Bicycle stock (un)availability

[Karakoram]

Buying a bicycle is a planned purchase. It is not an impulse thing and is normally preceded by much research.

 

There are so many brands and models available, niche products boosted by marketing hype and glam endorsements that it leaves the buyer spoilt but confused for choice. Fortunately the Internet is available as a valuable research tool to compare specs, read reviews and to weigh up the all-important bang for buck differences.

 

Finally the day arrives, after much research, and the buyer steps into his LBS armed with printouts and a pretty good idea what it is he wants.

 

Then the dreaded response from the sales guy:

 

“Sorry, we don’t have any stock”

 

“We have been in contact with the suppliers and they can’t say when new stock will arrive”

 

In desperation, the buyer hunts down the local importer’s contact info, but they are also unable to tell when new stock will arrive.

 

Everybody is proposing an alternative set of wheels, and the buyer feels let down and back on square one. This happened recently when my brother and I started shopping for a hard-tail with bigger than normal wheels. (This thread is about stock availability and not the size of the wheels : )

 

Okay, my speculation is that only a limited number of bikes are imported. When the stock runs out, the chances of re-supply will be very limited because factories would already be producing next-year’s models. 2011 bikes were already in the stores by August 2010.

 

I would like to propose that local suppliers should provide an indication of stock availability on their websites. It is of no use to have a glitzy website, with zoomable pictures, stating all the component specs, but they are unable to supply the goods. It would then be better to have a assembled-to-order business model (like Bulls cycles), rather than selling (or rather not selling) complete bikes.

[American Flyers]

I agree with you and I had same problem: I notice that 29er are the main problem in SA and the suppliers don't make enough 29er..

[Face Plant]

i dont think that stock availablity is usually a problem i think the problem is mostly on the 29ers that has exceeded everybodies expectations in terms of sales, if im right about this then we should see some good bargains soon on 26ers as everybody is going to be sitting with excess stock

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Yeah, good point on planned purchases, its not like you are driving down the road and stop to buy a hamburger, a bike, like most things that cost substantially more than a few grand are definately planned, and then when you cant get it, its just plain disapointing.

 

I dont really believe all this "Factory stocks not available story" anyway, I have been importing products for my engineering company for over 30 years, sometimes there is a big demand / order and stock runs out, sure, but it is not a permanent thing, a few weeks later stock is back and available.

 

Most times its the distributor here that under orders, then due to various other reasons, upcoming low season, new specs, low sales, new models etc decides to not bring in any more.

 

Of course this is no help to you, and I like that idea of stock availability on the site, but I doubt it will catch on, competitors will be able to see what you have available and if the know you have no more XYZ frames, they will be targeting your market immediately.

[Shebeen]

I can guarantee you that the distributers think about stock levels a whole lot more than you the customer does.

 

Of course some get it done better than others. Out of stock, lose the sale, too much stock and no cash to get in stuff that is selling. What i think you're really saying is that the market has changed and the customer has more information and more options, so the distributer must be more available and liquid.

 

I think the game will change, just not as quickly as you think it does.we might eventually see a Taiwan based transport company that ships bikes to SA once a month, with a minimum order of, say, 10 bikes. that would allow more fluctuations in stock levels and trends to be followed (instead of planning 6 months in advance and ..praying). otherwise CRC will just take over. who wants a CUBE?

Edited April 19, 2011 by SteveCT

[gummibear]

 

Finally the day arrives, after much research, and the buyer steps into his LBS armed with printouts and a pretty good idea what it is he wants.

 

What bike are you looking for?

 

This time of years is bad for stock as most dealers are waiting to see what is launched overseas and don't want to sit with old stock.

July August you can also get some bargains when they do clear stock,if they have your size.

[covie]

i dont think that stock availablity is usually a problem i think the problem is mostly on the 29ers that has exceeded everybodies expectations in terms of sales, if im right about this then we should see some good bargains soon on 26ers as everybody is going to be sitting with excess stock

 

 

they have been saying that for the last 3 years mate, nice dream though, they will keep 26" prices stock standard as is, and just overinflate the 29'er while the buzz continues to make larger margins.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I think the game will change, just not as quickly as you think it does.we might eventually see a Taiwan based transport company that ships bikes to SA once a month, with a minimum order of, say, 10 bikes.

