Evans Cycles

shiznit76

Sky news reporting that Evans are needing to find a buyer or about to be next high street chain to go to the wall. Bit of a shame, but these shops just can't compete with online retailers price wise

imposter2.0

Evans also has a big online business. There's a bit more to it than that..

CitizenLee

As above, Evans are one of the major online retailers...

slowbike

and they've been pushing out loads of offers recently ... like almost SPAM worthy in frequency....

shiznit76

yeah, but the costs of running high street stores are hitting it hard.

Worth cashing in the Tesco clubcard vouchers before drop that offer

shirley_basso

Hmm. Unlikely to go to the wall.

Probably because the PE owner (ECI) are ready to sell.

Makes sense given the number of offers to drive revenues in the short term to get the price up.

fenix

I've cash on one of their cards. I think I may peruse their offers today...

timothyw

They do have a good web presence but their website is poor, really.

The search is lousy - for example, they have loads of ex-demo stuff but, try searching for 'ex demo cassette' and you get no results, despite the fact that if you browse you can find dozens that have exactly that as their name. And when searching for certain things it directs you to a category that doesn't contain what you are after.

Then, with the pricing being 'optimistic' in a lot of cases, the fact you can only price match one item per order makes it harder for them to get big orders (because, y'know, why not just order it all somewhere cheaper....)

In terms of day to day LBS tasks they were pretty poor in my experience too - when I was starting out I managed to mangle a rear derailleur, it should have been easy money for them, but they wanted to book me in next week... I took it to another LBS and they sorted it within an hour of me arriving. Didn't have time to finish my drink across the road.

I do hope they stay around though, as the aforementioned Evans Tesco clubcard vouchers are pretty much the only reason I shop at tesco, and I've just bought a Hoy frame from them.

Shop locations are a bit poor for my purposes too - load in the middle of London, but once you get out of central london heading north there isn't another one until Cambridge/Milton Keynes.

shirley_basso

Shirley Basso wrote:

Hmm. Unlikely to go to the wall.

Probably because the PE owner (ECI) are ready to sell.

Makes sense given the number of offers to drive revenues in the short term to get the price up.

I take back the first and 2nd part

https://news.sky.com/story/wheel-turns- ... e-11503069

Third part probably still true

ayjaycee

Personally, I'm not that surprised that they are potentially in trouble. For years now, I have very much regarded my local store as the 'Collect' end of 'Click and Collect' from their website having given up any idea of browsing there as choice was always pretty poor and the ability of the staff dubious unless you got very lucky. It's a pity really as I can actually remember the excitement of getting my first 'proper' bike from the original Evans shop in Kennington Road, London a lot longer ago than I care to remember. I bought my Synapse from them a couple of years back because it was a very good price. I ordered on-line which was easy but the experience in the shop when it came to preparing the bike for collection and the actual collection was shocking. Hindsight told me that I would have been much better of just taking the boxed bike off them and doing the set up myself!

joenobody

shiznit76 wrote:

Worth cashing in the Tesco clubcard vouchers before drop that offer

I've apparently got enough for £270 to spend at Evans. Can't get on their website though. Getting an "Uh oh. Something went wrong. Sorry" message...

joenobody

[quote="JoeNobody"Can't get on their website though. Getting an "Uh oh. Something went wrong. Sorry" message...[/quote]
Never mind, seems to be my browser. Going incognito did the trick, and it's plenty to get a Garmin 520 plus :shock:

fenix

Websit is up - i've just used up my card. I'd be sad if they go - there's not many cycle retailers out there now. It's probably all my fault as I've not bought much this year. Basically I've got every bit of cycling kit possible and probably don't need anything more than chains and tyres in this lifetime...

fenix

Have to say the FWE kit seems pretty good value for money.

First.Aspect

Surely there's space for another big online vendor other than wiggle/crc? I've always found that side of the business perfectly fine.

I agree that their actual shops make you want to chew your arm off in frustration. The one near me is for emergencies only, but at lunchtime during the week the 15 year olds in there (staff) can't seem to tell the difference between easy turnover (e.g. me, bloke in a suit grabs tubes and a patch kit or a tyre something like that and stands by till) and a waste of time (yummy mummy wanting a 45 min natter about this bicycling thing she's unlikely to actually ever do). Combined with the likelihood that their in-store stock control means they have anything in 25c, clothing sized m or l, or an 11sp cassette with a ratio other than 13-23 or something equally useless, it means I absolutely have to be unable to get home in order to waste my lunch hour going there.

Yup online only would work for them I think.

trek_dan

Last time I went to an Evans shop I was trying to buy some new shoes, I was more than prepared to pay extra for the sake of buying from an actual shop. Stood around for 5minutes waiting to be seen while the staff were having a laugh and playing on their phones ignoring all the customers, tried on the display pair which luckily fit fine and ordered off CRC for £15 less.

shirley_basso

Did you ask for some assistance, or just passive aggressive?

gweeds

Anyone with vouchers spend them now.

