shimano at retail dead?

[mntlion]

http://www.cyclingindustry.news/reta...-take-a-stand/



cost on XT brakes is $119 CND (plus tax and shipping), "retail" is $160. online they are $109 (free shipping/no tax) I dont book shimano anymore, If customers want it, I suggest they go onilne to get it, I'll install it. Great product, shitty situation for stores

I'm not sure what, if any, solution exists? shimano changes? or just keep going direct? consumers get a deal on great stuff, and retailers are pulled out of a bad deal? no idea what the solution is, or if a solution exists even

[DasBlunt]

gravy train for dealers is changing.

charging big money for products and shitty service is just the tip of the karma chain.

[jamesp]

a quick look at import duties shows bicycle brakes have no duty (although I could have missed something). Who is the shimano distributor? Either there is some contract in place preventing them changing prices, or Shimano owns the CAD distributor & doesn't want to loose the cut they are getting.

I assume the OEM market is where most of their sales are so it doesn't affect their business much having one country's aftermarket with weird pricing.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Pricepoint is offering Havens for like $400 US. Not really sure how that works.
Such a weird industry.

[gravitylover]

And did you see that chain reaction and wiggle are merging? That ought to help them drop the price even more. Good stuff

[Soups]

Who ever pays retail for anything anyway??

[jm2e]

And did you see that chain reaction and wiggle are merging? That ought to help them drop the price even more. Good stuff

I don't necessarily think that's how business works. They're currently competing against each other for your business. They're effectively eliminating the competition, and thus eliminating a certain amount of need to lower prices.
Enjoy the price wars while they're here. If/when they change, we'll hopefully have something else to celebrate. Like maybe stability in "standards"?

[DasBlunt]

Who ever pays retail for anything anyway??

I used to tell them they suck for charging me retail when I have to, but from milton's point of view, seems it is far from dealers faults.

I hate shitty wrenching. Anything above 2K in value of a bike should only be a multi year pro mechanic if you charge me that fucking hourly rate because I don't have all the fucking tools and space to wrench.

[DasBlunt]

Pricepoint is offering Havens for like $400 US. Not really sure how that works.
Such a weird industry.

Dude, buy them on eBay from china, exact same thing, and then put your own stickers on them. Same shitty hubs.

The trick is if you know how to build and true, you tension them up, just like the big company does when they get here from china.

[mntlion]

so what happens if shimano is not avail at retail stores?

brands will put parts on bikes, but retailers will not sell it (cuz no money) but you can order only online for the parts?

[Name Redacted]

Last month they said they were dropping prices to help B&M's:

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/...ices-in-the-us

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north...g#.Vv59sDZH3dQ

[jamesp]

I think its only US pricing that is dropping, not Canada.

[XXX-er]

Canada is a small market only about the size of California market wise with a border in the way to fuck things up and a lot of the year its too cold to bike anyway

[DasBlunt]

so what happens if shimano is not avail at retail stores?

brands will put parts on bikes, but retailers will not sell it (cuz no money) but you can order only online for the parts?

it is a scam the way it is set up now. The online places get lots of returns and scratch, dent, warranty. I have seen it in 30 years and not all not being around great bike shops, and needing to order online.


I remember in 1991 or 92 ordering over the phone mail-order from cambria or the old one in Santa Rosa......... brick and mortar shops selling online.

maybe shops need better buyers?

[Name Redacted]

Canada is a small market only about the size of California market wise with a border in the way to fuck things up and a lot of the year its too cold to bike anyway

Oh, right. Most Canucks just ride Moose around anyway 'eh?

[kevin267]

Oh, right. Most Canucks just ride Moose around anyway 'eh?

You learn on a beaver then when you're 16 you can get a moose license

[XXX-er]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdmijttlOQI

moose are everywhere

available at retail for sure^^

and nobody bothers with a license eh?

[HankScorpio]

I got word from a buddy who works at a shop that Shimano is releasing the XT group in Di2 trim for less than $1k, cranks included., 1x or 2x 11.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Ugh, electric shit on a bike. Mountain bike, no less. Disgusting.

[bfree]

Just bought some 105 pedals for $66 shipped from Jenson. They were $150(+tax) at the LBS. I can't even ask them to come anywhere close to the online price because I know their cost has to be higher than that.

[smmokan]

Ugh, electric shit on a bike. Mountain bike, no less. Disgusting.

Agreed. Shimano can suck a fatty with their Di2 shit.

[mntlion]

Just bought some 105 pedals for $66 shipped from Jenson. They were $150(+tax) at the LBS. I can't even ask them to come anywhere close to the online price because I know their cost has to be higher than that.

exaclty. no idea why the LBS would carry them in the future. But will that effect you, or LBS or shimano at all?

[ghosthop]

Ugh, electric shit on a bike. Mountain bike, no less. Disgusting.

Agreed. Shimano can suck a fatty with their Di2 shit.

Kind of hard to blame shimano for pandering to a market that is willing to upgrade every time they come out with something new. I would think the point of this thread is that shimano isn't too picky about how they move product out the door as long as they meet their bottom line.

[HankScorpio]

Ugh, electric shit on a bike. Mountain bike, no less. Disgusting.

I wouldn't want a ride cut short bc my shifting battery dies.

[joetron]

I wouldn't want a ride cut short bc my shifting battery dies.

Just don't forget to charge it every 4 months