Rapha was sold last year after it left sky. I believe to family members of Wal-Mart. Don't quote me on it but pretty certain. The new owners are highly into MTB also so a new market.
There clothing actually in deal format isn't that expensive and is some of the best road gear you will buy.
As for Evans anyone that follows the high street for a living or retail at the least is well aware its been for sale for ages. Sports direct looked at it seriously but at 50 million didn't see it viable.
The savvy just won't pay the prices in store and the rents are simply what are bankrupting all high street business.
If YOU 're selling from a warehouse or offering a proper LBS service which Evans doesn't then you won't survive on the high street.
There pricing although profitable in store is not competitive in the market place. Example Conti all season 25mm £85 per tyre. I had to query it in branch and the young lad just told me to go to crc as way cheaper.
I absolutely refuse point blank to use any Evans store today.
I have absolutely no issue paying more than online but that premium must match premium service and unfortunately today this is very hard to find within any chain.
One thing I never understood was why in store we were fed lies about being on hold for so long that is what crests unceeuncert in the staff and rumours to fly abiut.
I'm not sure what was said but as this thread shows, whatever is said turns into other stories somewhere along the line. I can't imagine many businesses putting out a detailed release on all the different supplier relationships and negotiations so it will be unclear. From what I know supply was disrupted for various reasons at different suppliers. Go from eg 1/2 million credit with a larger supplier to 1/2 that almost overnight based on the credit insurer's insistence due to retail market uncertanties and it creates a problem for everyone. Creates a problem for the supplier when you're one of their biggest customers. A kind of lock-up then reset that takes a while to work through and each supplier may want to manage it differently.
Sports direct looked at it seriously
Ashley was quoted as 'interested' in the media but that was all, SD wasn't one of the companies that actually got into talks about it. At 50 million he would have seen it as viable if he has the business sense you'd expect he has - it sold for a lot more than that.
The continental all season was £85? Wow, why we were selling a car tyre for that much I'm not sure. You probably mean 4 seasons and it's never been that expensive as the RRP is £50, also we price match crc....all slightly odd.
Speak with the lad in store akira. It was Norwich. I have no idea but supposed he had enough of people asking why they are so dear?
So I wanted to buy an xt rear mech from them, in stock according to website, had £50 of Tesco voucher too.coz I'd checked it out online got a follow up email reminding me they price match, so could get for £52 CRC price.
In shop not actually in stock but they happily agreed to price match & reminded me they have a £5 off £50 deal
How much do they pay for an m8000 mech , much less than £45?
Picking up my new helmet tomorrow from Castleford store.
It didn’t look empty when I was in on Monday, and the leeds store didn’t today either. Loads of new stock in, could barely move for stock actually.
Cracking deal in the helmet too. £270 POC Ventral Spin for £130 (hope it fits! )
my bike turned from them.
Dropped into Evans Gateshead last night and the new Cycle Republic store is open next to them - a chain is never heard of before. Confusing if one is expanding while another is in trouble.
Anyone used cycle Republic before or know the history?
Cycle Republic is Halfords.
Oh so it is... I could have used the internets for that. Thanks. A weird aggressive move to set literally next door to a competitor. I wonder if they'll price match each other to death?
Kimbers, I was interested in this so I asked my mate who works in a bike shop to check out the trade price of an m8000 mech. He wouldn't tell me exactly but apparently it is "over £50" (ex-vat). After tax Evans would take £39 from your £47. So they will lose £11-12 on that sale alone, unless they have a great source of OEM (they might). Even then they can't be making enough to run a shop on. How stupid do you have to be to have a policy of price matching everything indiscriminately? Maybe they think this customer will come back and spend big on something else but come on....really? From what I see on here and acter talking to riding mates, Evans are being used as a convenient local warehouse to get stuff as cheap as anywhere, same day. It's not a business plan.
So they will lose £11-12 on that sale alone, unless they have a great source of OEM (they might). Even then they can’t be making enough to run a shop on. How stupid do you have to be to have a policy of price matching everything indiscriminately?
We will turn down some price matches. That could be due to a number of reasons, such as not making a loss on a sale.
I run a retail business and we are very selective with price matching. For instance I've just been asked by a new customer whether I'll price match a German owned website selling in the uk on an expensive item which we import properly through the official importer with warranty etc - for which the answer was a resounding no. Buying from us, a physical shop where you can touch and see the goods , discuss the pros and cons etc v a massive 'just in time' website which probably doesn't even hold the stock - are you kidding. Thats just a race to liquidation
However if a customer comes in and shows me a similar shop has something in stock and available but at a slightly cheaper price then, yes I'll probably match it as thats just good business sense. Unless they are a real dick about it like marching in and waving a phone at me demanding 'my best price' before even saying hello....
Oh so it is… I could have used the internets for that. Thanks. A weird aggressive move to set literally next door to a competitor. I wonder if they’ll price match each other to death?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotelling%27s_law
There is also the issue of how wiggle and CRC can sell so low, we were often price matching for less than our trade
Set up bike brand order 1000 SRAM groupsets OEM forks and rear shocks dump stock after selling 20 bikes at 19 .2 percent markup,
Compete with CRC wiggle
Website has been down for nearly a week now. I'm looking to purchase a new bike soon and was going to use Evans for their "trade in" discount plus vouchers purchased at a discounted rate from a corporate perks scheme to pay the balance.
