Performance bike opened a new store

01-31-2007, 06:01 AM

And then hired salespeople who appear to know nothing about cycling! WTF? I
tried talking about the "virtues" of Cytomax vs. Endurox and drew completely
blank stares. I asked about Camelbaks with the same result...but the kicker
was when I went to talk socks. Socks! How can you not know about cycling
socks?

I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along with the
best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective salesperson. This
sort of product cluelessness does not exist at REI. Maybe I'm spoiled in my
expectations....

01-31-2007, 06:08 AM

Pat wrote:
> And then hired salespeople who appear to know nothing about cycling! WTF? I
> tried talking about the "virtues" of Cytomax vs. Endurox and drew completely
> blank stares. I asked about Camelbaks with the same result...but the kicker
> was when I went to talk socks. Socks! How can you not know about cycling
> socks?
>
> I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along with the
> best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective salesperson. This
> sort of product cluelessness does not exist at REI. Maybe I'm spoiled in my
> expectations....
>
>
>
I don't have any experience with salespeople in a performance store, but
if they are anything like a couple of people I have dealt with in local
bike shops, I feel for you. I think being that they are a chain store
they probably have even worse, less experienced people working for them.

Ken
--
The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong

01-31-2007, 06:32 AM

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:01:41 -0600, Pat typed:

> And then hired salespeople who appear to know nothing about cycling! WTF? I
> tried talking about the "virtues" of Cytomax vs. Endurox and drew completely
> blank stares. I asked about Camelbaks with the same result...but the kicker
> was when I went to talk socks. Socks! How can you not know about cycling
> socks?
>
> I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along with the
> best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective salesperson. This
> sort of product cluelessness does not exist at REI. Maybe I'm spoiled in my
> expectations....

I always had good experiences with the shop on Halsted in Chicago. Don't
know about other locations.

Agree with ya on the REI. I prefer them to the LBS's, as I've never
been fed a line of bull**** from the staff. I dealt with a guy that was
pretty new in the cycling department the other night and he admitted
such--he basically said that he needed to consult with a more experienced
staffer so he'd not give me bad information. Straight up.

I don't know if it's the training or trickle down from the attitude in the
corporate office, but REI seems to "get it". Looking at their house brand
of Novara bikes--their bike buyer "gets it" as well.

01-31-2007, 06:40 AM

Pat wrote:
:: And then hired salespeople who appear to know nothing about cycling!
:: WTF? I tried talking about the "virtues" of Cytomax vs. Endurox and
:: drew completely blank stares. I asked about Camelbaks with the same
:: result...but the kicker was when I went to talk socks. Socks! How
:: can you not know about cycling socks?
::
:: I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along
:: with the best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective
:: salesperson. This sort of product cluelessness does not exist at
:: REI. Maybe I'm spoiled in my expectations....

if your local REI is not new, then they have a trained sales force.

is your local performance store really a bike shop? Or, are they something
else? I've never been in one, so I'm not sure how to view them. I guess if
you walk into a store with only cycling stuff and bikes, you expect bike
shop. But can you expect to quickly get a sales force of people with
cycling experience?

Give them time....plus, you don't need much support anyhow!

01-31-2007, 07:13 AM

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:40:44 -0500, Roger Zoul wrote:

> if your local REI is not new, then they have a trained sales force.
>
> is your local performance store really a bike shop? Or, are they something
> else? I've never been in one, so I'm not sure how to view them. I guess if
> you walk into a store with only cycling stuff and bikes, you expect bike
> shop. But can you expect to quickly get a sales force of people with
> cycling experience?
>
> Give them time....plus, you don't need much support anyhow!

Odd thing is that Performance is bike-only, while REI is general outdoors
stuff. I have been very happy with my no-longer-really-local REI, and
still would consider taking a repair job I couldn't handle to them. I did
that in the past, and was very satisfied. Oddly, the one time I took such
a repair job to a high-zoot local shop (in Radnor, PA -- those who know
them will understand), I got terrible service.

But the quality of Performance sales/repair people varies with, well, the
people. The one nearest to me is staffed by riders, so they do know what
they are doing.

--

David L. Johnson

If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach
a conclusion. -- George Bernard Shaw

01-31-2007, 08:26 AM

The store near me has been there for about 12 years. When they first
opened they had a lot of great stuff (even bare Italian frames you could
choose from and build up), the sales staff knew the business and the
mechanics were frequently out on the floor helping out.

But about the time of the Nashbar acquisition there was a clear change
in business model - a new manager and new salespeople who truly were
clueless.

What I like about Performance that most shops don't do, is that they
have all their parts and tools and things out where you can see them and
compare them and select for yourself. Chains for example: Performance
has about a dozen different chains, all on display - 8, 9, 10 speed,
cheap, moderate, expensive, quick link or pin, chrome or black. The
other stores I go to ask what kind of chain you want and then go get it
from the secret shelves.

01-31-2007, 11:52 AM

Who cares about salespeople? Most LBS's here in NJ have rude clueless
indifferent salespeople so I'd choose Performance with their excellent
prices and selection anyday. Price and selection are what I care
about

On Jan 31, 10:08 am, "Ken C. M." <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> Pat wrote:
> > And then hired salespeople who appear to know nothing about cycling! WTF? I
> > tried talking about the "virtues" of Cytomax vs. Endurox and drew completely
> > blank stares. I asked about Camelbaks with the same result...but the kicker
> > was when I went to talk socks. Socks! How can you not know about cycling
> > socks?
>
> > I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along with the
> > best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective salesperson. This
> > sort of product cluelessness does not exist at REI. Maybe I'm spoiled in my
> > expectations....
>
> I don't have any experience with salespeople in a performance store, but
> if they are anything like a couple of people I have dealt with in local
> bike shops, I feel for you. I think being that they are a chain store
> they probably have even worse, less experienced people working for them.
>
> Ken
> --
> The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets
> old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without
> shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong

01-31-2007, 01:40 PM

"Pat" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in news:[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]:
> I can go to the shelf, pick up the product, and read the tag along with
> the best of them. That's not good enough for a prospective salesperson.
> This sort of product cluelessness does not exist at REI. Maybe I'm
> spoiled in my expectations....

I agree that Performance employees are not well trained, but REI is not much
better these days. Maybe 10 or 20 years ago, the REI clerks knew what they
were talking about. REI is opening so many new stores these days that the
talent/experience level is seriously diluted. My advice is to find a good
owner-operated local bike shop that has career employees instead of part-time
high school kids. Those are the guys that know what they are talking about.

01-31-2007, 02:18 PM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:
> Who cares about salespeople? Most LBS's here in NJ have rude clueless
> indifferent salespeople so I'd choose Performance with their excellent
> prices and selection anyday. Price and selection are what I care
> about

REI also has a very good selection of accessories at good prices too.
The bicycle department employees at REI are very knowledgeable, at least
at the REI closest to me (San Jose/Saratoga). REI also has a very good
selection of bicycles, including touring bicycles. Most of the bicycle
shops around where I live no longer carry a wide selection of bicycles.

The other big plus about REI and Performance is that they have good
hours. You can actually go to these stores after work, or on Sunday,
when many bicycle shops are closed.

01-31-2007, 06:33 PM

On Jan 31, 2:52 pm, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] wrote:
> Who cares about salespeople? Most LBS's here in NJ have rude clueless
> indifferent salespeople

That problem is not confined to NJ...... :-(

> so I'd choose Performance with their excellent
> prices and selection anyday. Price and selection are what I care
> about

Which is why more and more cyclists are shopping on the internet.