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No more Interbike


Dirtyhip

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3 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Anyone know how attendance has been from both a vendor and participant stand point?  I really don't know and it seems a bummer but was it really working for the bike industry?

It seemed to be low by all estimates, plus I had read where there was a lot more nickel and diming going on and everything had become much more expensive.

I went to maybe 7 Interbikes overall, and the first one is great, the second one good, by the end of the third you are over it, and from then on it is work.  If there is no new trendy material or product category, you need to have a clear business objective to being there, you don't really need to go to "see what is new" otherwise.  Also, if you are a big Trek or Specialized dealer, you pretty much know what you will be buying anyway, and the other brands will be seeking your shop(s) out.

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The internet will eventually kill off most retailers.  Cannot be cost competitive.  People now use brick and mortar retailers and showrooms for products but buy off the internet.  If there are no retailers, there is no need for a show.  The retailers that are left have to focus on one brand to stay in business or are forced to carry only one brand and are supported by that brand.

Years ago I listened to a radio show where the presenter was stating that eventually every retail market would devolve / evolve to having just two competitors.  WalMart / Target.  Home Depot / Lowes.  Seems it is coming true.  Sadly.

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1 minute ago, jsharr said:

The internet will eventually kill off most retailers.  Cannot be cost competitive.  People now use brick and mortar retailers and showrooms for products but buy off the internet.  If there are no retailers, there is no need for a show.  The retailers that are left have to focus on one brand to stay in business or are forced to carry only one brand and are supported by that brand.

Years ago I listened to a radio show where the presenter was stating that eventually every retail market would devolve / evolve to having just two competitors.  WalMart / Target.  Home Depot / Lowes.  Seems it is coming true.  Sadly.

From a financial health viewpoint bicycling has expanded very fast and perhaps with more good wishes than practical customer dollars.  Frankly many cyclists I know simply can't afford $3000 bikes.

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5 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

From a financial health viewpoint bicycling has expanded very fast and perhaps with more good wishes than practical customer dollars.  Frankly many cyclists I know simply can't afford $3000 bikes.

A store that has been around since the 70s just closed in my town.  Mom and Pop bike shop.  Agreed, bikes are expensive, but they said that the accessory sales is what killed them.  Bikes sold okay, but no one bought anything else.

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Just now, jsharr said:

A store that has been around since the 70s just closed in my town.  Mom and Pop bike shop.  Agreed, bikes are expensive, but they said that the accessory sales is what killed them.  Bikes sold okay, but no one bought anything else.

Shirley not the Richardson Bike Shop?  :scratchhead:

I forget how far you are away from it.  I blame Kazoo, naturally.

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The information age moves too quickly for one trade show.  Also, there are releases happening throughout the year, instead of the fleet coming out in Fall.  Hence, the trade show in October.  Now, people don't care.  They already saw it.  Boring.

Internet kills lives.

3 minutes ago, jsharr said:

A store that has been around since the 70s just closed in my town.  Mom and Pop bike shop.  Agreed, bikes are expensive, but they said that the accessory sales is what killed them.  Bikes sold okay, but no one bought anything else.

and the shops make the cash on the 100% markup stuff:  clothing, gloves, helmets.

Now people just come in to try on our shot and buy it on the web.  Assholes.

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14 minutes ago, jsharr said:

The internet will eventually kill off most retailers.  Cannot be cost competitive.  People now use brick and mortar retailers and showrooms for products but buy off the internet. 

Yet Amazon is jumping into the B&M business in a big way.

 

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Just now, Dirtyhip said:

Now people just come in to try on our shot and buy it on the web.  Assholes.

Yet while you had them on your property F-T-F and failed to find a way to extract dollars from their pocket.  The internet pays for eyeballs and you had them walk in your store.

OK, not pointing fingers at just you but successful retailers are those that have this figured out.

 

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Perhaps with Nashbar and Performance gone things will pick up locally.

1 minute ago, Dirtyhip said:

The information age moves too quickly for one trade show.  Also, there are releases happening throughout the year, instead of the fleet coming out in Fall.  Hence, the trade show in October.  Now, people don't care.  They already saw it.  Boring.

Internet kills lives.

and the shops make the cash on the 100% markup stuff:  clothing, gloves, helmets.

Now people just come in to try on our shot and buy it on the web.  Assholes.

Seems silly.  I go to the bike shop so I can try on gloves and things.  They price difference on the net isn't as important for the small stuff.  Sometimes after 8 or 12 sets of gloves I find one pair that feels just right......they're going with me when I leave the shop because an identical set online may not be the same.  Tubes, bar tape, some specialty labor, all from the local shop.  They aren't as good at ordering the parts I want though and because I build my own bikes I end up online.  After all, bike shops really don't have a good source for Shimano flat bar 8 speed brifters and the like.