The only issue with purchasing the vouchers is they're non-refundable so if for some reason the bike I want (currently pre-order) doesn't show up, I'm stuck with some very expensive vouchers.
Not sure what to do. I was ready to commit to a purchase prior to this news coming to light and with the website still down, I'm suspicious they may just be in a spot of bother.........
Website has been down for nearly a week now
No it hasn't. Some folk have been unable to log in for some reason. For the rest of us it's been just fine.
Website has been up all week for me.
I know as I’ve got my eye on a Fulcrum wheelset but they’re on preorder, and the delivery date keeps slipping. Hope that’s nothing to do with the supplier relationships mentioned above.
It would be a shame to see them gone, I’ve had three bikes from them over the last 8 years or so.
I guess it's too soon to know what'll be happening to the Hoy brand?
If anyone's got a lightly-used Hoy Napier in green, let me know!
Oh so it is… I could have used the internets for that. Thanks. A weird aggressive move to set literally next door to a competitor. I wonder if they’ll price match each other to death?
Thanks, thought there might be a term for this strategy.
Just need to take back what I said on the thread. Having spoken to the web chat thing they gave me a special order email which confirmed they can get any configuration of the Hope wheels I want and in any colour. Can also use my Tesco vouchers. Cheers Evans!
Ashley also owns Tri Uk (who I have never heard of), they seem to be a big player in the industry and he's opening a number of new shops including one just down the road from me in Shirebrook which is due to open in a few weeks. I imagine that Evans locations would be handy for him if he was interested in buying them out.
Can we all just stop and read, then reread jamseo's posts on this matter?
I'll recap, this was ages ago and Sky randomly picked it up and ran with it.
Yep. I think some people can't read.
A none story.
Glad its a non-story. Local Evans to me is top notch with really helpful staff - couldn't give a crap about free coffee and bribing mechanics with biscuits and being all pally - they are just friendly and helpful.
I hope Evans is staying, they have had my money for an advance order on a Kickr Core, that I should have had by now or very soon. All I have is an email this week saying they don't know when they will get a delivery from Kickr. Hoping it's a Kickr supply problem and not an Evans issue. Doing Zwift on rollers is losing its appeal.
Not quite a non-story unfortunately...
https://news.sky.com/story/wheel-turns-for-evans-cycles-as-struggling-chain-eyes-rescue-11503069
Damn, I was given a £25 voucher weekend
Ouch thats not good. I would imagine change will have to happen with any takeover.
The BBC currently says they are struggling against the online retailer Wiggles 🙂
No contest 🙂
Hmmm, and I've recently bought some knee pads I don't like, which I paid for with a voucher. Don't want the knee pads. But definitely don't want the voucher back!
Not fake news then.
On the back of this thread I went into a new one at the weekend. Probably 15 years since I've last been in one. Hmmm, struggling to rate it. A lot better than a halfords bikehut and a lot better than a typical naff independent but not really up there with the very best indies. Shame if we lose them completely though.
That's an arse.
I quite like Evans. They're a bit of a PC World of the biking fraternity and not everyone's cup of tea. And although they've pissed me off a few times, it's usually been over First World problems (other than the time they truly borked a service many moons ago - a lesson I never gave them the chance to repeat).
In contrast, a chap in their Victoria store spent 10 mins rifling through a load of backroom stock in search of 2007 Stumpy mech hangers. He returned with the last two as he knew they'd been taking off the front and existed somewhere. That really bailed me out and got me on the trails that evening. And it's for moments like that that I hope they remain in business.
From the BBC
It [Evans Cycles] was bought by private equity firm ECI Partners for £80m in 2015, but has had a bumpy ride since then.
😢
Their prices over the past week or two have been crazy and not sustainable.
The SAVE30 code has been working for me on sale and clearance items and even before the code they are undercutting Wiggle/CRC on a great deal of things.
I need to return some brakes but may just sell them on ebay and make a profit.
A stealth Reverb comes in under £150
Their prices over the past week or two have been crazy and not sustainable.
If you need an increased cash flow, which seems they do then that's the only way to go about it. Undercut knowing its at a loss/zero margin.
They have a big wage bill in a few days and have limited bank credit options then they need cash fast, selling stock is the only way.
A lot better than a halfords bikehut and a lot better than a typical naff independent but not really up there with the very best indies. Shame if we lose them completely though
This basically sums them up, especially in my experience.
I'm wondering if this will effect their Ride It events, as I want to book onto the one in Mold next weekend.
"I’m wondering if this will effect their Ride It events"
It won't effect their ride, but possibly affect it 🙂
Sadly the high street is a victim of us wanting the instant gratification of buying something but only want to pay 1% more than the grey import online price.
the Aldi/sports direct just dump a pallet of stuff on the floor and sell it off is the future of the industry... the main business of the high street seems to be barbers and convenience food with a few estate agents sprinkled into the mix...
without a presence in stores and on TV cycling will drop away...
From the Guardian article
The retailer’s management team needs to find £20m to fund a rescue plan, but its backers and bankers were understood to be unwilling to provide the extra cash. Advisers to the group have now asked would-be buyers to table an offer within days.
It's been one after another recently, no idea what will happen, but lets hope not the worst.
