stocking my fictional shop

georgee

Here’s a practical question.

If running a medium sized road orientated bike shop aimed at the sportif road/XC weekend warrior market, what would you stock.

I would be of the opinion you’d ideally need sell a niche brand which would give you a range to the high end, a big everything brand to give you £400 upwards.

Giants (big)
Ridley (niche)
Wilier (just because I like them)

I am not a spesh fan, want that go to Evans… are there constraints from suppliers over what you must stock if you take from them? I keep thinking more and more about living the broke happy life instead of the comfortable depressing one.

G

heavymental

After several recent visits to the 3 bike shops in my locality I think it must be very difficult to know what to stock in a bike shop. Most of the time they're probably selling Ridgeback hybrids to the weekend pootler and replacement parts to people who don't really care if its made out of melted down staples. Question is, should you go ahead and stock blingy stuff in an attempt to attract the people who want it but at the risk of it sitting gathering dust in a corner? Or should you just stock what will sell to the local pootlers and never have anything desirable in the shop? I think it depends on the demographics of your catchment area. I concluded that for alot of bike shop staff, around here anyway, it could be a very dull job.

After my recent visits I decided that the thing I would be sure to have is a whole load of nuts and bolts for every eventuality. Took me visits to all 3 shops to get the 3 little things I wanted!

robbie the roadie

1 x jolly good mechanic who does the odd favour to valued customers.

1 x supply of tea and biscuits for valued customers

georgee

Where on earth do you find a good mechanic! The brew answer is simple, plus is the resident shop dog and a decent soundtrack.

The demographics would be that of Kingston SW London somewhere between it and Richmond Park, a few little bike shops, one very high end bikeshop and an Evans, there is a gap between in my view for a decent off pitch, largish shop.

Also it would ideally sell self built common generic carbon/winter bikes.

Is there such a market, I believe so?

heavymental

Kingston? Well yeh I'm sure you'd be fine. Plenty of people with plenty of money around there!

robbarker

With the average adult bike spend in this country amounting to about £90, I would guess that you'd end up stocking less eye candy than you might hope.

You don't see many people on this forum boasting about buying their latest £1500 bike at their LBS, but plenty wittering on about drooling over high end bikes in shops, then buying them online from Wiggle or Chain Reaction.

The main reason you see expensive bikes in local shops now is due to cycle to work scheme machines awaiting collection.

You'd just have to hang something nice in the window, waste lots of time talking about carbon fibre jockey wheels with nerds who have no intention of buiyng anything more than an inner tube and then get on with pumping up the tyres on mum's step-through shopper once a year and fixing little Johnnie's Grifter when he breaks it like most LBSs seem to!

Special K

Do you want to be a Evans which is the Starbucks of cycling (ubiquitous but expensive and usually a bit sht), or more of a reliable friendly boutique?

Reckon stock is not nearly as important as service.

After all, you can buy brands off the internet to be delivered next day.

And by service I mean

Late night opening during the week.
Offering refreshments is a great idea (well done that man!)
Mechanics that don't sneer at your bike!
LBS loyalty rewarded somehow in a tangible way - i.e. I've got my LBS membership card, that means I get any part i buy from them fitted for a max of £10, or something similar.

If you're going to stock anything, then it needs to be unglamorous staples at competitive prices (inner tubes, lights and batteries etc etc). Providing a show room for some bespoke exotica from local frame and wheel builders might be a good idea.

Obviously this is exactly the bike shop I will open in Wanstead when I win the lottery and don't need to worry about margin and profitability, because lets face it, next to running a restaurant this has to be the one of easiest ways to lose money in business.

Special K

Don't forget a place inside the shop for customers to park their own bikes safely!

Does anyone remember The Bike Shed in South Woodford? Thankfully this has closed down now, but the crim who used to run it wouldn;t let people bring in their own bikes. Possibly because the shop was already stuffed with overpriced kids bikes...

Let customers bikes provide a bit of a backdrop and some free shiny decor...

meagain

"I think it depends on the demographics of your catchment area."

AND I think on the precise location. One of the fitness chains started selling bikes (some reasonable stuff) in a shop near to no other retailers and no parking for cars or bikes. Didn't last long!

