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

bowbelle

Absolutely not. Small shops need all the help they can get. If someone can offer a great personal service (often hard to come by these days) they deserve support. Who could do that after a free bike service anyway, I wouldn't sleep!

Montgolfier

Dealing with a retailer is similar to business to business trading; good faith is required on both sides. The shop owner has already given a service gratis and ordered pedals without demanding a deposit. He has shown good faith. To then go and buy the pedals elsewhere is bad faith which may bite you in the bum. What if you need another item and it turns out that the cycle shop sells it cheaper than Halfords. Would you dare go back and, if you had the front, would he sell it to you. My personal experience is that the small trader may not always be the cheapest in all things but overall costs may be favourably comparative and the help and advice given may save pounds, time and frustration.

KG

No - because of alot of the reasons stated plus they might be the only ones who can get a certain part for you in the future. Happy to be that brazen with a large company where I am anonymous but not here.

trinibago_gal

If I was getting a service free of charge then I'd buy from the small shop and forget the usually impersonal service from the big chains:D

badger277

I would definitely support the small local shop if I had already agreed to buy from them...wouldn't feel so honour bound to do so with a large corporation (such as Halfords) though if the deal was the other way round, but our small local shops need all the support they can get.
Unfortunately I can't always make the local shop my first option due to lack of funds, but if I can afford it personally, then I always see it as the way to go...
I agree with one of the previous posts where all we now have on our little parade is three take-a-ways, with another identical one currently applying for planning (which we are opposed to, how many takeaways can you eat?). Or we have drinks stores, and the inevitable "Spar" open all hours with the attached group of youths hanging around outside intimidating anyone who tries to go in it...
We lost our Post Office:mad:, barely hung on to our bakers;) (they tried to turn it into another takeaway!, four doors away from the last one!! luckily they got planning turned down:j so are now trying again eight doors away!:mad: I wouldn't mind so much but they all close at 10pm as we live in a small village and are closed all day too, so can't even get a portion of chips on a Saturday lunchtime! (healthier I guess but I don't see how one shop makes any money let alone four of them!!!
Sorry for the rant, went off track a bit, just sick of fighting the same old battles with differently worded plans from people who live in another town entirely.
Our local bike shop, which we actually do have.. is fab by the way, even opens up on a Sunday morning and gives free check ups too:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

rosieben

I would stay with the original shop, by ordering the item I had entered into a verbal contract .... and I got a free service ..... and I'd always support a local shop in preference to a chain store any day

cw18

Nope! I'd stick with the local. Much more confidence in them, and £3 for a service is a good deal. If I bought from elsewhere and cancelled, I don't think I'd ever dare show my face in the little shop again -- and you never know when you might need them for something else (and something not stocked at a large chain at that!)

moggylover

Hi Jenny - personally no I would not. If I have asked someone to get me something then I consider that a contract to buy it when it arrives. The only time I would then go elsewhere is when I am still waiting ages later, despite phone calls, and the item has not arrived.

On this score - am still waiting (technically) for a part I ordered 12 years ago for my mothers electric cooker (from a small local shop). At first I chased this up regularly - and got no-where. Eventually, after about 6 months I got the part elsewhere and fitted it. I did not bother to call the shop about this - just as they have not bothered to call about the extreme delay!

supergramp_2

1. If you made a deal. Stick with it.

2. Really, the shop should take cash with order and no refunds except in exceptional circumstances (e.g you got run over :A by a cyclist while walking on the pavement).

naimone

That's an easy one.

1. You have entered into a verbal contract - a promise by another name.

2. The shop owner has given you a big moneysaving already with the free service. The cost of a bike service around here is between £50-£100! I tend to service my own bike these days.

3.Small shop = personal, knowledgable, specialist service (usually).

4. Enough chain stores already.