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| *Vultures Knob>>>Bicycle Shop |
What do you most want from a bicycle store? |
What service is needed? What timeslot is missing? What do you like most about your current shop? I would love it if they stayed open later on the weekends. ( I know they need to ride too) And I feel bike shops should carry a broader range in bikes not a focus on road bikes, or etc. Good bike fitting is a must! I have built custom bicycles. I declared them to be "Prototypes", with the intention of putting them into production. I built a Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle for my Daughter, which she designed. It cost me $270.00. I did some test marketing. I had ten people offering $700.00, one person offered $1,200.00, and one who offered $2,100.00. The catch was, the man who offered twenty one hundred wanted TWO Fiberglass Ladies Bicycles, one for his Daughter and one for her friend. (So they could go together in matching outfits.) I only had one, and I could not get anyone to loan me the money to build a second. I had to sell the bike to the customer who offered twelve hundred. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/... (click for a photo of the Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle) So I learned that women would like matching bicycles, and will pay a lot more if Ladies Bicycles were available in TWO's. I checked around at local bike shops. Traditionally, bike manufacturers provide matching his and hers bicycles. But, they do not have two of the Ladies bicycles side by side on the showroom floor. And, The high-end bicycles are all Mens bicycles. Bicycle companies ned to realize that women have specific demands. The traditional Ladies Bicycle lets women wear dresses or skirts. You can NOT tell a woman that she has to wear pants if she wants to wear a skirt. I'm just passing this along to you. It's based on what I learned doing test marketing. I'm telling you what Women want from a bicycle store. What service is needed? I would say painting and repainting. Very messy, and the shop might have to ship the bike to another location to do the job, but painting bikes is the service I miss most. What timelsot is missing? I don't know if a bicycle shop could keep it's doors open 24 hours a day. I tell you though, if they did, they would sell a lot more headlights and tailights. What I like about my current shop? They seem to have any part I need. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/... http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q119/... Test Marketing new bike designs for over twenty years. I like to browse the clothing without 4 staff asking if I need help. I would like to have minor adjustments to my bike made without needing an appointment and leaving my bike for 2 days. I would like to find a shop that is open past 5pm and maybe be open an a Sunday. I don't care for the shops in my town. I drive 60-70 miles to go to a likable shop. They have the stock I need and want. I always go to Performance Bike Shop. Why u ask? 1. Complete return policy. If you don't like it, take it back, even if its used. Mom and pop shops WON'T do that. 2. Just about the best prices around! Mom and pop shops never have the best prices.. 3. A complete fully stocked shop with folks that know their stuff. I like my shop a lot. I don't use it much as I can work on my bikes and buy parts cheap on-line. They're labor is very well priced. I bought a new fork and they remove the crown race from the old and installed on the new for $10. (another shop said $25 minimum) and $5 to remove and install a sealed bearing on my wheel too. All I need is service for special instances when I don't own expensive tools for the job. They fill the bill. I tell everyone to use 'em. It sure is hard making a buck in the bike biz. 1. Bicycle shops are usually not competitive. I buy what I can on line or at Wal Mart. Even with 10% higher prices then online, I would buy at a bicycle store, but not with their usual mark-up. 2. A good, fexible repair service is the biggest promotion. |
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