My LBS is having Cannondale Reps come by for a couple of days in May for Demo rides.
The store owner also stated that they also offer "other incentives".

Has anyone been to one of these events before?

If so what are the incentives they offer?

Do they lower bike prices?

Curious!

A free water bottle, balloons...

These are really great events. Take your pedals, shoes, and helmet. They will let you take a bike and ride it - I don't mean just around the parking lot. Go off for a couple of hours, do some hills, ride fast on the flats, try some sprints. Go back and try another model.

Prices are always negociable - never pay full retail!

A free water bottle, balloons...

These are really great events. Take your pedals, shoes, and helmet. They will let you take a bike and ride it - I don't mean just around the parking lot. Go off for a couple of hours, do some hills, ride fast on the flats, try some sprints. Go back and try another model.

Prices are always negociable - never pay full retail!


how negociable are the prices?

say a bike is listed at $2500 how much and you get knocked off?

How good are your negociating skills? ;-)

If the retail price is $2,500, I would try for 25% off and settle for 15-20%. Some manufacturers limit how much the LBS can discount their bikes without jeopardizing the franchise. Ask for a free helmet, pedals, etc. as part of the deal. Ask the dealer to pay the sales tax...

If you don't ask, you won't get! What's the worst they can say, "no"?

25% is a bit steep, well really steep actually. Try to get the discounts on the parts that come with the bike, have them throw in pedals, shoes, computer, etc. Better margins there. Margin on most bikes is only about 35%to begin with.

25% is a bit steep, well really steep actually. Try to get the discounts on the parts that come with the bike, have them throw in pedals, shoes, computer, etc. Better margins there. Margin on most bikes is only about 35%to begin with.


So you say I should ask for helmet, pedals, shoes or computer for free..I actually need all of them...I can see them throwing a $30 computer but not a $150 - $200 helmet or shoes.

They will actually go for this?

Ask if the store sponsors a team. Cannondale supplies team bikes at steep discounts. Join the team.

Are there any bicycle organizations in your area? Here in Los Angeles, members of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition are offered discounts at many stores in the area. Typically 10% off on bikes and 10-15% off on parts and accessories.

Get what you can get - if the dealer won't budge much on the price of the bike, ask for sales tax or shoes or whatever.

In a negociation, you don't ask for what you want, you ask for more than you want and then settle for less.

Well see if they'll give you a 15-20% discount on the accessories instead of doing anything on the bike. They make more money on those anyway, and the discount encourages you to buy them there instead of shopping online. 15-20% is generally the amount they give to teams anyway. That's generally the way to get the best deal without having to seem like an ass haggling for 3 hours. (IMO)

So you say I should ask for helmet, pedals, shoes or computer for free..I actually need all of them...I can see them throwing a $30 computer but not a $150 - $200 helmet or shoes.

They will actually go for this?

You don't work in automotive do you...? Ask for everything you want, you aren't running their business. You are managing your pocketbook. Should I call in Shatner for some "Priceline Negotiator" seminars for you? :rolleyes:

Ask for whatever you want, but expect nothing.

Prices are always negociable - never pay full retail!

Does this work at the grocery store or a clothing store or the gas station? Why would it work at a bike shop? How are they (bikes) any different than any other durable consumer good?

Pretty sure your LBS does not have "swap meet" in the name.................or................

As far as the event goes.......its about getting you on the bike and making you "want" a Cannondale. This is the same reason people test drive cars, and "take it home for the weekend." You can't take it back once the neighbors see it :lol:. They want you to get emotionally attached to whatever it is that your are "testing". First impressions last forever. If your riding an older Cannondale or Trek or whatever.........they want the difference to be so noticable that you "have" to buy one. The difference may be negligible but the impression will not be. They are betting that your impression will be favorable.

They may offer a small discount to people who showed but don't expect them to eat their hats.

Starnut

A few years ago one of the local newspapers ran an article about haggling- where you could do it and where you couldn't. Not surprisingly, the places you could do it were on just about anything where there is a high dollar (not necessarily high percentage) markup and you can talk to someone other than a wage slave, someone with the discretion to lower prices. The writer said she was absolutely shocked when she walked into Macy's, made an offer on a leather coat thinking she'd be escorted out by security, and found herself talking to the department manager a few minutes later who knocked almost 25% off.

With bikes you can apply the same tactics as cars. The car doesn't have a high markup, but the dealer is hoping to sell you add-ons and service, which is their bread and butter (even warranty service is profitable to them since the factory pays). One way of dealing with car dealers is to ask for their 'best price,' and when you get it say, "Great, but I've got to check with [name the nearest dealer of the same brand]." The price often comes down again. They really don't want you to leave with your money. This doesn't mean that supply and demand doesn't play a big part. My guess is you won't be able to get a Madone or some other scarce model at less than list because there's no incentive to sell them for less. They have buyers lined up ready to pay list.

And speaking of supply and demand, by far the best way to get a good price is to ask about last year's models the dealer may have in stock. He's going to want to unload those and changes year to year are modest at best.

Then there's the cost/benefit analysis to do when considering negotiations. How often do you buy a bike? Is getting $100 off on a purchase you make every three years worth hours of your time? Personally, I don't like to haggle. Of the last three bikes I bought two were the previous model year and the deals were so good that I was satisfied. The other was a current model year, but cost under a grand, and the dealer knocked $150 off before I said anything. That was good enough for me.