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27 minutes ago, jsharr said:

The internet will eventually kill off most retailers.  Cannot be cost competitive.  People now use brick and mortar retailers and showrooms for products but buy off the internet.  If there are no retailers, there is no need for a show.  The retailers that are left have to focus on one brand to stay in business or are forced to carry only one brand and are supported by that brand.

Years ago I listened to a radio show where the presenter was stating that eventually every retail market would devolve / evolve to having just two competitors.  WalMart / Target.  Home Depot / Lowes.  Seems it is coming true.  Sadly.

Yes, but Interbike did not just cater to brick and mortar retailers.  It seemed the two years I attended to be geared very much to the internet.

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11 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

Perhaps with Nashbar and Performance gone things will pick up locally.

Seems silly.  I go to the bike shop so I can try on gloves and things.  They price difference on the net isn't as important for the small stuff.  Sometimes after 8 or 12 sets of gloves I find one pair that feels just right......they're going with me when I leave the shop because an identical set online may not be the same.  Tubes, bar tape, some specialty labor, all from the local shop.  They aren't as good at ordering the parts I want though and because I build my own bikes I end up online.  After all, bike shops really don't have a good source for Shimano flat bar 8 speed brifters and the like.

Friend at LBS often suggests I order online, as shipping times and cost, are really a burden for small orders.  I use to always approach him first, but very seldom did he sell me components for my bicycles.

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49 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

Yet while you had them on your property F-T-F and failed to find a way to extract dollars from their pocket.  The internet pays for eyeballs and you had them walk in your store.

OK, not pointing fingers at just you but successful retailers are those that have this figured out.

 

No. You don't get it. People buy it online for prices that shops can not compete with. They use us for sizing only. They would only buy if we matched ebay,  Amazon or (insert discount online retailer here). Online is about our cost for goods. Its practically direct.

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20 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

No. You don't get it. People buy it online for prices that shops can not compete with. They use us for sizing only. They would only buy if we matched ebay,  Amazon or (insert discount online retailer here). Online is about our cost for goods. Its practically direct.

I think he gets it, he's making a different point.  I was in a LBS near my work checking out grips.  Guy said he'd match internet prices if I'd show him the same product for less.  I told they guy I didn't know what I wanted yet but thanks. He then showed me several types of grips then discounted the purchase 15% without me asking.

I believe this is what Kzoo is getting at, find a way to compete with online retailers and Hell yeah I'll be back.

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3 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

I think he gets it, he's making a different point.  I was in a LBS near my work checking out grips.  Guy said he'd match internet prices if I'd show him the same product for less.  I told they guy I didn't know what I wanted yet but thanks. He then showed me several types of grips then discounted the purchase 15% without me asking.

I believe this is what Kzoo is getting at, find a way to compete with online retailers and Hell yeah I'll be back.

Yeah pretty much.  Retailers that provide what consumers want can survive but not in all cases.  You can blame on-line retailing or you can do something about your business model or business practices.

Amazon did the exact same thing when they started their business.  Bezos went up against an entrenched segment and bet it.  He didn't have known market advantages that his competitors had since Gutenburg invented the printing press.   Then he moved to music and did the same thing now he is moving to brick and mortar. (You know, @KrAzY's new boss).

Brick and Mortar is changing (remember the buggy whip).  Non-buggy whip retailers will survive.

 

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This thread got me to thinking, you know what I don't see anymore?  Snob shops.  I used to into bike shops and get ignored or talked down to by snob shop staff.  I bought an entry level mtn bike 20 years ago to put a baby seat on it and when I took it in for the free service the shop guy said why, doesn't look like you rode it.... Fuck you dick, never went back and yeah that shop bit the dust. When I bought my bianchi I literally had $5 grand ready to spend and went to a shop and got ignored for 30 minutes.  They are gone too.

Every shop I go to now is friendly & helpful.  Serve the customer or they will leave you.

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2 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

This thread got me to thinking, you know what I don't see anymore?  Snob shops.  I used to into bike shops and get ignored or talked down to by snob shop staff.  I bought an entry level mtn bike 20 years ago to put a baby seat on it and when I took it in for the free service the shop guy said why, doesn't look like you rode it.... Fuck you dick, never went back and yeah that shop bit the dust. When I bought my bianchi I literally had $5 grand ready to spend and went to a shop and got ignored for 30 minutes.  They are gone too.

Every shop I go to now is friendly & helpful.  Serve the customer or they will leave you.

