How are local bike shops and running stores doing these days?



M

MJuric

Guest
On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 21:19:10 GMT, "James Goddard" <[email protected]> wrote:

><MJuric> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> The local bike shop that is also a strong sponsor of our tri club says tehy have a bit of a
>> harder time in the winter. But I doubt it would be as bad as surfing. Of course probably not
>> quite as good as a surf shop in Hawaii.
>
>Heh, bikes are a real biggie around X-Mas time, so unless local for you is southern hemisphere, at
>least they have that going for them.

I'm sure sales go up around X-mas, but I bet it's nothing like that first decent warm
weekend when suddenly everyone gets the itch to hit the road.

>
>For the most part, around here bike shops have no interest in triathletes. They will order tri
>frames for you but, I only know of 1 in the area that actually stocks any, so my statements were
>refering more to the running shop, which caries a good bit of tri stuff.
>

We're actually really lucky to have the shop we have. They've recently taken a risk on the
"tri" community here and it seems to be paying off for them. They cary alot of tri specific
bikes, cloths, wetsuits etc. They've been selling alot of the tri bikes this year as alot of
locals seem to be getting into the sport. It's very nice to be able to go and try out
several different bikes from differnet MFGR's and see which one's you like.

~Matt
 
Hi all - I was wondering what the current state of the triathlon industry is, if you can consider it an "industry." I've always dreamed of owning my own business, and until last year my dream was to start my own surf shop. However, there are so many fundamental problems with the surfing industry these days that its really hard to make a living at it these days.

Below is a list of problems that surf shop owners run in to, I'm curious to see whether these problems exist at local bike shops/running stores/triathlon shops. I'm only 25 and a newbie to the sport but maybe someday I'll open up a tri shop...

1) Participation and enthusiasm in the sport in the local area fluctuates. One year there will be a huge contest (race) in the area and the next year its a ghost town.

2) The business is highly seasonal and its hard to get through the winter months.

3) The main products (surfboards, bikes) cost a lot to make/buy and the shop owner doesn't make much selling them. They make their money on clothes, accessories, etc.

4) It costs a ridiculous amount of money to buy the inventory to fill up a shop, let alone pay the rent on the floor space you need to display it. Not many people can afford to do so.

5) Everyone wants handouts. You end up becoming good friends with your customers and hook them up with a "bro" discount, then you sponsor a bunch of kids, then you give the "shop rats" free wax, stickers, etc, and pretty soon you're giving your store away.

6) If there are too many competing surf shops in the area, you have to steal customers away from other shops just to survive. (I'd never want to do this...)

7) There is too much online competition. Surf shops initially had a problem because there was an unwritten "gentlemen's agreement" to charge MSRP prices so everyone could make enough money to survive. When online superstores moved into the picture and slashed prices, the local surf shops had to slash theirs and they ended up caniballizing themselves.

8) A problem with all LBS/Mom and Pop stores recently - an enormous superstore moves into town and people are buying generic boogie-boards and surf clothes instead of the real equipment from the real companies and the real enthusiasts...

Hope you enjoy the thread...Thanks!
 
On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 12:19:07 -0500, "James Goddard" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"mikeynus" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> 1) Participation and enthusiasm in the sport in the local area fluctuates. One year there will be
>> a huge contest (race) in the area and the next year its a ghost town.
>
>Not so much. There really are very few "traveling" tri/running events.
>
>> 2) The business is highly seasonal and its hard to get through the winter months.
>
>Again, not so much. People train year round. A small percent might take off completely for a spell
>in the winter, but the others are a source for all new items: running tights, long sleeve running
>shirts, skull caps, etc.

The local bike shop that is also a strong sponsor of our tri club says tehy have a bit of a
harder time in the winter. But I doubt it would be as bad as surfing. Of course probably not
quite as good as a surf shop in Hawaii.

