have just been to the local bike shop - Earnshaws in Huddersfield as had spotted on their website that they had a Suzy GN 125 in that I was interested in (over priced, but I was prepared to haggle) Anyway, I walked in & was mooching over the bike, there were 2 sales guys in who completely igored me. Then a family walked in with 2 sons & one of the sales guys was over them like a rash, next a couple of bikers walked in & again the sales guys were chatting away to them & again completely ignored me. So I went outside had a ciggy & walked back in again & again went over to mooch at this bike - again nothing so I walked out...I was prepared to be suckered into buying the bike aswell!!..........is it me???? Do I just not exist, or should I have shouted in a very loud voice, "come suker me into buying this bike"???..I know we always complain when sales peeps come over to you in the space of nano seconds & ask if they can help, but it was pretty obvious I was interested in this bike, yet.........Nothing! I couldn't even grab their attention cos they were too busy chatting!..maybe I should have put this on the random rant thread! ....aaaaaand breath!!
No it's not you. I had the same thing when I was originally looking at a 125 many years ago. It is all about how you present yourself as you walk in. I you look like your going to spend a shed load of money then they are all over you. the family ht walked in gave the impression of dad is wanting something for sunny days and he will want a GIXR.
Go back in with a biker mate and both go in with your gear on and see how long it takes. then get you pate to say that is it you that is looking. You will get a different response. it is all commission and figures to these guys.
it could also be that you,re female & av u got it in my colournext time just park yourself on the bike & they,ll be over like a shot....(especially if you sit there going brrumm brrumm)
wear yer leathers have your assets on show bit o slap bend over the bike flirt like crazy get em all fired up like they think there gonna clinch the deal then lose interest!! they'll suddenly come up with all sorts of offer's!!
Write a polite but firm letter to the managing director.
Give it a few days, then try again.
Chances are, they will serve you quick enough.
If not, try ttm.
i had exactly the same thing from premier bikes at askern, went in 3 times to look at tuonos, the third time with the cash in my pocket cos they had exactly what i wanted.
they ignored me every time, so i went to taz's in peterborough where i received excellent service & got the bike i wanted with a free service chucked into the deal.
so, its not just girls, its pierced, tattooed biker men that get ignored too!
I personally would slate them to all and sundry...at the very least they should be finding out straight away whether yr there to buy or browse. I wouldnt give them the time of day if i were you, regardless of whether they had the bike you wanted or not. There is always somewhere else that does. Word of mouth does far more for business than glitzy showrooms
Earnshaws staff have behaved that way with me and I used to go in quite often. I once got offered peanuts for my immaculate bike and they tried to offer me a rusty Hyosung that altho newer than my bike had more miles on the clock. My bike was 17 yrs old and had 17,000 miles on the clock and NO rust. They never approach me when I go in the shop I have to go oik an assistant out of their coma if I want to be served.
HG have you tried D C's @ Fartown? Tho, personally, I think both dealers are a bit pricey. Probably better off looking on ebay/bike trader/UBG
Probably a bit too far for the Yorkshire crew, but I've heard nothing but good reports about the service from Woods in Abergele in N Wales and a lot of Liverpool buyers feel its worth the effort to get out there.
Sorry to look like I am in defence of the sales guy well I not, but have to say after having a shop and the amount of males and females that came in to look at 125s that just came in to waste our time, sometimes even getting us to get the bike out so they could see what it felt like, but you will always get this so open your mouth and tell them you are interested, also most shop will haggle a little but not much, they run tight on price so some may not be interested, Know you all think it’s a licence to print money well its not its hard work,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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There are loads of 125 on e-bay and the like so why not look there as you will probley get a better chance of getting a better deal.<o:p></o:p>
sometimes even getting us to get the bike out so they could see what it felt like,
Blimey! That's disgusting!
Cheeky feckin' customers asking to actually be able to sit on a bike to see what it feels like, before handing over shedloads of cash for the thing.
Whatever next?!
It'll be folk in shoe shops next, demanding that the assistants go fetch the left shoe, so they can see what the whole pair feels like.
Country's going to hell in a handbasket, I tell ya!
;o)
HFG - I'd take my custom elsewhere.
If I want to buy something, I don't usually give them the chance to ignore me, I go and demand some attention, but if I am just at the considering stage, and they ignore me, then I don't go back there when I'm in position to buy. Stuff 'em.
School of salesmanship rule number 1
If someone is actualy touching a product 90% of the time it's a buying signal!!
Rule 2 NEVER judge a book by it's cover (the most unlikely looking person is that millionaire who will buy the most expensive thing in the shop with ALL the whistles and bells or even several duplicated items) just because they look like they have no money aint a yard stick to be used!!
Rule 3 Women may browse a bit, but the largest growth area of "NEW" bikers is women who want their own bikes so go talk to them!!!! Grrrrrr (so what if you have to get the bike out so peeps can sit on it and get the feel of it IT's YOUR BLOODY JOB to serve any potential customer!!!!) If you've got a shop full of peeps and cannot serve everyone there and then either get out your buisness card and give it to peeps when you can appologuies for the delay in looking after them say you'll be free soon (make sure you are) or ask to make an apointment with them at a less busy time in the week! NOT ROCKET SCIENCE IS IT???
If you look after all customers the same way you get a good reputation and then you live on recomendations!
I've seen it happen when there is a woman looking over a bike (ANY BIKE) they are ignored, over almost anyone else........
If not, try ttm.
Yep!!
Touch it, feel it, fondle it.
Drag it out, have a seat and bounce around, examine the underside, prod, poke, kick the tyres. Do everything, but break it, really.
Eventually, they will wander over and ask, "Can I help you?".
thanks for all your comments - I think it's sad that in the 21st century women are still treated as "aww bless the 'ickle woman for wanting to try a 'Mans' sport" - by some men (not all I hasten to add!)
I've looked on e-bay & biketrader, but am just a bit dubious about going down that route - I know the bikes on there are probably legit & there's nowt wrong with em - although I did see one on e-bay - they had the log book, but no keys...hmmmmmmm, let me think!
I just felt safer going through a dealer - although I know I'd pay more! hence why I wandered into Earnshaws..
Kwak - I didn't go to DC's as my mate (a traffic cop) wont reccommend them to anyone!!
I also wanted the Suzy GN as that's what I did my CBT on & I felt comfortable on it as I could get my feet properly on the floor - the other one they had I couldn't !! (shortarse that I am )
Anyway, I shall keep looking & take up all your advice - go in in skin tight leathers, wads of money hanging out my cleavage & take a broadsword with me at the same time & then sit on the bike of my choice going "ringadingading.....bruuummmmm" & see what happens
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