Originally Posted by CigTech
Hey Dan Burkhart,
See, I see it like this. If you have a store (no matter what kind) you should carry what the people will buy. You get 10 people stop in to look at bikes and say you sale 4 bikes, at $1000.00 each. You make what $250.00 or more. Know what if you carry a cheaper bike like the Denali. and you sale 6 to the other 10 people that stop in, at 150.00 each. Now you would have made $4900.00 in sales (thats 4 at $1000.00 and 6 at $150.00) and took home $306.00 or more.
See I have been in bike stores and seen many people come in look around and then leave. Saying that that bikes cost way to much. I am sure you have seen, and heard this a lot. So why don't the bike stores carry a bike or two that Wal-Mart or Toys-R-Us carry. This way you make more money and the person knows that they can bring it to you for repairs as well. Most people that buy Wal-Mart bikes just get a new one when the old one breaks. Because they don't think that a bike shop will fix a bike that was from Wal-Mart. All the bike shops are hurting them self by not carring these cheaper bikes. And the public is missing out on cycling.
OK that all I have to say about that.... NOT
Thing is, I do not have the floor space to be all things to all people. I have defined my niche, and competing with the big box stores at their end of the market simply does not fit.
Most people who buy low end bikes are not as capable or knowledgeable as yourself on their maintenance, and if I sold high volumes of them, my service department would be kept busy doing nothing but free tweaks and adjustments.
I do not consider myself an elitist snob or anything like that. If someone feels the cheapest bike on my floor is too expensive, I will politely direct them to where they can buy bikes that are within their budget.
Most people who venture in to a bike shop are hoping to find something better than Wal Mart's offerings. I can't hope to compete with them on price no matter how many I sell, so I have to offer something different.
Dan Burkhart
www.boomerbicycle.ca