Is it unethical to walk to a bike dealership and....?

[regder]

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Going into a dealership and sitting on a few bikes doesn't waste anyone's time. If someone asks if they can help, just tell them you're window shipping, I've never had anyone complain. It is however unethical to sit down with a sales guy, run numbers, BS with him for an hour without any intention of buying.

In the car world, there is something called closing ratio, number of sales to number of leads, which more and more stores are tracking closely. They'll hire consultants, send the sales guys to training, pay lots of money for software to track performance and leads, do everything they can to bump up their numbers. That sales guy that just wasted his time with you, if his numbers are low, you might have just gotten him one step closer to the door.

Remember that these guys only make money when they sell something, you wasting their time could have cost them an opportunity to sell something to someone that was actually interested.

 

[honduhmatic]

Usually in this situation, I've just done business with their parts counter and have a gallon of oil and an oil filter, or some other parts in my hand.

If dealers were anal about letting customers sit on bikes, there's lots of other places to buy parts as well!

 

[Balrog]

If I'm just looking, that's what I tell them when they ask me if I need any help. If I have questions there will be someone around to answer them. It isn't wasting anyone's time to browse.

If I'm looking to buy, they'll know it.

 

[crankcall]

Smart saleguys will entertain you even if you are "just looking", lots of guys that are just looking dont want the full court press from a hyper active salesguy, so they say just looking.
If somebody can wander around your showroom for 15mins and have no questions, get a marketing manager to explain whats wrong with your setup because it is not interesting enough.
If a saleguy cant start a probing conversation with " are you riding now?" or how do you enjoy the bike you came in on? get a new salesguy.

You may not be in a position to buy but your buddy might, or worse you may be on an interweb forum and share your thoughts. Oh the irony....

 

[Lightcycle]

In the car world, there is something called closing ratio, number of sales to number of leads, which more and more stores are tracking closely. They'll hire consultants, send the sales guys to training, pay lots of money for software to track performance and leads, do everything they can to bump up their numbers. That sales guy that just wasted his time with you, if his numbers are low, you might have just gotten him one step closer to the door.

The car and motorcycle guys run across plenty of dreamers. A good sales guy will know how to qualify an opportunity properly. As well as how to sandbag the numbers to manage expectations.

 

[BNKN]

The car and motorcycle guys run across plenty of dreamers. A good sales guy will know how to qualify an opportunity properly. As well as how to sandbag the numbers to manage expectations.

Yes. Last time at dealership picking up parts I was killing time at the coat racks. Slow winter day. Salesman engages me, does all the talking. Not really interested in my POV. Thats ok. I expressed interest in NC700X. Why not on floor? Next thing I know we're in the basement looking @ NC700X. He's laying it on real thick. Thats ok. He asked what I ride. Could have knocked me over with feather. Did not expect that. I listed my five bikes and that I only insure two per year and I'm kinda boxed in that way and there's really no point in buying another. Never seen a salesman lose interest so quickly it was actually kind of off putting. Thats ok.

 

[freedomfighter]

....sit on their bikes, talk to salesman about the bikes, have their promotional free coffee and then walk right out without actually purchasing anything???

so how would you like it if someone walked into your work place where you were counting on the comish to put food on your table roof over your head and some ****** came into your work place and wasted your time.
some of you on here wonder why sale people are rude. well maybe that sale guy has had 10 ****** walk in that day and waste there time.
it baffles me how so many people fell they are so in tilled.

 

[RockerGuy]

Smart saleguys will entertain you even if you are "just looking", lots of guys that are just looking dont want the full court press from a hyper active salesguy, so they say just looking.
If somebody can wander around your showroom for 15mins and have no questions, get a marketing manager to explain whats wrong with your setup because it is not interesting enough.
If a saleguy cant start a probing conversation with " are you riding now?" or how do you enjoy the bike you came in on? get a new salesguy.

You may not be in a position to buy but your buddy might, or worse you may be on an interweb forum and share your thoughts. Oh the irony....

I agree with this post.
When doing business, treat potential customers as $ walking thru the door. Its your duty as a salesperson to sweet-talk his wallet out.

Plus having a friendly conversation doesnt hurt. Its just opening up yourself as a salesperson & building a level of trust

Sent from my tablet using my paws

 

[sid_for_speed]

so how would you like it if someone walked into your work place where you were counting on the comish to put food on your table roof over your head and some ****** came into your work place and wasted your time.
some of you on here wonder why sale people are rude. well maybe that sale guy has had 10 ****** walk in that day and waste there time.
it baffles me how so many people fell they are so in tilled.

The talk to the sales guy in my question did not refer to me talking to the salesguy first. I just wanted to know if I would be given a bad eye by sales guys if I just hang around the dealership ,say "oh..I'm just looking" waste 1/2 hr there ,sit on the bikes and walk out....you Know, a "dreamer".

I ask this because at the hyundai dealer ship I was surrounded by 2 salesmen the moment I walked in , I was just curious to see the new Santafe....I was wearing casual clothes...within minutes the branch manager came out and asked me what my intention was coming in and "just checking" out the cars, even though I clearly mentioned to both the previous salesmen that I was in to see the new Santafe...

I guess what I'm getting at is this has scared me into walking into dealerships ( car or bike) to just "go in and checkout a new model"

 

[regder]

I agree with this post.
When doing business, treat potential customers as $ walking thru the door. Its your duty as a salesperson to sweet-talk his wallet out.

