MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Would you leave a small shop in the lurch?

Jimibeee2

I think Halfords is the only option, hard its true but they are cheaper, and if you really want to save money then its the only option in these times, plus halfords is underated for its service, for the price of the other shops you could have it fittted in halfords.

Willo

I would stick with the small shop. I can't stand Halfords. I will never shop there. I bought a sat nav from them and it turned out to be the last one in the shop. So they gave me the display model (without telling me) and forgot to put all the wires in the box . When I took it back I literally had to argue for a refund - manager was unhappy because the cost of the item would come off his daily target!

Support the independent shop. They'll probably look after you more.

SABJ

it wouldnt be about the money saving for me i would stick with the smaller shop because i said i would BUT id be well miffed that i had to wait and i could of had it there and then heehee i always want somthing yesterday tho i have no patients but i would keep to my word and buy from the smaller shop

Margaret54

I would support the small shop for sure. Bigger shops don't have the service you get with small shops. I think in these days small shops will really feel it as the like of Tesco just tramp over all the smaller shops and the businesses will be glad of your custom, and might look after you better than a bigger store would. I feel sorry when I hear of small shops having to close.

Pisty

Even if I look soley at the cost side of things...I still wouldn't cancel the order, as I'd had a service 'included in cost' and you know how much larger shops can rob you for one!
So the smaller shop has good customer service and has offered me something for free. And let's face it, £3 is nothing when you're getting that.

The wait would be a little annoying...but that's been agreed to already anyway...if the wait REALLY mattered, I wouldn't have greed to it in the first place.

ycy0116

still I'll go to the small shop, since the owner has already made the order and done the service, but maybe next time I'll check the halfords first.
coz I feel it's alreay a deal between me and the small shop, just bcoz the trust I haven't pay anything yet, doesn't mean that I can broke the deal.
Apart from that, if you were the shop owner, what do you think if people leave you in the lurch?

stogiebear

In this case I'd stick to the small shop. If someone has gone to the trouble of servicing the bike because he wants my custom then he's done the right thing and I'll honour the order.

Three quid? But the one week wait would niggle me. Maybe I could ask him to cycle off to Halfords and cut down the waiting time.

I'm not a big fan of small local shops but they are usually located conveniently for the less mobile (and the lazy of which I am one!)

bargainhunter_3-2

I'd agree with most of the other posters and would want to support the independant shopkeeper. Experience tells me, however, that I can usually find bike and car accessories cheaper in the local independants anyway.

As an example, last time I bought oil for my car in Halfords it was over £20 for an unbranded 5 litre can. A reputable brand was £13 from my local motor factor.

maggiebee48

I'd always keep my word. Money doesn't enter into it.

secgirl

Would have to agree with the majority. I asked the local store to order the part, so I would feel morally obliged to return to buy it. If £3 was really going to make a major difference then I would have checked prices before placing the order. Someone asked if it was a larger amount would it make a difference? I would like to think it would not, as I had made a contract to purchase when I placed the order. If I found a huge difference in price, then I think I would be inclined to point it out and ask why the huge variance. I would morally though feel I had to buy it unless the store owner could return it. Again, I would generally want to check prices BEFORE deciding where I was buying. (BTW one of our local bike stores - yes we have 2!!!!! - is brilliant. He checked out 3 bikes for me, repaired wheels, replaced tyres and brakes and even replaced a front fork for £100 for all three. And he always says hello to myself and kids even though that was the only time I had been in his shop. I will definitely go back if I need anything else. The other store however, I am not so impressed by. Not a nice attitude, even though cheaper. Will not use there unless absolutely essential. First local shop wins hands down. Reasonable price, excellent service and very helpful. And boy does he know his bikes!