RETAIL ONLY
RETAIL COMMENT
I’m sat here wondering about the perceived value of products and services. Sure, we all like to think we’ve bagged a ‘deal’, that’s natural, but are we just as guilty as our frontline customers in baulking at prices without first understanding the true value of what’s being offered? They say knowledge is power, so why when discussing the International Cyclefit Symposium post show did jaws drop when I’d spoken of the £500 entry fee? Having been invited along to document the third event as it unfolded, it didn’t surprise me to find that the 120 tickets had all sold out. It’s increasingly accepted that professional bike fitting is just one of a handful of services that just can’t be replicated online and so the independent stores, for once, have the upper hand. With bike fitting gurus from as far as Russia and the USA
having flown in for the symposium, there has arguably not been a better opportunity to glean knowledge from the
“You can’t buy knowledge. Only time, hands on experience, including one or two mistakes, and education will do the trick...”
industry’s founding fathers, many of whom held interactive workshops instead of seated seminars. Retul, one of many experts from the States, were focused in their presentation on how their analytical software could provide the retailer with a quick and ongoing return on their investment. While the science was discussed in depth, there was emphasis on the increasing prominence of bike fitting being largely down to having provided struggling retailers with a means to make money on the back of gained expertise. As bike fitting evolves, the service is often linked with the medical and custom engineering industries – two professions unafraid to charge well for the expertise that comes with learning the trade. In fact, one third of the people at the ICS were said to be from the medical and sports science world. Doctors planning a bike shop retirement project perhaps? In a few years time could your business card feature a ‘Dr’ prefix or a BEng (bacherlor of engineering) suffix? As you can probably tell, I’m thinking out loud, but perhaps bike fitting needs its own title? You can’t buy knowledge, only time, hands on experience, (including a mistake or two along the way) and education will do the trick. Finding that your store’s unique selling point is gradually being eroded by the competition? The industry is moving forwards into a new age. If you haven’t already, it could be time to invest in the expertise needed to smoothly sail the choppy waters that is modern bike retail. How else will you stand out?
Mark.Sutton@
intentmedia.co.uk IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE
DEALER PROFILE: STAN’S CYCLES 67 They’re now based in a venue that has seen rock legends The Who play gigs, but how do Stan’s pack in the punters now?
CYCLE COMPUTERS NEW PRODUCTS 68
How do you know if you’re improving if you can’t measure yourself? Riders with that philosophy will snap these up...
70
BikeBiz rounds up a selection of the month’s latest product releases, both new to market and due for delivery shortly.
The trade’s guide to sourcing stock, up-and-coming IBDs and the very latest products
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92