Online Sales

Had A guy come in the shop with a pile of parts. He say's, dont get mad but I bought this stuff online. Can you help me out, some of it does not seem to be working. He shows me a set of brake levers and says, I got these for 16 bucks I could not pass it up, so you can understand why I got them online.
Well I have the same set of brake levers on the shelf, and my regular price on them is 12 bucks. And I spent 30 minutes with him last week explaining everything he needed, and giving him sound advice, and I am getting ready to spend another 30 minutes again. And all that said and done he did not save a dime, so the only thing he accomplished was showing me that my time is not worth anything to him.
His stem would not fit on the bike, and his shifters would not fit on the new bars, and he ruined the shifters in the process of trying to force them on. He ended up buying a new stem and shifters from me, and throwing his new shifters he broke in the garbage. When it was all done he spent an extra 100.00 then he needed to.
When he was done, he said this is the 3rd time I have bought stuff online that did not work, when will I learn.

Well I doubt if he ever will. Im not trying to complain, I have bought some stuff online. Most of us have. But when there is a local business, that has competitive prices, and gives good service, I always try to support them. When you go to these places you get good service, advice, friendship, supporting the local economy, when you get to know them you usually get special treatment, meet people to ride with and so much more. In these times if you know someone who does not have a job, or is not making much money- remember every dollar spent locally will help them out, as it trickles through the community. 3 bike shops in st. louis have closed in the last 2 years that I know of, and I know of 5 that are on the fringe- the shops do so much to support cycling lets get everyone in cycling to support the shops!