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To the LBS workers, how many customers do you get at various times of the day/week?
One of the shops I worked in we used to be really busy Thursday late nights and sat. Odd old boys during the week, maybe a lunch time rush and a few people with days off.
I used to also work at Evans in York which was open 9:30-8pm We where really busy on an evening, I did make sense for us especially to be open that late.
Stato - "Another (quite big store) is closed Sundays."
Well would you give up the whole weekend for the kind of wages you get in a shop??
😉
Surely a model for a modern bricks and mortar bike shop could be - nice 'destination' location popular with cyclists; coffee shop; a workshop offering both repair/service and tuition; a small range of consumables on sale; bike fit and riding skills services; good relations with demo fleet managers and space to exhibit their wares (work like an art gallery and change a small percentage on orders through the shop after a demo); a wifi connection and a couple of free to use desktops to search and buy online (with a fee paying fitting service). The staff could then have an honest relationship with the customer - "you need new chainset - have seen your bike I recon you want an XXXX, have you seen it is available for YYYY and ZZZZ? You order it, get delivered to here and I'll fit it for ££££". Not everyone is an internet bike geek and some folk need a bit of help working out what they need and where best to buy it from. I recon there is a market in providing that service.
No idea if you would make enough money setup like that though, but the stocking costs would be negligible.
My Local bike shop is probably the worst in the country. It should not be measured against just bike shops, it could easily be the worst shop in the country full stop.
I really do not know how it has stayed open for so long, my guess is that is in fact the gateway to hell and the owner makes sure no one goes in.
Convert it was all good up to
"couple of free to use desktops to search and buy online (with a fee paying fitting service). The staff could then have an honest relationship with the customer - "you need new chainset - have seen your bike I recon you want an XXXX, have you seen it is available for YYYY and ZZZZ? You order it, get delivered to here and I'll fit it for ££££"
Tesco only let people sell through their platform for stuff they don't want to stock, why would you promote the equivalent of Tesco?? It would also be exploited, you only have to look at some of the attitudes displayed here, go to store get advice, buy online and get "mate with spanners" to fit. I saved £3.95 by screwing someone that helped me....
You would get people who came in and ordered online but didn't use you as a fee paying fitting service sure, but some business would come your way. The point would be that you created a 'hub' where it was cool to talk shit about bikes whilst drinking mochacappabollox coffee before, after or in the middle of a ride. Hopefully some of the shit would stick in the form of cash. It is more about making yourself the centre of choice for the services an online retailer can never do well and just not bothering with the things they can. You would never get rich like that but to me it feels a more sustainable model in the current climate than fooling yourself into thinking a bricks and mortar shop is where cycle enthusiasts will spend the bulk of their toy money.
Thinking about it further, I wonder if there is a way that you could make commission from online stores for orders from your ip address - a bit like topcashback/quidco.
The response you get may depend on whether you are a "regular" or not, or whether you are mates with the shop guys.
I use both the shops klumpy is referring to and get very responsive service, sometimes while I wait!
Given my current predicament of finding a mech hanger for a friend, why do (most) shops not stock hangers for the models they sell?
I can understand on some fancy sus designs where its practically half the swingarm but surely, if you sell a bike your going to sell a few of that type, so keep a few hangers in stock. You could even tell the customer, hey! we stock spares for this bike you know, so if you have a problem come back and we can get you going quickly. Its not hard is it.
Internet has killed high st sales to enthusiasts.
I disagree. I often search online and will then shop locally as much as possible. My local shops all give 10% discount, and that ranges from inner tubes to new bikes.
A good shop that tries not to be everything can still do well. Depends on the shop doesn't it?