2013 Bike sales trend downward
05-30-13, 01:09 PM
#1
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2013 Bike sales trend downward
Retail March 2013 - Cycling Retail Sales
https://www.leisuretrends.com/ShowArt...CPLMFUGUFAZEQL
https://www.leisuretrends.com/ShowArt...CPLMFUGUFAZEQL
March 2013 IBD Sales Summary
Below normal temperatures and the 10th largest March snow coverage on record sent IBD sales into a deep freeze. Compared to an anomalous and record-setting March 2012, all merchandise sales totaled $247M, a significant 23% drop. Units fell a near equal 24% while average retail-selling prices eked out a modest 1% gain.
Bicycles crashed 32% as 160,000 units rolled out IBD doors this March, nearly 76,000 fewer than last year. Bicycle dollars, down 25%, reached $129M this March as the average bike sold for $807, an 11% increase. Nearly all major bike categories posted double-digit unit and dollar losses, except for 29ers. The larger wheeled MTB’s momentum carried it up and over another difficult month to total $24M, a solid 12% more than March 2012. Twenty-six inch models, however, dropped 44% to settle at $14M.
As with bikes, nearly every merchandise category posted March losses. Apparel shed 27% to total $11M, aftermarket parts fell 19% to $44M and aftermarket accessories dropped 22% to $44M. The lone bright spot in merchandise sales proved to be action cameras and action camera accessories, up 91% to $6M.
March 2013 vs. March 2012: Dollar Sales
All Bicycles: -25%
Road Bikes: -22%
Mountain Bikes: -18%
Transit/Fitness Bikes: -35%
Lifestyle/Leisure Bikes: -27%
Shoes: -26%
Apparel: -27%
Aftermarket Parts: -19%
Aftermarket Accessories: -22%
Below normal temperatures and the 10th largest March snow coverage on record sent IBD sales into a deep freeze. Compared to an anomalous and record-setting March 2012, all merchandise sales totaled $247M, a significant 23% drop. Units fell a near equal 24% while average retail-selling prices eked out a modest 1% gain.
Bicycles crashed 32% as 160,000 units rolled out IBD doors this March, nearly 76,000 fewer than last year. Bicycle dollars, down 25%, reached $129M this March as the average bike sold for $807, an 11% increase. Nearly all major bike categories posted double-digit unit and dollar losses, except for 29ers. The larger wheeled MTB’s momentum carried it up and over another difficult month to total $24M, a solid 12% more than March 2012. Twenty-six inch models, however, dropped 44% to settle at $14M.
As with bikes, nearly every merchandise category posted March losses. Apparel shed 27% to total $11M, aftermarket parts fell 19% to $44M and aftermarket accessories dropped 22% to $44M. The lone bright spot in merchandise sales proved to be action cameras and action camera accessories, up 91% to $6M.
March 2013 vs. March 2012: Dollar Sales
All Bicycles: -25%
Road Bikes: -22%
Mountain Bikes: -18%
Transit/Fitness Bikes: -35%
Lifestyle/Leisure Bikes: -27%
Shoes: -26%
Apparel: -27%
Aftermarket Parts: -19%
Aftermarket Accessories: -22%
05-30-13, 02:04 PM
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Nothing eye-opening there. Last March was great for biking in the US. This March sucked. Note that the article isn't about yearly trends (as your thread title implies), but a comparison of the two months in isolation.
05-30-13, 02:37 PM
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The weather has been intermittently sucky in many parts of the county in May as well. So I don't expect those numbers to improve until June or July. Specialized was running a pretty big sale for a while on Roubaix's and Rudy's. They may still have the Tarmacs on sale. I just got an e-mail about a $800-1k+ off on certain Cannondale road bikes at Incycle. I'm pretty sure the manufacturer is participating in the sale pricing which means their margins suffer.
05-30-13, 02:51 PM
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It's Obama's fault.
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05-30-13, 03:02 PM
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but you don't need to buy a new bike if you already bought one last year. so if so many people already have one, then obviously sales will decrease.
05-30-13, 05:49 PM
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another thing, they are differentiating leisure from certain bike styles.
i started riding my mtb for leisure. it is now multi-purpose: leisure, utility,
commuter. leisure for me doesn't include off-cliff jumping. i bought that
style to support my fat butt. has provided stellar service in that department.
i started riding my mtb for leisure. it is now multi-purpose: leisure, utility,
commuter. leisure for me doesn't include off-cliff jumping. i bought that
style to support my fat butt. has provided stellar service in that department.
05-31-13, 08:11 PM
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prices are to high for decent bikes.
average folks cant afford $500 + bikes. or $130 for bikes that break after 6 months.
someone needs to step up and make a real good bike for $200 and mass produce them. but thats imo.
average folks cant afford $500 + bikes. or $130 for bikes that break after 6 months.
someone needs to step up and make a real good bike for $200 and mass produce them. but thats imo.
05-31-13, 08:30 PM
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funny thing is, those $500 bikes don't even have the good components.
It's laughable that the bottom of the barrel road bike I am looking at is $750, and it's outfitted with the crappiest components.
it's fair.