I’d imagine they’re seeing a large upturn in traffic for that very reason.

pblakeney

The future of big business is online. The high street will be for small specialists and convenience. I blame the shoppers for this trend.

drexel1975

I heard this from a local bike shop a few months ago.

cooldad

PBlakeney wrote:

The future of big business is online. The high street will be for small specialists and convenience. I blame the shoppers for this trend.

Rubbish. Times change.

Once upon a time, you had the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.

Then those nasty shoppers decided to use supermarkets, and then the internet.

Evil bastards.

pblakeney

cooldad wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

The future of big business is online. The high street will be for small specialists and convenience. I blame the shoppers for this trend.

Rubbish. Times change.

Once upon a time, you had the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.

Then those nasty shoppers decided to use supermarkets, and then the internet.

Evil bastards.

So, you agree. Excellent!

mrb123

According to the BBC news app it's all down to competition from Wiggles!

shirley_basso

I think bus rates need a rethink but I don't know much about tax.

pinno

Thank fook I never use a LBS, else I may have experienced some of the above but I have bought a lot from Evans (online) and I have never had a problem.
We've seen even online retailers go to the wall (Parker International), so there is no guarantee an online only business could work.

ex-pat scot

JoeNobody wrote:

[quote="JoeNobody"Can't get on their website though. Getting an "Uh oh. Something went wrong. Sorry" message...

Never mind, seems to be my browser. Going incognito did the trick, and it's plenty to get a Garmin 520 plus :shock:[/quote]
I've just ordered a 520 Plus, and some other bits and pieces to use up the £370 of vouchers.
Thankfully it only "cost" £125 odd of Tesco vouchers.

awavey

ok the only Evans cycle stores Ive browsed around were Canary Wharf, Brighton and one I think in Leeds to kill time before catching a train, but I use the click and collect loads as its way more conveniant than Wiggles delivery which I find a similar hassle to most online box deliverers, they get dumped over fences, left with truculent neighbours/shopkeepers or lost in a timewarp, plus you then get all the return hassle.

Whereas Evans online, prices are similar, but if I order before midday I can collect next day. I can visually inspect stuff before I leave the shop to check its ok and I can return to the shop, I dont mind paying a few quid more for that conveniance,

whilst my LBS nearest to Evans wont price match,always charges RRP, is pretty poor on the whole servicing front, if Ive paid to have my gears indexed properly, I dont expect after only 2 rides for it to go out of whack again, and are grumpy to boot.

so I think its the wrong conclusion to say Wiggle are putting Evans in trouble by being online only. you might well find its the property rent boom and deals theyve agreed in the past to secure prominent locations for their shops thats now 5-10 years after theyve signed them hurting them lots because they agreed open market rate reviews which have doubled or trippled the cost of that site due to other businesses moving in and paying stupid amounts.

Ive certainly heard in the pub trade, rents trippling on leased locations is fairly common issue now, and its that kind of rampant inflation thats killing the profitability of the high street, not that people arent wanting to use high street shops.

pinno

awavey wrote:

...so I think its the wrong conclusion to say Wiggle are putting Evans in trouble by being online only. you might well find its the property rent boom and deals theyve agreed in the past to secure prominent locations for their shops thats now 5-10 years after theyve signed them hurting them lots because they agreed open market rate reviews which have doubled or trippled the cost of that site due to other businesses moving in and paying stupid amounts.

Ive certainly heard in the pub trade, rents trippling on leased locations is fairly common issue now, and its that kind of rampant inflation thats killing the profitability of the high street, not that people arent wanting to use high street shops.

You have a point. Local councils also charge high business rates for premium locations (and rent in some cases). Probably more than out of town shopping centres where there is more space, ironically,
In certain small towns in Scotland, where local councils have reduced business rates, these town centre's are recovering.

cld531c

First Aspect wrote:

Surely there's space for another big online vendor other than wiggle/crc? I've always found that side of the business perfectly fine.

I agree that their actual shops make you want to chew your arm off in frustration. The one near me is for emergencies only, but at lunchtime during the week the 15 year olds in there (staff) can't seem to tell the difference between easy turnover (e.g. me, bloke in a suit grabs tubes and a patch kit or a tyre something like that and stands by till) and a waste of time (yummy mummy wanting a 45 min natter about this bicycling thing she's unlikely to actually ever do). Combined with the likelihood that their in-store stock control means they have anything in 25c, clothing sized m or l, or an 11sp cassette with a ratio other than 13-23 or something equally useless, it means I absolutely have to be unable to get home in order to waste my lunch hour going there.

Yup online only would work for them I think.

If you are such a big man 23 should be more than enough

keef66

This is all very worrying. We've already lost our M&S, and the nearest Laura Ashley store just closed down. If John Lewis and / or Waitrose goes tits-up my wife will be inconsolable...

#firstworldproblems

davep1

I think it's a shame if they go.

When I was buying my bike three years ago they were the best retailer for trying actual bikes. Local bike shops are a bit reluctant, and if they have demo bikes they are the £2.5-£3k ones. Plus LBS tend or have only one or two brands. Evans have lots of brands, and will let you demo any bike they have in stock, and if they haven't got it in the shop they can get it from their Gatwick warehouse in a few days.

I've never had a problem with their website either.