hesitation. I got the seatpack for £13.95 -£1 cheaper than the dearest shop.
I tend to go in Evans because me and my missus are in a town (any town!) and she's trying on dresses/shoes etc somewhere, so I wander off, checking the web for local bike shops to have a peek in, and they are often Evans. I have had someone try and palm me off with a type of bike that I specifically said I didn't want, and when I asked them to pop a Toupe saddle onto a bike so I could sit on it, I was told "that's a bit too much trouble, really". No kidding!
My local Cycle Surgery is really helpful, provided the bike shop guys are working. If they're not around and the manager replaces them with a guy from Snow and Rock or Runners Need, then the last one said he didn't have any 700c inner tubes; he had 700 ones though.
Cycle Surgery is the bane of my life... There's one just down the road from where I work. I'll go in, with the aim of picking up one or two consumables, see something I like and then whip out the iphone to see how cheap it is elsewhere.
Hey Presto! I'm walking out the shop with £90's-worth of stuff that I'd never intended buying
Our local Evans asks us for it either on a print out or on the iphone of where it's cheaper. However, the lads have, in the past checked on thier system, and just done it - no probs,,,, Got one of my Toupe saddles like that, they were great.
Just a balance.
Trikeman.
Good to hear. That is what I mean about common sense really.
The cycle surgery guys were excellent today like that.
Guess its just down to which store you walk in or even who serves you.
This - I've had experience of a huge range of attitudes in Evans, from 'what, you actually want me to help a customer' through to 'I'll do whatever I can to help out, including telling you not to buy something if I think there is a better alternative we don't stock'. It's like that with most big chains - impossible for them to maintain 100% consistency. But it is really frustrating when someone who is paid to help just can't be bothered to do it...
They do say though, in the t's and c's that they'll match local stores and 2 doors away is pretty local.
I was willing to call up the info on my phone in front of him.
If you have a price match policy then be cool with it, not do it only if forced, etc
I understand your point, but if your trained in company policy, you should by rights be sticking to it
I know its a pain in the arse, but dems da rules
I also know it first hand that you can walk into another shop next door and they will say, yes thats no problem sir, go to the next shop and get a no and so on
It was 2 doors away and they admitted they knew! Plus the sign on the counter said we price match. Nothing else.
Plus they stated, as clearly said, they'd only do it if I insisted!
The point was about willingness not technicality
But Evans policy i believe, is you need to prove the price elsewhere.
http://www.evanscycles.com/help/price-match