Starting A Mail Order Shop

Gizmodo

FleshTuxedo wrote:

Thanks for the many responses - lots to digest...

I absolutely take the point that mainline brands and products especially in components will be difficult to get into - I intend to target the smaller manufacturers that don't seem well marketed IMO (not naming names here). I think that there's space for a retailer that makes the case for some of the lesser known brands.

One example I will throw in is Prendas - they sell 2 major clothing brands that are bizarrely under represented elsewhere in the UK (Santini and Etxe Ondo) and also source their own retro stuff. Great service too.

I'm not under illusions that it'll be easy

Good for you, go for it. It sounds like you have an idea for your niche. Definitely look at the eBay store route for quick and easy start-up - it will also give you some credibility as some will see eBay rules and dispute handling as a protection for the consumer. Don't price your goods based on what they cost you alone - factor in delivery, returns, faulty items, your time and fees etc.

And good luck.

verylonglegs

inkyfingers wrote:

GiantMike wrote:

Slow1972 wrote:

Then couple that with all the lbs's turning round to customers coming in wanting shimano kit fettled with and saying "sorry, we don't stock or service Shimano only Campag and SRAM" because all of a sudden it is in their interests to promote the kit they are competitive on.

You've got a point there. I forgot that a lot of bike owners are too stupid/lazy to work on a bike.

I would imagine that a large amount of bike shops time is spent fixing the mistakes that people have made when trying to fix their own bikes. I can fix my own bike and if I had to i'd be able to build a bike from it's component parts, but I also have a full time job, a young baby and many other commitments. I'd rather spend my weekends riding my bike than fixing it and the mechanic that i've used for years gets my bike running much sweeter than I ever would, so it's £60 well spent in my view.

The other problem with having no cycle shops on the high street is how do you ever get the chance to look at things or test them before you buy them. A good bike shop will demonstrate products, check sizing etc, answer your questions and give advice, they are much more than just a shop that sells bike parts.

That’s how I look at it, rather than me spending my own time servicing my bike I’m better off taking it to an lbs and doing overtime at my own job with the hours I would have spent on the bike…I end up better off has the extra I earn is more than the cost of the service. It’s not stupid or lazy…it is entirely sensible.

amun1000

Sorry but I like to learn. I'd rather buy the tool and diy. But also I cant be arsed to take my bike to a shop and cant afford the maintenance fee. Admittedly I'm not on to the more compllicated stuff yet - but i've managed for the past 30 years

I always think that next time it goes wrong I can fix it myself - having the right tools is 50% of the battle. Trouble is all your mates then go - 'could you have a look at this...' :?

natrix

What about natural / green cycling products as a USP?? Biodegradable chain oil and bike cleaner, cork handle bar grips, solar powered and wind up bike lights etc, etc

GiantMike

verylonglegs wrote:

That’s how I look at it, rather than me spending my own time servicing my bike I’m better off taking it to an lbs and doing overtime at my own job with the hours I would have spent on the bike…I end up better off has the extra I earn is more than the cost of the service. It’s not stupid or lazy…it is entirely sensible.

Do people really make a rational decision like 'I need need a repair to my bike, therefore I'll book it into a lbs and work overtime to pay for it'? Where would this rationale end? I'm really hungry, but rather than make a sandwich in the morning I'll buy one and work overtime to pay for it.

Maybe there's an element of geography involved then. In the time it would take me to load the bike in the car, drive to the bike shop, explain what was wrong, drive home, wait 3 days for the repair, drive back, load bike into car and drive home, I could have fixed almost any bike problem for a fraction of the cost.

Yossie

[quote="verylonglegs"]

You've got a point there. I forgot that a lot of bike owners are too stupid/lazy to work on a bike.[/quote]

I would imagine that a large amount of bike shops time is spent fixing the mistakes that people have made when trying to fix their own bikes. I can fix my own bike and if I had to i'd be able to build a bike from it's component parts, but I also have a full time job, a young baby and many other commitments. I'd rather spend my weekends riding my bike than fixing it and the mechanic that i've used for years gets my bike running much sweeter than I ever would, so it's £60 well spent in my view.quote]
That’s how I look at it, rather than me spending my own time servicing my bike I’m better off taking it to an lbs and doing overtime at my own job with the hours I would have spent on the bike…I end up better off has the extra I earn is more than the cost of the service. It’s not stupid or lazy…it is entirely sensible.[/quote]

+ 1

I can do it. I do do it. I have the tools and know how to do it. I also preach about doing on here quite a lot.

