Cycling retailers-constant let down.

[Brickleberry]

So here's something that has been bugging me for a while now. I dont mean to name any specific stores in this , merely my take on what I have seen in my 2 years of cycling.

 

When I started this sports, I quickly learned that there was 2 ways to acquire new gear. Bike shops , or online. Both have there advantages and disadvantages, but in general I chose to build relationships with retailers and spend a little more for the benefit of advice and being able to see and touch items before spending my dollars.

 

However , it seems that most(I can't say all) bike shops , keep almost nothing in stock , I have walked into countless bike shops over 2 years looking for items(nothing out of the ordinary) , even something as simple as blue giant bar tape at 2 giant dealers, and I am always met with the same answer, " no I dont have in stock, but I can order it for you" . Surely this defeats the whole point of having a shop? If I wanted to order a 4 grand helmet , without trying it on or ever seeing it in real life, I would order it online and probably save myself 20-40 % on the transaction. Shops charge a premium for the benefit of trying on, feeling , touching and advice. Yet none of them seem to actually give that service. The bike shops around me seem to be , overpriced online ordering portals that expect me to pay top dollar for things I can't try on and then have to wait 2-3 days to get it anyway.

 

I will now look to buying online in future and save myself the irritation of stores not having anything to sell. It kills me that even the biggest "cycling megastore" can't have a single giro synthe helmet? But don't worry, cos they can order you one.

[Shebeen]

chicken and egg scenario. online stores have disrupted the local market - bricks and mortar guys will work out what works best for stock levels (the good ones who react the best, the dinosaurs better have a good workshop if they want to survive).

 

ultimately, the consumer should be the winner.

[Patchelicious]

Retailers will struggle to fight pure item purchases with online guys. Purely buying bits, it makes more sense to buy online, but you will need to assess if the delviery of online orders is greater or smaller than from your LBS. Also remember, online guys also often dont have stock.... especially the local guys, they all share the same distributor.

 

But for the bikeshops to survive, they need to expand their offerings to more than simple item selling, other value added service are popping up more and more.

[BarHugger]

Not sure what the aim of your rant really is......blue bar tape......or some arbitrary stuff that only appeals to one or two people every 4 months.....or the fact that you have to wait......but you are prepared to wait for the online order.....or the fact that some online sellers don't carry all the stock they show.....and they still have to order it as you place your order.....and then you still pay the overpriced shop labour.......I don't know anymore.....

[JXV]

You can usually find common parts online for less than your LBS but the courier cost can erode the saving unless you buy a number of items at a time.

 

International online stores can seem attractive but dont forget courier, clearing fees, VAT and duty on certain items.

[Spez247]

Have this issue in my industry.... my retailers complain that sales are slow, but when i walk into their stores, i simply ask them what do they expect? The public to buy from them, given that all they have is the stuff they had a year or 2 ago.... It's a slow death.

 

The "place your order & i will get it for you" at the "regular mark-up" won't work in the cycle industry. I can get the item from half a dozen online stores, for less, faster...

 

I love supporting local, but if you aren't carrying the stock, you had better make it worth my while...

 

As an aside, if i were a cycle retailer & i was ordering on demand as opposed to carrying stock, I would work on CRC pricing + 15% + Vat. Reckon that would keep imports to a minimum, and i would grow market share, all for the price of a call or email... Nough said...

[raptor-22]

what gets my goat is retailers who order in a part for you and charger you the full price without having a done  a thing to earn it.

 

If you advised, guided and allowed me try out the parts or items from your won bike or store stock then hey I'll buy from you in a flash.

 

But don't be my post office and expect me to pay full retail cos then I'll just use the real post office.

Carry some stock or at least earn my business.

 

rant over

[Brickleberry]

Not sure what the aim of your rant really is......blue bar tape......or some arbitrary stuff that only appeals to one or two people every 4 months.....or the fact that you have to wait......but you are prepared to wait for the online order.....or the fact that some online sellers don't carry all the stock they show.....and they still have to order it as you place your order.....and then you still pay the overpriced shop labour.......I don't know anymore.....

