[Mike Costa]

Last post for me here…

The issues are:

Dilution of brand….

Lying about it….

For those that think that IF doesn’t need their customers, then I think that’s a wee bit arrogant in itself.

Time to ride….

[Mike Costa]

All:

Yes, I wanted a boutique bike, and I was custom-fit and purchased it from a boutique shop.

Picture Halle Berry wanting a special dress, and having it custom-fit for her from a little dress shop in SoHo. Then she learns the same dresses are being offered by a mass-market store just a few blocks away. So much for the “boutique feeling”….

Also, IF told me that the push behind opening the mass-market shop was due to local hero, Andy Pruitt. As it turns out, this was just an fabrication. Andy is still working for SBC.

Regardless, as a consumer, I feel opening 2 dealers within 1 mile of each other for such a highly regarded brand is not good brand management.

For those of you who think that the new IF regime is doing the brand well, then I suggest you take notice of the IF old guard who have voted with their feet recently…

[Mike Costa]

All:

I view IF as “special” and not available in mass market shops. This is why I bought one. Also, if IF hadn’t fibbed to me about the premise of opening up the MM shop, maybe I wouldn’t be so bent.

If I employ some of the logic I’ve read here, then I should have bought a Mongoose…

[Mike Costa]

Okay All:

Why have 2 dealers within a mile of each other? This is certainly lame…

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