Plus having a friendly conversation doesnt hurt. Its just opening up yourself as a salesperson & building a level of trust

Sent from my tablet using my paws

There is nothing wrong with letting the sales guy feel you out (hehehehe) as long as you express your intentions. There are many many sales that have been done with the buyer just browsing around.

On the flip side, there are some people that enjoy just going around to dealerships and purposely wasting the sales guy's time, going on test drives in cars they can't possibly afford. Expressing interest in buying, when inside they know full well they're just there to waste time.

The talk to the sales guy in my question did not refer to me talking to the salesguy first. I just wanted to know if I would be given a bad eye by sales guys if I just hang around the dealership ,say "oh..I'm just looking" waste 1/2 hr there ,sit on the bikes and walk out....you Know, a "dreamer".

I ask this because at the hyundai dealer ship I was surrounded by 2 salesmen the moment I walked in , I was just curious to see the new Santafe....I was wearing casual clothes...within minutes the branch manager came out and asked me what my intention was coming in and "just checking" out the cars, even though I clearly mentioned to both the previous salesmen that I was in to see the new Santafe...

I guess what I'm getting at is this has scared me into walking into dealerships ( car or bike) to just "go in and checkout a new model"

You did nothing wrong. That is what's commonly called a hard sell. They were basically trying to bully you into buying. Theory being, you've already made the step into the dealership so you're interested, they just have to push you past whatever personal hurdles you have against buying. Doesn't work most of the time, but will catch the occasional fly.

 

[RockerGuy]

There is nothing wrong with letting the sales guy feel you out (hehehehe) as long as you express your intentions. There are many many sales that have been done with the buyer just browsing around.

.

U mean sexually? Wha u mean?

Sent from my tablet using my paws

 

[revrandy]

If the sales people are always rude, I expect you've been profiled...
When I go into a dealership in my "Saturday Clothes" (blue jeans and T-shirt) I get ignored.
Dress for a wedding or funeral and you'll be amazed at how courteous the sales people are.

Crap I always wear a suit and clerical collar at a wedding and funeral... that is the last way I want to go to a motorcycle dealership. Hrm, I get paid to be a weddings and funerals, does this mean the dealership will pay me as well?






I can dream, can't I?

 

[FiReSTaRT]

Just a suggestion - try to make it out to the manufacturer's demo days, assuming they'll have the model you might be interested in. You even get to take her out for a spin.

 

[mimico_polak]

There is nothin wrong with going into a dealership and browse around. Be up front and if you have questions just ask the sales guy. If he's a ****** then go to his neighbor and he may help you out. I sold cars (jaguar) for years and we had all sorts of dreamers. I'd usually answer questions and such but never take them on test drives if I felt the lead was a flake.
One guy came in and looked like a real bum, I was polite and answered his questions and ill be damned he bought an XJ8 cash! Turns out this was the first car he bought in a dealer in years because he always was looked down on by sales guys!
If you're honest you're good to go and there's plenty of good and cool sales guys around. You can smell the shady useless ones and just stay away from those ones.

 

[OpenGambit]

so how would you like it if someone walked into your work place where you were counting on the comish to put food on your table roof over your head and some ****** came into your work place and wasted your time.
some of you on here wonder why sale people are rude. well maybe that sale guy has had 10 ****** walk in that day and waste there time.
it baffles me how so many people fell they are so in tilled.

I am not sure how the kind of day the salesperson was having has really any relevance to whether they provided an indivdual an appropriate level of service.

 

[Julz]

Is it unethical to go in a demo day without the intention of buying a bike?

 

[silverbullet132]

Is it unethical to go in a demo day without the intention of buying a bike?

Nope, gp treated me well at a previous demo day where I had no intention to buy. It was what assisted me in deciding to buy my bike from them at the show.

Sent from my SH-02E using Tapatalk 2

 

[FiReSTaRT]

Is it unethical to go in a demo day without the intention of buying a bike?

Demo days are designed to show off the products to a more targeted public. Those who don't buy will still talk about their latest models and you never know when any of the riders will walk into the showroom and pull the trigger. They also add to the scenery as they make the bikes look more appealing to the prospective buyers. Since the primary goal is to show off the product, you're not infringing on the sales rep's time when he could be working with someone who's ready to pick one up.

 

[Boulevard12]

These shows, in my opinion, are for the people who are just there to kick tires and look around. If people are really serious about buying a bike I am sure the majority of them will go to the dealer. Yes there are a lot that go to shows with full intention of buying and want to look around at all their options at one place, instead of driving all over, but in my opinion, these shows are there to attract people who would normally not buy, but go there to take a look and change their mind...

 

[Iggy76]

This thread is a good example of the many sides of this issue. The commission-based sales people may get up in arms because they are under pressure (whether self imposed or from the higher ups in the dealership) to make sales. And they are not wrong, they are paid based on sales not conversations. Good sales people recognize you very rarely have one without the other. Non-commission sales people love this because it is their time to shine, they can chat, have a coffee of their own and look like they are working, thus justifying their hours. Consumers want the freedom to try everything and be treated like gold, they way it should be.

This is actually a very good litmus test for the dealership's philosophy... are you treated well, before you are a paying customer? If yes, then you can assume that when you do decide to purchase, it will be a good experience. If not, than there is something wrong. More often than not it is the culture within the dealership, starting at the top with the owner/general manager. Poor culture and high pressure on the sales department breeds bad customer service.

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