However there are times when 2 kids, a very busy job, being away from home, building m/bikes, sorting out my falling down barn of a house, keeping Mrs Yossie happy, the 328,421 other jobs that crop up and trying to eat, sleep, ride, run, have a social life and all the other stuff the average person does means that taking it to the shop in the morning and picking it up in the evening means that I do use the shop occasionally.

Apologies if supporting my LBS like this (apart from buying cables, lubes, etc that I fit myself) is so offensive you, but hey ho, that's life. I suppose we can't be all as clever/energetic as you.

GiantMike

Yossie wrote:

Apologies if supporting my LBS like this (apart from buying cables, lubes, etc that I fit myself) is so offensive you, but hey ho, that's life. I suppose we can't be all as clever/energetic as you.

What makes you think supporting your local shop is offensive to me? What makes you think I'm so clever? Repairing a bike?

verylonglegs

GiantMike wrote:

verylonglegs wrote:

That’s how I look at it, rather than me spending my own time servicing my bike I’m better off taking it to an lbs and doing overtime at my own job with the hours I would have spent on the bike…I end up better off has the extra I earn is more than the cost of the service. It’s not stupid or lazy…it is entirely sensible.

Do people really make a rational decision like 'I need need a repair to my bike, therefore I'll book it into a lbs and work overtime to pay for it'? Where would this rationale end? I'm really hungry, but rather than make a sandwich in the morning I'll buy one and work overtime to pay for it.

Maybe there's an element of geography involved then. In the time it would take me to load the bike in the car, drive to the bike shop, explain what was wrong, drive home, wait 3 days for the repair, drive back, load bike into car and drive home, I could have fixed almost any bike problem for a fraction of the cost.

Making a sandwich is not a specialist skill which is the point I’m making, in paying to have my bike serviced I’m choosing to stick to what I’m good at and utilising the skills of the mechanic, he does what he is good at. He has the tools and the set up.

As others have alluded to, you are in theory making a decision on the value of your leisure time, I had a similar discussion with a colleague at work who does the servicing on his own car and encouraged me to do the same. I pointed out that he may have saved financially but he also spent a day of his weekend doing it..he didn’t see that as a cost however where as to me it is. As I see it paying a garage to do it is making a decision on the value of your own spare time.

GiantMike

Oh I see. So it's leisure time and not overtime. Makes sense.

peter101cycle

Definately start with an eBay shop and on Amazon Marketplace.
Possibly get a SAAS website to progress later on.
Avoid retail bricks and mortar stores as they are a dying breed in someways and the costs are high.

rolf_f

If you want a hobby that gives you a small profit, go for it. If you want to make money out of an online business try selling physically small and simple items of craft tat to women at vastly inflated prices (beads and stuff) - you want things that don't take up much space, have a high mark up, don't cost much to post and that you won't get many returns on. Bike stuff fails on everything there!

Yossie

Rolf F wrote:

If you want a hobby that gives you a small profit, go for it. If you want to make money out of an online business try selling physically small and simple items of craft tat to women at vastly inflated prices (beads and stuff) - you want things that don't take up much space, have a high mark up, don't cost much to post and that you won't get many returns on. Bike stuff fails on everything there!

Agree completely - Deco - Patch (small bits of coloured paper that birds and kids glue onto things to make into tat covered in bits of glued on coloured paper), clothing patterns, that sort of tat - birds love it, spend loads on it and you can keep it all in the spare room.

Minimal outlay, minimal storage, maximum return.

If you want to go cycling - hyper cool stuff will also do it - stuff from Japan is soooooo cool and will return maximum profit for maximum headache value.