 

Yeah, but there are hundreds of freighters already Steve and they will ship every day if there is a demand, never mind once a month.

 

Airfreighting 10 bicycles in boxes (say 100-150kgs) is not unrealistic, from my experience, and most forwarders will tell you the same,unless you are freighting more than say 200 - 300 kgs air freight is very competitive and releases your money much sooner, as its here in a week, out to the customer and the moneys in the bank.

 

In todays world there is seldom an excuse to be out of stock and not know when you will have again, thats just plain poor past planning and no future planning.

[covie]

also forgetting a simple economic principle of supply vs demand, keep supply low, demand high = over inflated prices.

[Karakoram]

What bike are you looking for?

 

This time of years is bad for stock as most dealers are waiting to see what is launched overseas and don't want to sit with old stock.

July August you can also get some bargains when they do clear stock,if they have your size.

 

I wanted a Canondale, but bought a Silverback due to stock shortages. (Very impressed with my Silverback, so not a bad experience afterall). My brother liked my Silverback a lot, but there are currently no stock available. He is now buying a Bulls bicycle.

 

Bulls have an interesting business model. They make the frames and then finish it with whatever kit suites your budget. I like that. Most completed bikes somehow skimp on something to keep the costs down, but not necessarily the same thing that the prospective buyer might want to skip on. Make to order will sell more bikes than completed kit, I think.

[nickc]

I think your problem with the Cannondale was not so much the local importer but what I am reading is that due to demand there is a worldwide shortage of certain model Cannondale 29ers and many people have been disapointed.

[Tumbleweed]

they have been saying that for the last 3 years mate, nice dream though, they will keep 26" prices stock standard as is, and just overinflate the 29'er while the buzz continues to make larger margins.

 

Overinflated? Back this up. Most people comment on what good value for money many of the 29ers currently on the market are. I read about a recent container with 60 29ers that spent just one day in the warehouse, as all had been ordered. Your suspicion is unfounded.

[Karakoram]

Overinflated? Back this up. Most people comment on what good value for money many of the 29ers currently on the market are. I read about a recent container with 60 29ers that spent just one day in the warehouse, as all had been ordered. Your suspicion is unfounded.

 

Overinflated? Not actually. I agree with Tumbleweed. 29er’s value for money is very good. Pre 2009 big-hoop bikes were not common and consequently also expensive, but since 2010 they've become main stream. The May-June copy of Bicycling Magazine features a shootout of most locally available hard tail big wheelers for under R20k. It will be difficult to self-assemble a similar bike with the same kit for less than the asking prices. As a reality check, look up the the retail price of the front shocks of the featured bikes in relation to the final asking price of the cycle.

Edited April 20, 2011 by Karakoram

[Tumbleweed]

I can vouch for that. 29er’s value for money is very good. Pre 2009 big-hoop bikes were not very common and consequently also expensive, but since 2010 they've become main stream. The May-June copy of Bicycling Magazine features a shootout of most locally available hard tail big wheelers for under R20k. It will be difficult to self-assemble a similar bike with the same kit for less than the asking prices. As a reality check, look up the the retail price of the front shocks of the featured bikes in relation to the final asking price of the cycle.

 

I read that shootout. The wheel choices were also interesting on the two local brands.

[rouxtjie]

I can vouch for that. 29er’s value for money is very good. Pre 2009 big-hoop bikes were not very common and consequently also expensive, but since 2010 they've become main stream. The May-June copy of Bicycling Magazine features a shootout of most locally available hard tail big wheelers for under R20k. It will be difficult to self-assemble a similar bike with the same kit for less than the asking prices. As a reality check, look up the the retail price of the front shocks of the featured bikes in relation to the final asking price of the cycle.

Good article that, my money would have gone to the dale.

[lloydkayak]

Currently Merida has great stock and if you chat nicely with your local dealer they can organise some incredible prices...

One-Twenty 800D is around R12k and the One-Twenty 1500D is around R16-R17k

Really good components for those prices!!

 

But they have excess stock where everyone else has nothing...