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Spesh pricing policies and practices, please

3K views 33 replies 23 participants last post by  Pedalfaraway 
#1 ·
Hi folks. I've never had anything to do with Specialized but thae 2013 Epic Marathon has definitely piqued my interest. Questions: are Specialized dealers given any leeway on pricing? If Spesh says the Marathon retails for $7200, is that what it's actually going to sell for? When their stuff goes on sale, do all the dealers offer the same "sale" price?
 
#2 ·
Depends on your LBS and your relationship with them. More than likely it will probably be that price or just slightly lower since the 2013's just came out.
 
#3 ·
The route that I went and some shops will give you a decent amount in shop credit somewhere along the lines of 10% on the bike. Mine let me apply it to a wheelset upgrade. From what I understand the bike shops mark up a lot of the other items (helmets, tires, bottle cages) by about double of what they pay. So while you gain $500, it only costs them $250 or so.

Personally for me if I am going to be taking a 2012 at this point I would be looking at 15% to 20% off on the price. For a 2013 I would be looking at around 8% off or so. Just ask and see where they come back. Talk to the people who have a say in the bike shop and can make things happen. Dropping $7k on a bike is a big deal and most shops wouldn't want to lose the business over a couple hundred $. Shops in my area might have to sell 20 or more budget bikes to make the same profit as a $7k bike will. Shop around. It won't hurt anything.
 
#5 ·
So, buying a $7k bike is like buying a loaf of bread for you? You must have quite a bit of cash to not feel the difference.

Do you also pay full MSRP for a car? What about a $7k+ motorcycle or similar item? I don't see how a $7k bike is any different.

Getting a shop to make a deal for me makes me want to do more business with them.
 
#6 ·
From what I've been told by other guys who have bought S-Works bikes, they got some fairly decent discounts in the range of about 10%, but then they also bought a whole load of other accessories and stuff or this was their 2nd bike from the shop. Best bet is to ask, never hurts. Will say this though, Specialized IMO is overpriced and you can find other brands bikes of the same quality, weight and components for a good bit less - check Scott for example.
 
#8 ·
Overpriced yet compelling

Specialized IMO is overpriced and you can find other brands bikes of the same quality, weight and components for a good bit less - check Scott for example.
I agree that they charge top dollar for their stuff and I've always looked elsewhere for value. Two things are drawing me to the 2013 Marathon: a carbon wheelset and the Brain, which in my opinion sets the Epic line apart from everything else out there.

Okay, fire away...
 
#7 ·
Spesh bikes are marked up a lot. Shop around & try to get the best discount you can find. I don't remember the exact number off the top of my head but the last Spesh bike I purchased I got for $750 below MSRP & no, it wasn't an end of model year sale. A couple of months latter I was offered another bike for $900 below MSRP.
 
#11 ·
Specialize bikes are aleays marked up 10percent for their listed msrp. Some dealer sell it to u at that price, while others claim they discounted 10 percent, which is the undertable regulare consumer price. find a shop that give you an additional 10percent off thediscounted price and you are starting to talk.
 
#15 ·
The Epic I rode was the 2011 version, and yes, it did take the first hit to get it working, and IMHO that was a significant flaw, but not a deal breaker. Supposedly that's been improved in subsequent years, but I have no actual experience with that. Regardless, I don't want to fiddle with CTD controls. If I remember to flip it one way, I'll forget to flip it the other. When I'm working hard in a race, I can't even tell my left from my right, let alone flip damper controls.
 
#22 ·
I'm with you in respect to flipping levers. I was forever forgetting to unlock the front forks for descending and that lever was on the bars.
The 2013 Epic shock is the best yet. It does of course take the first bump to open it up but it does open on the first hit and do its job. The 12/13's now have a circuit that also leaves it active for a bit longer after it is activated so it isn't opening and closing several times over every series of rocks or roots. The 12's and 13's also require a smaller bump to activate. The Epic 29er also makes a great trail bike.
 
