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Popped into the Guildford store last week as a visiting friend's 5 10's had suffered a catastrophic failure!
He was prepared to pay full price for any decent pair of flat mtb shoes in his size as we were riding again the next day. Unfortunately Evans did not have any flat soled mtb shoes whatsoever. Approximately 25 various pairs of road and mtb spd's but no flats.
Very disappointing!
How does a pair of shoes have a catastrophic failure?
They explode?
Evans Gatwick are so so IME. I only pop over there if they 100% have stock of something I need urgently.
Evans Victoria were brilliant the one time I went in (about a year ago). Think it was a mech hanger I was after and the bloke searched high and low through his store room and found two. Needless to say I bought both.
They explode?
Only if they're laced with something.
Bored, of Kwik-Fit.
I cant understand that some people think a brake mount is a 'special product' and that it wouldnt be stocked.
I can't understand why some people (you) would expect Evans to stock parts like that. Occasionally they do surprise me, but It is simply not their business model.
went to Evans Bristol. Service was so-so. Went to independent LBS. Service was so rude I've stuck with Evans ever since. Evans win by default! And because they're open til 8pm obvs.
The sole came off. Fairly catastrophic for the shoe. I'll try to use smaller words for you next time. 🙂
I cant understand that some people think a brake mount is a 'special product' and that it wouldnt be stocked.
I can't understand why some people (you) would expect Evans to stock parts like that. Occasionally they do surprise me, but It is simply not their business model.
Don't stock brake mounts but stock brakes that come without mounts (Shimano) yeah why would I expect them to stock them?!
tomhoward - Member
Apparently it is against the law for Evans to discount any new bikes for six months from release.
Odd interpretation, but I can see where he's got that from. (item must be sold (may just say 'advertised', now i think about it) at full price for 180 days at x number of stores before dicounting, to stop people quoting a massive RRP then 90% 'discount' straight away)
Not splitting hairs (and totally OT now) but it has to have been made available for purchase at the higher price (not just advertised) for 28 days, not six months for price comparisons...
My experience is they treat experienced cyclists like newbies, no qualifying questions of any sort, they just role out the same lethargic patter regardless (Gateshead). I know most on here won't be their target market though so we really shouldn't expect much more...
both Evans and Cycle Surgery have experienced an exodus of good staff since they changed their business model to the mutiple outlet, chain retailer style
the old saying in retail, "Don't worry about the staff leaving, worry about the ones left behind."
In other words, 'employable' people easily find jobs with other retailers.
'Less employable' people do not easily find jobs with other retailers, which means the retailer retaining those staff, suffers from an ever decreasing overall quality of staff, which has a measurable impact on customer satisfaction and sales
Which in a customer facing, technically orientated business like cycle retailing, does not bode well for the long term future of that retailer.
If you look at Evans and Cycle Surgery as examples, all appears well on the outside, from the inside you could perceive they have been "hollowed out" as part of an increasing drive to reduce staff costs by minimizing the numbers of full time salaried staff (i.e. knowledge) and increasing numbers of zero hour staff (i.e. inexperienced).
Most large retailers seem to operating this model, Maplin comes to mind as another example of a technically orientated business that has shed good staff over the years.
AlasdairMc - MemberI've had two experiences in the Edinburgh store that make me think that they don't ever train their staff.
I think it would be wrong to assume that they do.
Most recently: I've been looking to buy a fatbike, so asked if I could part-pay for one with the Evans vouchers from Tesco, and the rest on interest-free. I was told that this was fraud!!
Next, I decided to change my tactic and asked if they would instead discount the 2015 bike by the value of my vouchers, in exchange for those vouchers, and I'd put the rest on interest free. Not so - this was illegal!!
The staff member has probably just chosen his words poorly, but I would imagine he's refering to the T&C's impossed by Evans finance partners which are generally pretty robust and sternly worded. A similar situation would be if you ask your local tax office whether you can buy a bike on teh cycle to work scheme over £1000 and just put cash towards it; they'll tell you it's tax fraud.
AlasdairMc - MemberApparently it is against the law for Evans to discount any new bikes for six months from release.
First of all there's this
iamtheresurrection
Not splitting hairs (and totally OT now) but it has to have been made available for purchase at the higher price (not just advertised) for 28 days, not six months for price comparisons...
also, quite a few brands have conditions of sale imposed upon them where they are forbidden to discount their bikes until a set period at full price in order to protect their brand. So the staff member may have been referring to either.
Ride-On Rawtenstall are great for spares like this
+1
True in theory but not what I see in reality. I meet the staff at Evans at various times of year, there's some really good people working in the shops and I know they're making changes to make sure we can keep them and reward them.'Less employable' people do not easily find jobs with other retailers, which means the retailer retaining those staff, suffers from an ever decreasing overall quality of staff, which has a measurable impact on customer satisfaction and sales
As far as Evans is concerned, not true of what they're currently doing. Fair to say that adding a big chunk of budget to staff wage bills would help though, yes. Not always as simple as that though and not my area there.from the inside you could perceive they have been "hollowed out" as part of an increasing drive to reduce staff costs by minimizing the numbers of full time salaried staff (i.e. knowledge) and increasing numbers of zero hour staff (i.e. inexperienced).
Don't stock brake mounts but stock brakes that come without mounts (Shimano) yeah why would I expect them to stock them?!
Our expectations of Evans are obviously a bit different. Yours are optimistic and mine are realistic 😉
only time I'll use an LBS is for a repair I can't do myself of if I was in dire need of a commonly used part. I'll use evans with their click and collect service if the item is in store since they price match.
YETIboyJAY - Member
Don't stock brake mounts but stock brakes that come without mounts (Shimano) yeah why would I expect them to stock them?!
We replace loads of ****ed brake calipers (Avids) with Shimano - no mount needed.
I hope what you say is true because Evans have been through periods where good staff quit in droves. It can be impossible for people who care about their working environment, to continue working for a company that throws their staff under the bus on a regular basis.
Staff are everything in a customer focused business, it's shocking how few big companies seem to understand this basic idea, under pressure from investors and shareholders.
Based on what I know of Evans that's not happening. I've been there just over 3 years and I know it's had ups and downs in the past so I can't say much about things before then.a company that throws their staff under the bus on a regular basis.
If you met the small group of people at the top level or who own Evans or knew a little about them you'd realise how much they do understand all of that. I wouldn't have gone to work for them if they were that kind of profit-above-all company... under pressure from investors and shareholders.
Lol, Edinburgh store has lots and lots of parts.
But no inner tubes.
Or staff to ask about the elusive inner tubes.