>
>> 3) The main products (surfboards, bikes) cost a lot to make/buy and the shop owner doesn't make
>> much selling them. They make their money on clothes, accessories, etc.
>
>There are very few Tri shops so this is not really an issue. The only "Tri" store in my area is a
>running store that sells some things like Tri suits, swimming supplies, etc. For bikes you go to a
>bike store.

The local bike store stated above is the closest we have to a TRI shop. I still believe they
probbaly make a great deal of money on service and accesories compared to bike sales though.

>
>> 4) It costs a ridiculous amount of money to buy the inventory to fill up a shop, let alone pay
>> the rent on the floor space you need to display
>> it. Not many people can afford to do so.
>
>A problem with any retail business.
>
>> 5) Everyone wants handouts. You end up becoming good friends with your customers and hook them up
>> with a "bro" discount, then you sponsor a bunch of kids, then you give the "shop rats" free
>> wax, stickers, etc, and pretty soon you're giving your store away.
>
>Only if you completely mismanage the business.
>
>> 6) If there are too many competing surf shops in the area, you have to steal customers away from
>> other shops just to survive. (I'd never want to do this...)
>
>Every customer you have would have most likely bought that product somewhere else. If you open a
>buissness you are taking sales away from sombody.
>
>> 7) There is too much online competition. Surf shops initially had a problem because there was an
>> unwritten "gentlemen's agreement" to charge MSRP prices so everyone could make enough money to
>> survive. When online superstores moved into the picture and slashed prices, the local surf
>> shops had to slash theirs and they ended up caniballizing themselves.
>
>Most people, (ok at least me), will not buy shoes or clothing online. Fleet Feet is one of the few
>local businness that are guaranteed to get my money if I am buying an item they sell.
>
>> 8) A problem with all LBS/Mom and Pop stores recently - an enormous superstore moves into town
>> and people are buying generic boogie-boards and surf clothes instead of the real equipment
>> from the real companies and the real enthusiasts...
>
>The people going to Sports Authority and Athletes Feet to buy equipment are not going to come to
>your store anyway.

Competition is part of the game. Whether it's another mom & pop store, the newest extension
of a super store, a bike outlet store or online site. Any company must somehow figure out
how to compete against it and figure how to get people to come back and spend money.

>
>> Hope you enjoy the thread...Thanks!
>
>Personally I think you are asking the wrong questions. The questions you should be asking are what
>does it take to be successful in retail? The answer to this is TIME TIME TIME. You want to make
>money in a running store? Get up at 6 am to run with the local running group on their Saturday
>morning run. Get to the store by 10 and stay till 7PM. That's ok right, you get Sunday off...nope,
>Sunday you are putting on a local 5k or volunteering yourself and your timing system to someone
>else's 5k. Smile at the customer that is yelling at you for something that is in no way your fault.
>These are the things that get you loyal customers who know they can trust you. They are also the
>things that make running a retail business a job only for a select few who actually enjoy
>dedicating their life to their business.
>
>James
>
Very nicely stated and true for pretty much any business particularly the smaller ones. Be
prepared to sacrafice much, potentially lose more and possibly end up with years of labor
and stress wrapped up in something that you made less money at than if you would have gone
out and gotten a similar job working for someone else. If you REALLY don't love the business
you're in, it can get tough. OTOH there are those select few that hit the right business at
the right time in the right place and end up making a decent living, however in my
experinace this is the exception not the rule.

~Matt
 
<MJuric> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> The local bike shop that is also a strong sponsor of our tri club says tehy have a bit of a harder
> time in the winter. But I doubt it would be as bad as surfing. Of course probably not quite as
> good as a surf shop in Hawaii.

Heh, bikes are a real biggie around X-Mas time, so unless local for you is southern hemisphere, at
least they have that going for them.

For the most part, around here bike shops have no interest in triathletes. They will order tri
frames for you but, I only know of 1 in the area that actually stocks any, so my statements were
refering more to the running shop, which caries a good bit of tri stuff.
 

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