In general I reckon that a good way to lose a lot of money. If aim at middle market, will be blown away by web volume sellers. At rubbish end, how can you compete with Halfords etc? Chap who runs one man LOW end shop near me buys lights etc from Wilkos - they sell them cheaper than he can buy them! He only hangs on because owns the premises and is wating for site on which they sit to be redeveloped! Another "suburbs" shop here mainly mid-market and really quite friendly simply shut its doors at Xmas - no warning. Just ran out of cash I imagine.

Three bike shops in Nottm seem to do OK. One specialist race/TT with long history and close links to a local club. One city centre seems to sell mainly to 20s-30s who know nothing about bikes and swallow the most ludicrous sales chat (vaguely knowing the boss I've had to walk out before now rather than laigh outright at what the punters are told!). One is well placed for commuters who either want some bits or think that cycling would be a good alternative to public transport.

Win the Lotto first is my advice!

mrushton

I'd value mechanical service/advice as a winner - however customers would have to realise it isn't free. if someone comes in and has a minor problem, yes fix it free, but customers should expect that it's a business and as such there may be a charge. remember that whilst giving tea/biscuits/free advice away, it isn't paying the bills. i think a lot of shops will tell you that they would rather sell high-end stuff and all the extras to customers who they never see again or who return to buy more high-end stuff as opposed to the guy who has a 20 year old bike that he repairs himself.
if you do become a dealer, you may have to stock a sizable number of models from the manufacturer eg Trek and there will be conditions of being a dealership.
your catchment area is important. A local Giant dealer I know had a great deal a couple of years back on T-Mob replica carbon Giants and sold them all within days. The owne of a shop in Oldam (15 miles away) told me there was no way he could have sold a 'pink' bike in his town.
Can you specialize in anything? Sigma have a reputation (and customerbase) for hi-end kit and Cyclefit do their thing. Condor have a great shop and offer a range of frames.

georgee

I think there is room between the generic evans and the high end sigmas, though it is a risk betting that most will come to you for 400 to 2000 spend. All bike shops should allow bikes in, if not why not get the council to fund sheffield stands outside and allow punters to borrow a D lock.

I do most my spending on line for value purposes, but when buying a whole bike isn't it a bit of a risk for most, I trekked a fair distance and actually ended up spending my cash with the guys who actually gave me the best service and did not sneer at me, seems essential to get that bit right.

Ruari

robbarker wrote:

You don't see many people on this forum boasting about buying their latest £1500 bike at their LBS, but plenty wittering on about drooling over high end bikes in shops, then buying them online from Wiggle or Chain Reaction.

!

Well, to buck the online trend, I went to my lbs to get my first bicycle. I had a long talk with the owner on what I needed/ wanted the bike for, budget (the more I read on these forums, how true is the adage 'take your budget price and add £200'!), sizing and other considerations. Thus armed, I made my choice of bike and was helpfully suggested necessary equipment. This was by far more helpful than any online shop with their minimal explanations of kit (I suppose if you know exactly what you want and need it's ok). I bought all my kit from the LBS and was pleasantly rewarded and very happy with my 10% discount on all items bought in my spree. My bike was then set up for me, options decided upon and the bike was fully prepped when I picked it up. Any changes I need doing? Head on down to the LBS for a chat, good conversation, a cup of coffee and free adjustment. I make every effort to support them to spite saving a few p at a massive joint that is all about the money. Oh, and they have a great mechanic!

custom-freak

hello
how about a winter storage scheme? for a nominal sum a bike is taken in, given a clean and service then carefully stored in a warm secure room till the winter is over? could do a similar thing in summer for the winter bikes would keep partners happy as would cut the number of bikes we have lying around. of course would be totally stupid as a way of making money but would ensure a loyal customer base.
Cf

Nuggs

robbarker wrote:

With the average adult bike spend in this country amounting to about £90, I would guess that you'd end up stocking less eye candy than you might hope.

Interesting point and one which I think would largely be true. However, there's always an exception which proves the rule.

My LBS (In-Gear, Uckfield) seems to focus on the mid-high end. I was in there last weekend and I think the cheapest bike stocked is the Spesh Allez (don't quote me though). I did spend a good hour drooling...