Bike shops

What's all thia about staff? You apparently are expected to pay an army of people just to chat to possible customers, who probably have no money to spend.

As the most experienced ex retailer on here, (a long time ago) you must keep the costs down, make it absolutely clear your regular opening hours if only part time, and do what I did, build wheels while doing the chat.

After taking on a virtually dead shop, by selling parts and repairs in 3 years had the largest retailer accounts in the south with several major importers while still being a one man business. And keep it self financed.
Ignore advice about accountants and solicitors, after their costs they will leave you with no capital.

It was a lot easier 54 years ago.
 
keithglos said:
What's all thia about staff? You apparently are expected to pay an army of people just to chat to possible customers, who probably have no money to spend.


just because some of us mentioned staff it does't mean there needs to be loads of them - one maybe enough depending on the size of the operation.

"possible customers who probably have no money to spend"
I've been in a few bike shops where i could have spent my well earned cash but decided not to because the staff /grumpy owners were such prats.
Lots of possible customers probably have a lot more disposable income than the people that work in the bike shops! :LOL:
 
Enthusiasm and attention is something i fail to see in my recent trips to my LBS :(

I wish you good luck in your venture :D

I hope you are local to me, i am in need of a decent local bike shop.
 
Not local to you I'm afraid.

I am already a registered business; Stallion Cycles Ltd but currently just trade from home mainly online. The shop is the next step I guess the rent is very cheap and will hopefully make it more viable for me to offer servicing and repairs as well as display the parts that are currently stacked in various boxes in my rather small garage.
 
Tel.. my friend has his own little retro bike shop and has a big stash of high quality old but used good parts which are all
reasonably priced and on display so you can fondle all the parts, which makes customers go weak and they end up buying something :D

Get a good stash of retro parts catering for MTB - Road Racing - Time Trialing, you never know who will walk through the door and be on the want.

If you are to do any repairs you got to be quick at it and not rip the customer off!

eg'

''Yes sir i can fix that it will cost £30 please call back in one week''

Customer returns in one week...

''Yes sir its fixed but the repair quoted actually cost £45'' [knowing your £15 in more profit]

Customer looks at the ceiling and begrudges handing the £45 over, you never see that customer again and the customer
gives the 'knock on effect' of don't go to that bike shop bla bla bla he rips you off.
 
Yep a load of old stuff to look through is good.
In my imaginary bike shop I have a few nice bikes in the window, lots of framesets and wheels on the walls & ceiling and everything else neatly arranged in plan chests.
Selling bikes for other people might be an idea if you have the space. And of course the odd trip to Italy in a transit
:D
 
What I want in a bike shop.

No Snobs.
Nice stuff with fair prices. I don't mind paying if it's worth it.
Good service.
Decent wheel building.
Lovely things to look at while you're taking my money off me.
Somewhere to park my bike.
Ambience.

My advice from being self employed for 25 years.

Specialise in a few things only.
Keep your overheads low.
Don't borrow too much money to buy loads of stock.
Don't give a discount unless you really want to get rid of it.

Get on with it and do it now.
 
Getting close to the day of opening now. It's been a bad year due to my moving property and I have very little money to invest so this is going to be ground up venture.

I've had lots of great advice on here already but if there's anything else wants to add please do so.

Thanks
 
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