Ideas for a perfect online bike shop

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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welchy
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:04 pm

by welchy

Hi All,

I'm hoping to use you all as my market research on how I can develop an online retailer (based in the UK but able to ship globally).

I am not looking to compete with the best suppliers or biggest, thinking of Wiggle, Merlin, ProBikeKit, BikeInn, Starbike etc..

My aim is to bring high end niche manufacturers into the UK with specific aim at lightweight components for weightweenie needs, I'm sure there'll be an offer of a discount! I am not looking to compete with starbike or the great work done there..

Give me your thoughts and ideas!

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tymon_tm
Posts: 3665
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:35 pm

by tymon_tm

best bike shop? plenty of space, comfy couch, some good coffee...

...wait, an online joint? price and customer service, what else is there? :noidea:

but seriously, quite possibly the best move for you is to think what you like and dislike about the shops you've mentioned. you won't re-invent online business, and there's no need to slam an open door - just try to improve those qualities you feel need improving.
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



kervelo
Posts: 866
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 6:58 am
Location: Finland

by kervelo

One thing to note is that (according to forum etc.comments) many EU cyclists have stopped purchasing anything from UK stores. Changes in VAT processing, longer delivery times etc.are often the reason mentioned. It seems that some UK stores also have brand limitations and different pricing for EU customers too.

ghostinthemachine
Posts: 780
Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 9:18 pm

by ghostinthemachine

Yeah. I'd leave it a couple of years until everyone understands how the UK's new relationships with Europe (and the rest of the world) work.

The taxes/fees/import duties I get added here for shipping from the UK (a regular order I've been recieving quarterly for ~10 years) varies from 20% to 35% despite the paperwork being identical in every way. The postal service here can't explain why. I just get told to pay and claim it back if it's wrong.

So I've cancelled and will try and find someone locally, or at least in the EU.

Orbital
Posts: 392
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:52 am
Location: Pitt Meadows, BC

by Orbital

Perfect shop would be price and customer service, as already mentioned, but also actually having items in stock. Nothing more frustrating than having to buy pieces from multiple sites to complete a project because none of them have everything.

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Hellgate
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:49 pm

by Hellgate

Inventory

theStig
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Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 1:22 am

by theStig

for every product you stock, include a photo on a scale with the weight listed

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Ritsuke
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:25 am
Location: Abroad

by Ritsuke

In Belgium, when I can't go/don't have time to go to my LBS I always order at Mantel. Next day delivery, very large stock, impeccable customer service and never had any troubles. If you're looking for a perfect shop, than they are a great example.

On the other hand, be different. Give that extra service we can't find elsewhere, maybe even the service we don't know we need today but when you come up with it we'll wonder how we ever lived without it. Weight scale posts, real life photos, detailled description, real life size guides, ... .
Road // 2023 S-Works Tarmac SL8 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | Roval Rapide CLX
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welchy
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:04 pm

by welchy

tymon_tm wrote:
Mon Aug 09, 2021 11:18 am
best bike shop? plenty of space, comfy couch, some good coffee...

...wait, an online joint? price and customer service, what else is there? :noidea:

but seriously, quite possibly the best move for you is to think what you like and dislike about the shops you've mentioned. you won't re-invent online business, and there's no need to slam an open door - just try to improve those qualities you feel need improving.
You've hit the nail on the head here, we're not looking to reinvent the wheel but fill in the gaps where others aren't quite reaching. Personally I feel that we have a gap in the UK for high end online retailers, R2 Bike and Starbike are awesome but purchasing from Europe has now become a bit of a pain for us Brits with import/export and restrictions created by customs. To add an example, my Darimo post took 3 weeks in customs and my Cinelli frameset has been stuck there for 6 weeks (still waiting).

welchy
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:04 pm

by welchy

Orbital wrote:
Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:53 pm
Perfect shop would be price and customer service, as already mentioned, but also actually having items in stock. Nothing more frustrating than having to buy pieces from multiple sites to complete a project because none of them have everything.
I feel you here, when I purchased my record groupo I think I purchased a LH and RH shifter from different German stockists as these were the only available in Europe!

From looking at the distributor network it seems this will be the case for a while across the industry.