05-31-13, 08:39 PM
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^^ I agree with this too. Low end components are only great if you only ride once a month around the block.
Global warming is good for the biking industry, this year has been global cool down.
Global warming is good for the biking industry, this year has been global cool down.
05-31-13, 09:23 PM
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just to emphasize, i'm all for putting a little money into something because "it's an investment" but for some of us - even that $500 is more than we can afford to "invest."
it all comes down, once again, that everything in the world costs more than it should for no reason other than "it can." and unfortunately, people keep paying it.
it all comes down, once again, that everything in the world costs more than it should for no reason other than "it can." and unfortunately, people keep paying it.
05-31-13, 09:36 PM
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just to emphasize, i'm all for putting a little money into something because "it's an investment" but for some of us - even that $500 is more than we can afford to "invest."
it all comes down, once again, that everything in the world costs more than it should for no reason other than "it can." and unfortunately, people keep paying it.
it all comes down, once again, that everything in the world costs more than it should for no reason other than "it can." and unfortunately, people keep paying it.
05-31-13, 09:55 PM
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unfortunately for the bicycle industry, Christmas and Thanksgiving, which are 2 of the best sales season, usually does not apply to bikes...
Last edited by CenturionIM; 05-31-13 at 10:31 PM.
05-31-13, 10:24 PM
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Honestly, maybe the bike market is oversaturated, same component grupos, frames that are pretty darn close to each other, and all these claims by manufacturers (20% more aero, 3x more laterally stiff). From an engineering standpoint, these might actually have some truth but the average consumer can't feel the difference. When the average mph doesn't go up, maybe they realize it's really about the rider and not the bike.
05-31-13, 10:55 PM
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Numbers are dead things that some people try to make tell a story after the fact. Most of it is guesswork by people that would like to think they know what happened - but nobody ever bothers to ask the consumer.
Bike sales in Montreal may also reflect that overall trend, but the details make the difference. Last year one of the oldest bike shops in Montreal closed. This year a major brand shut down two retail outlets. Feedback from the sales reps say its a slow year overall in the biking industry here.
Except that the store I'm practically camping out at is doing quite well on spite of the cold weather and poor economic situation. In fact - in spite of this being the first year the store is carrying Cannondale bikes, and in spite of it being only May - we've so far managed to sell more Cannondales than every other bike store on the city - except one. Course the year isn't over yet - might catch that one too!
We're trying very hard to offer the best customer service in the city. A bike you can buy from anybody. Great customer service? Ask your everyday consumer how hard THAT is to find!
Bike sales in Montreal may also reflect that overall trend, but the details make the difference. Last year one of the oldest bike shops in Montreal closed. This year a major brand shut down two retail outlets. Feedback from the sales reps say its a slow year overall in the biking industry here.
Except that the store I'm practically camping out at is doing quite well on spite of the cold weather and poor economic situation. In fact - in spite of this being the first year the store is carrying Cannondale bikes, and in spite of it being only May - we've so far managed to sell more Cannondales than every other bike store on the city - except one. Course the year isn't over yet - might catch that one too!
We're trying very hard to offer the best customer service in the city. A bike you can buy from anybody. Great customer service? Ask your everyday consumer how hard THAT is to find!
Last edited by Burton; 06-01-13 at 01:29 AM.
06-01-13, 05:41 AM
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Bike sales peaked last year quite sharply. It is in the nature of peaks that they go up then go down. This years figures should really be compared to a 5 year rolling average for the month.
As to the value of a bike to the customer, just consider the alternative for local transport and fitness and how much that costs.
As to the value of a bike to the customer, just consider the alternative for local transport and fitness and how much that costs.
06-01-13, 07:13 AM
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I am confused, does IBD refer to the UK distributor? If so, how does numbers from only one source correlate to the rest of the industry especially considering a global economy where sales are stolen all the time by some new company that is less expensive. And FWIW, those would be UK numbers.
06-01-13, 11:59 AM
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I am confused, does IBD refer to the UK distributor? If so, how does numbers from only one source correlate to the rest of the industry especially considering a global economy where sales are stolen all the time by some new company that is less expensive. And FWIW, those would be UK numbers.
06-02-13, 01:21 AM
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I believe electric bike sales are up! It appears the delivery men are buying and upgrading their heavy mountain bikes for e-bikes so there's light at end of that tunnel.
If you ask me, the prices of new bikes continues to go up and up. I don't see this changing any time soon but maybe the pu is holding onto their current ride because the bike manufacturers are pricing themselves out of business.
If you ask me, the prices of new bikes continues to go up and up. I don't see this changing any time soon but maybe the pu is holding onto their current ride because the bike manufacturers are pricing themselves out of business.
06-02-13, 04:13 AM
#24
Dogs like me.
It's the inevitable result of the ongoing (and misplaced, in my mind) focus on racing. So long as the industry focuses on a single, narrow, aspect of cycling, its growth will be limited. It's time for cycling in America to grow up.
06-02-13, 05:34 AM
#25
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