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| - I've been a regular customer at Tempe Bicycle for a year. In the past everything has been fine. But we've now had our first problem with a purchase, and a really terrible experience-- one that was of their doing, and that they could have fixed if they cared to.
We took our 5 year old daughter in on her birthday to buy a bike. We spent 45 min, and sought advice on sizing, etc from a senior (managing) salesman. Because it didn't yet have training wheels on, I couldn't stand back and see her ride it till we had it home-- I held the seat and pushed while the salesman watched. Once at home, though, the bike looked awfully big for her. So I went online to get advice about how to size a bike to a kid (i.e. the thing I trusted the salesman to do). Turned out she was simply (and obviously) too small-- e.g. with the seat as low as it goes, she couldn't sit on it and touch her toes to the ground.
So...we took it back. (It was in pristine shape, ridden for less than 10 minutes, returned less than 24 hours after we purchased it).
What we expected: "We are very sorry. Yes, of course, here is a full refund."
What we got: "well, normally we'd charge you a 20% restocking fee, but we'll give it to you as store credit instead."
Never mind that it was their failure-- and that it caused our daughters birthday-bike experience to be unhappy, and that I am a regular customer (this was the second bike I purchased there in 3 weeks.)
Why do I go to a local business like this, paying 40% more than I would online or at a chain like REI-- where they would have taken it back without batting an eyelash? Because a store like this is supposed to take time with you, because they are there to help if you have any problems, and because they are a part of the local community. But why should I, if I have to do my own research online anyway, and if they give me this hard of a time when there is a problem (that they caused)? That is the last dollar Tempe Bicycles will see from me.
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