At the moment we are trying to list certain items and hold them in stock. Our site is in 'Beta' stages, we'd welcome any feedback! At the moment, you can order but we haven't been pushing anything with the exception of stocked SRM PMs.

www.tpperformance.co.uk

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Kayrehn
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Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:06 pm

by Kayrehn

In my early days of cycling I enjoy browsing Competitive Cyclist because almost every item features a very long marketing spiel that was largely entertaining, written in an easy to understand language that I appreciate, even when I know some of it is definitely hyperbole. That keeps me going back to the site.

I like Dulight too because they have items I don't see anywhere else and R2 for their scale shot of the items.

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tymon_tm
Posts: 3665
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 4:35 pm

by tymon_tm

^yup, it was fun to read CC's product descriptions, some of them were (I believe) just taken from various reviews and weren't that far off from the "truth".

actually this quality is what I miss most in online stores, this 'personal touch' - a notion that somebody actually talks to you, even if it's just few written lines. most shops don't care and either copy manufacturer's description or leave it blank
kkibbler wrote: WW remembers.

misteryellow
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:04 pm

by misteryellow

welchy wrote:
Tue Aug 10, 2021 7:03 am
Orbital wrote:
Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:53 pm
Perfect shop would be price and customer service, as already mentioned, but also actually having items in stock. Nothing more frustrating than having to buy pieces from multiple sites to complete a project because none of them have everything.
I feel you here, when I purchased my record groupo I think I purchased a LH and RH shifter from different German stockists as these were the only available in Europe!

From looking at the distributor network it seems this will be the case for a while across the industry.

At the moment we are trying to list certain items and hold them in stock. Our site is in 'Beta' stages, we'd welcome any feedback! At the moment, you can order but we haven't been pushing anything with the exception of stocked SRM PMs.

www.tpperformance.co.uk
Respect for pushing on and making your idea into reality.
''Just because something is possible, doesn't mean it's a good idea. It will add unnecessary complexity with little, if any, real benefit. Part of the beauty of this sport is the lack of hand holding & arse wiping.'' - ultimobici

welchy
Posts: 458
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:04 pm

by welchy

Kayrehn wrote:
Tue Aug 10, 2021 12:36 pm
In my early days of cycling I enjoy browsing Competitive Cyclist because almost every item features a very long marketing spiel that was largely entertaining, written in an easy to understand language that I appreciate, even when I know some of it is definitely hyperbole. That keeps me going back to the site.

I like Dulight too because they have items I don't see anywhere else and R2 for their scale shot of the items.

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
So we've been toying with the idea of running reviews for each product we stock, this obviously can't be done for everything but we are not looking to stock everything! I also think getting non stock images is a winner, e.g. viewing the actual carbon weave of a product rather than a stock image from wiggle etc.

I love what R2 do with the scales, I always have some difficulty navigating their site but the scale photos are perfect for 'fact checking'.

Any other thoughts guys?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Beancouter
Posts: 1067
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:04 pm

by Beancouter

welchy wrote:Hi All,

I'm hoping to use you all as my market research on how I can develop an online retailer (based in the UK but able to ship globally).

I am not looking to compete with the best suppliers or biggest, thinking of Wiggle, Merlin, ProBikeKit, BikeInn, Starbike etc..

My aim is to bring high end niche manufacturers into the UK with specific aim at lightweight components for weightweenie needs, I'm sure there'll be an offer of a discount! I am not looking to compete with starbike or the great work done there..

Give me your thoughts and ideas!
I have joked with my wife that was my plans for when I retire (at least after I pay the mortgage off!) -
In other words, in think there is a gap in the UK market (Clee is about as close as it gets in my opinion for niche stuff).


That said …. I have pondered a lot what I would stock and the challenge ultimately is that niche items don’t tend to be carried by the UK distributors which means you need to source directly and buy stock upfront. You don’t get many THM cranks for £10k. I would be interested to know how much £ R2 have in their warehouse … it must be staggering. I also put a big question mark over the reliability on delivery dates from the niche companies - Covid aside, I question how well many of them are set up to deal with quick turnaround on orders.

Not being a kill joy - for example, there will be a reason no one stocks Extralite in the UK. Even in their own shop they are often out of stock of key lines.

The other current challenge is that the niche manufacturers are increasingly moving to direct to consumer - when stock is in short supply And global distribution so easy now, they don’t need to give margin away.

Where there left me was with stuff that comes out of China; kalloy uno, carbon parts, aluminium machines parts etc. There is some good quality out there and no one in the UK hasn’t tried to consolidate it into one store.


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