#19 ·
I have established a good contact to my shop and probably buy there every second year. Meanwhile I ordered 4 bikes for some mates. I get 20% on all 2013 bikes in my LBS ;-)

Got the 2012 S-Works Epic 29 for 25% less, the team black/red one which is sold out. Great ride and plush as hell if you want it. Very impressed by the Brain for which really is sensible even in firm settin and offering the full travel - OUTSTANDING!!!
 
#25 ·
Sure, they can only allow dealers to sell through certain channels, but manufacturers cannot dictate the pricing their dealers sell at, as that would be restraint of trade in violation of antitrust law. (MAP pricing only dictates the minimum a product can be advertised for, but the retailer can still sell for less)
 
#26 ·
Don't see how you would think (or how the LBS would do) LBS would mark up OVER msrp when there is the IneT! Just go to Specialized.com like I did.

Just got an epic comp carbon evoR SICK bike, at 31% off 012's msrp!!! Now that's shopping (was just about to order a Scott too). I will miss the auto sag for 013, can live with that for this deal!
 
#28 ·
I was at the LBS looking at a new Stumpy Comp 29er (HT) to replace my vintage one. I said I really liked the black/grey in the 2013 but they said I'd have to wait 'till November because they are back ordered. He said they could get some 2012's and they came in the same color scheme. I said "No" because I thought the color was more light grey than black. He called me behind the counter to look at his ordering screen so I could see the color. I saw the color (light grey, like I thought) but I also saw the price...

$2200 MSRP. They would sell it to me for $2000. But I also saw their price... $1300

They wouldn't go any lower than $2k and they didn't have any in my size (XL) and wouldn't order any unless I paid in full up front.

I decided against spending $2k on a bike I couldn't ride first. I left.
 
#29 ·
Got my SJ FSR Elite @ 28% off on sale in August. But before my purchase, most place around here gave an avg of 10-15% off MSRP. For 2013, I notice Specialized increase their MSRP ~5%. You don't really have to bargain, just ask if there's any special/sales going on and most LBS will also price match. I went from looking at a $300 to purchasing a $3000 bike.
 
#31 ·
Paid 5k for 2013 Stumpy FSR Expert Carbon 29 vs the MSRP of 6.2. High end items have room to drop but don't expect much of you buy all your stuff on-line and only go to bike shop to look at bikes. Build a relationship with a shop, send them friends, pay a couple percent more for the little stuff by not buying everything on-line and spend time talking with owner/manager.

As for the brain, love it and wouldn't have a high end bike without it. New ones work immediately on the first bump and lets me ride rather than screw around with settings all the time.

To each their own.....
 
#33 ·
Without even trying my LBS gave me price of $3800 for a bike with an MSRP of $4100. Could I have haggled some more? Probably. I'm pretty sure their price is substantially less but, and I will never say this about any other product or store, I don't care that much about a few hundred dollars when it comes to a bike. It doesn't appear that my LBS is rolling in dough and they have to make a profit somehow.

My brother owns a big bike store that sells specialized and I'm sure he could get me a better deal but I like supporting the local guys. It's a good store, they have good service, the staff is friendly, knowledgable, and they really like bikes.

It's ironic that in a world of Wal Mart haters where people reflexively express disdain for mass marketing and cheap products so many people on this forum develop cultural amnesia when dealing with one of the last bastions of individualized service in town, their local bike store, and fantasize about screwing them for as much money as possible, even buying online to save a lousy five bucks.
 
#34 ·
5 bucks?????

Easton Carbon handlebar 130 dollars at LBS, 70 online.
Crossmax wheels, 1000 dollars at LBS, 600 online.

If you are only saving 5 dollars by shopping online your getting screwed for as much money as possible. I don't disagree with what you are saying I love the service I get at my LBS. its about the only place I can go where people call me by my first name instead of Sir or buddy. I frequently buy things for a little more then it would cost me online but sometimes the savings are too much to ignore. If I was not friend with the owners and management I would buy online alot more.
 
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