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When I lived in London two decent shops went bust. Sad really but in a recession we need to shop cheapest/or pay utility bills instead of hobbies.
Sad really as the big chains thrive, the good medium-sized fall.
Manchester council is killing shops (unless you are a national giant) all to service the councils overheads/pension costs.
Manchester council is killing shops (unless you are a national giant) all to service the councils overheads/pension costs.
MCC, have no input about buisness rates charge thats the valuation offices job, central governmnet,
your lbs is sadly turning in to a FREE advice centre ,go and try it ,buy it online /ebay really sums things up when some retailers have 2014 premium stock discounted on ebay.while high rents /rates don't help it's the switch to online/europe/america for product that's killing shops ,that and the fact we are still in a big recession.shops will struggle with just a workshop if like us you have the local unemployed doing them on the side,this happens in many other trades as well,with ice cream men selling cars and phones and firemen been partime plumbers.
support from the manufactuers would help ,ie no more boxed cycle sales ,collect only,but i feel no supplier has the balls to do it(think trek do this).hate to say it but for many lbs it will be r.i.p
Concept stores are the start of the big brands going direct to public to cut links in the chain and make more money, it will take some years but I think you will see concept store become more common and once there is one in every city and town they will scrap all their independent dealers and run them all themselves taiwan to concept store to public.
Concept stores? New? Hardly! I opened the first in the UK in the last millennium! 🙂
So it's all YOUR fault then Flashy?
A few years ago car dealers were talking about the same problem, why would anybody buy cars from us with, drive the deal.com etc etc offering cut price new cars.
But the dealers survived and in a complete turn of events now the internet suppliers are no more.
Brand franchised stores are the answer, and im guessing their terms are better than non-branded stores and ill also guess they may be on some kind of manufactuer bonus scheme too.
In other words they have the power to compete.
I dont think any bike manufacter is happy with seeing their stock given away online. Be it CRC or ebay, whatever really. Its just de valueing the brand.
while current trading conditions are'nt fantastic lbs's have had there customer base eroded over the years,we used to sell around 150 bikes+ a year to the insurance companys ,last year 0. last year the local police were handing out locks and the schools helmets for free,this year it's lights ...sales of stopped for us overnight.
even our suppliers are now selling direct ,many have factory open days or ebay accounts selling at less than trade.
if rumours are true even certain big players could be in a bit of hot water(i'm not saying who)but if the market is thinned out it may possibly help those that remain.....but who can compete against the chinese selling direct or suppliers doing the same?
As a Skiptonite, can I ask WTF is a concept store, out of interest?
It's a shop that sells bikes to people who like the concept of cycling but don't actually do very much of it as they spend too much time on forums. 🙂