We had one of those in Kalamazoo.  I had several similar experiences like that (I don't care if UoM is playing football, I need help here).  They were a mainstay for years but everyone I knew complained about the attitude.  They were bought a couple years ago by a competitor on the other side of town and now it's a fun place to shop.

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Small home shops can't buy that kind of volume, or house that kind of volume.  It is very tough.  Small businesses are struggling to compete.  

There is a reason that bike shops all over are folding.  But, clearly, I am not an expert, I only worked in the industry for about ten years.  

I'm not going to argue this point, it's moot anyway.  

2 hours ago, jsharr said:

Sadly it is so.  The Gurney family is shutting the old place down.

https://www.planocycling.com/

See

 

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7 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Small home shops can't buy that kind of volume, or house that kind of volume.  It is very tough.  Small businesses are struggling to compete.  

There is a reason that bike shops all over are folding.  But, clearly, I am not an expert, I only worked in the industry for about ten years.  

I'm not going to argue this point, it's moot anyway.  

See

 

It would be interesting to know what the success factors are for the shops that are doing well.  Like I mentioned above, the two blended internet/storefront shops I frequent seem to be doing well.  I am friends with a LBS owner and she has a niche market focusing on women specific clothing and training.  But she also had to diversify her offerings from high end road bikes to more utilitarian bikes and addded service. 

Nobody is arguing the fact that small retailers are hurting but some have found the secret sauce and are surviving. Whether it be location, niche market, customer service, something's working for them.

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Now people just come in to try on our shot and buy it on the web.

I won't do that, ever.  As an example, I went to a running store a few years ago and got some help fitting new shoes.  The guy was great.  Didn't try to sell me what I didn't need.  I settled on a nice pair of shoes and he gave me the info so I could order them online.  This store did not have an online option, so he meant elsewhere.  I was so confused.  I paid nothing for the fitting, took an hour of his time, and he was encouraging me not to make a purchase.  I bought them from him anyhow, and have gone back since.

I will be sad when all the stores are gone.  I don't like the direction the world is going with everything being online.

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7 hours ago, jsharr said:

The internet will eventually kill off most retailers.  Cannot be cost competitive.  People now use brick and mortar retailers and showrooms for products but buy off the internet.  If there are no retailers, there is no need for a show.  The retailers that are left have to focus on one brand to stay in business or are forced to carry only one brand and are supported by that brand.

Years ago I listened to a radio show where the presenter was stating that eventually every retail market would devolve / evolve to having just two competitors.  WalMart / Target.  Home Depot / Lowes.  Seems it is coming true.  Sadly.

I don't see it. Retail that is run well is growing. Retail that isn't run well is shrinking. There will always be competition. Amazon is opening B&M shops. I think that says something.

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1 minute ago, dennis said:

I don't see it. Retail that is run well is growing. Retail that isn't run well is shrinking. There will always be competition. Amazon is opening B&M shops. I think that says something.

Gee, I tried to say the same thing earlier today and got slammed for it. B2C retail done well is growing.

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I think Interbike closing says more about the trade show business. It's crazy expensive for the retailers and the vendors. Have you ever set up a booth at a national trade show. The little publishing company I worked for did. $16k the last year we attended. Small booth and a table. Very little business was conducted. It was a waste of money. 

QBP has run frostbike for years. You've got saddle drive. Sea Otter. Trek has their own show. I bet Specialized does as well. Smaller shows can work better and cost less for everyone involved. It's just the evolution of the business.

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Just now, dennis said:

I think Interbike closing says more about the trade show business. It's crazy expensive for the retailers and the vendors. Have you ever set up a booth at a national trade show. The little publishing company I worked for did. $16k the last year we attended. Small booth and a table. Very little business was conducted. It was a waste of money. 

QBP has run frostbike for years. You've got saddle drive. Sea Otter. Trek has their own show. I bet Specialized does as well. Smaller shows can work better and cost less for everyone involved. It's just the evolution of the business.

My wife's firm stopped attending trade shoes for the same reasons you note above. 

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5 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

I will be sad when all the stores are gone.  I don't like the direction the world is going with everything being online.

It won't all be online, but what online can do better will continue to force those out that can't adapt or evolve.  The well run stores will figure out what works and continue to do grow, further forcing the smaller outfits out.  

I like small stores, but they sometimes suck and have no awareness and try to gouge the locals.  Try shopping for bike parts in Moab, for instance.   

I agree that excellent service has a value, you just have to attach your value to the equation.  I don't see any need for a mom and pop tire operation when Discount Tire is cheaper and the selection and service is several exponents better.  It is a tire, you can't try before you buy anyway. 

That said, bigger isn't always better, I guess we will see a bit more shake-out in the next 5-10 years.  

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