Bar tape was merely 1 item, a synth helmet is the top of the line helmet from one of the most popular brands in the world, but try find one? I just mentioned a few of many items I have looked for so to take one example and try make a point with it is pointless. I am pointing out the fact that retailer cannot cry foul that people buy online, when all they really do is the exact same thing, order stock as and when it's sold and expect to make a large markup on it. A few other items I have looked for ...105 5800 pedals , cannondale CAAD 10, Garmin out front mount, lesyne floor pump, jag wire cable and housing set for road bike, and plenty other items that would sell reasonably easy.

 

The point is, why should a retailer make a huge markup for ordering something and waiting 3 days, when I can do the same , in the same time for cheaper? The point of a shop is to walk in, test/try and walk out with the goods and cash exchanged.

[Rick Sanchez]

Could't agree more. Another issue is the utter lack of product knowledge. Having said that, I have a bike shop which I support, but I still buy my expensive stuff online

[Simon123]

It's the rant I also have.  

 

But that said, whilst some SA online bicycle stores are good, others are horrific.  And the good ones, only 50% of the time.

 

SA has a poor consumer mentality.  And the abundance of bike shops over the past 5 to 8 years, and the boom in cycling means that whilst sales are ticking over, they are not doing anything to win long term customers (some are).   

 

But as the online sales increase, you'd think some bike stores are going to go out of their way to win loyalty.  Appears not.

[ChUkKy]

what gets my goat is retailers who order in a part for you and charger you the full price without having a done  a thing to earn it.

 

If you advised, guided and allowed me try out the parts or items from your won bike or store stock then hey I'll buy from you in a flash.

 

But don't be my post office and expect me to pay full retail cos then I'll just use the real post office.

Carry some stock or at least earn my business.

 

rant over

 

Agreed, they add cost and not value.

This is why I buy most of my stuff online.

 

Bibs and stuff thats needed to fit, ill walk in try on and buy. Once Ive bought in store the next purchase will be online that carries the stock.

[Hennie VR]

Then you get the people that go to their LBS, try out the products and decide what they want. If they are not in a hurry, they leave the shop and order online for the reduced price. LBS rendered the service but lost the sale due to cheaper online shopping.

[Brickleberry]

Agreed, they add cost and not value.

This is why I buy most of my stuff online.

 

Bibs and stuff thats needed to fit, ill walk in try on and buy. Once Ive bought in store the next purchase will be online that carries the stock.

I think you have summed up my whole rant in one sentence . They add cost , but not value.

[khm4252]

Disintermediating at the height of it all.  I feel sorry for the local bike shop in may ways but it is the challenge of modern retailing.  We all have info at our finger tips and we are all in it to save a few bucks.  But especially with cycling gear we need to try things on to ensure we have the right size.  It is hard to compete with the online relatilers.  I saw a small indepdent guy recently; he has no stock buy buys his stuff from the agent and adds between 50-30% markup to cover his rent, salary etc.  If I take the Giro Synthe, it was retailing (MRSP) for R4k in SA, he may give it to me for R3,500 at a stretch (cut into his margin) but I found it on one US website for Cyber Monday for $89.99 (+-R1,300).  How can you compete with that?  Normal US price over $300. 

[Patchelicious]

Then you get the people that go to their LBS, try out the products and decide what they want. If they are not in a hurry, they leave the shop and order online for the reduced price. LBS rendered the service but lost the sale due to cheaper online shopping.

If you do this you are a knobhead. Advice is not for free!

[khm4252]

If you do this you are a knobhead. Advice is not for free!

 

It is the reality.  It is happening to Walmart and the LBS. 

 

LBS have to compete on service, knowledge and immediacy.  Quite frankly they are almost like a new car dealers, you make 7.5% margin on a car.  You sell lots of accessories that are small and cheap like lube, tubes etc and make your money on service and hope for a small volume rebate from suppliers.  If you sell some high end stuff every now and again that is the cream on the top.