Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Always, unless what I need isn't available form my local place, and usually I don't need much in a particular hurry so I'm happy to wait a day or two for it to arrive. I give as much business as possible to non franchised dealers, in particular my local one as the benefit of having a bike shop 500yds from my house hugely outweighs his slightly higher prices.

I can understand not using any business if the service is poor, but just think how expensive biking might be when the choice is reduced to two or three national chains of bike shops, there most probably won't be one near you anyway, and the near monopoly will force choice down and prices up.