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Wiggle Australia price match plus 10% off promise


Rob's picture

By Rob - Posted on 27 September 2013

While we encourage everyone to support local bike shops... it's understandable people shop around on-line for deals from time to time.

Right now Wiggle.com.au have a great price promise running: for delivery to Australia, they will not only match, but promise to beat any price inclusive of delivery by 10%.

Note that CRC have up to 50% off Shimano this weekend, and with Wiggle pledging to beat any advertised price... you know what that means! Laughing out loud

BTW, this covers everything Wiggle sell, I only mention Shimano as an example. Details on the promise are here:

http://www.wiggle.com.au/sc/price-promise-australia

Don't forget when you're shopping to check the usual suspects: Torpedo 7, Chain Reaction Cycles, JensonUSA, Evans Cycles, Merlin Cycles & Competitive Cyclist.

P.S. If you are using an ad. blocker but want to support this site, please turn it off before clicking through. Don't ask... the hamsters are working hard to fix things Eye-wink

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GonzoRacing's picture

Must admit I find this post a bit strange and after my local folded couple of months ago thought would chuck in a thought. It's the local bike stores that are supporting the riders and the club events, everyone knows about offshore vendors and price differential but to have the site moderator posting about weekly specials of the offshore conglomerates, is this really in best interest in clubs and or the lbs who are there on race day?

Rob's picture

'offshore' people like Wiggle & CRC do support Australian events. Go check out the details on their sites. Eg. OZtober & the Wiggle Australian Cycling Series:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/customer-serv...
http://www.wiggle.com.au/sc/au-events-calendar

As always, it's up to the buyer to decide where to shop. Most people shop on price, so don't see how it is bad to bring good deals to light.

It's true that I'm sent many deals, almost daily, but don't bother sharing most of them. In fact, this particular promo came from a buddy and not the retailer. Instead of berating him about shopping O/S I was pleased to hear he'd snagged a bargain and thought this deal good enough to share.

The whole LBS versus on-line debate has been done to death. Feel free to chime in on one of those old topics if you like, but please not here.

MrMez's picture

Thanks for the heads up.

Andy Bloot's picture

I'll buy some new swag and take it to the LBS to fit as I'm a tech muppet
Usually buy a few things at the same time
Win/ win
Thanks for the heads up, Rob

DudeistPriest's picture

I use my LBS as often as I can, but it's hard to pass up a bargain no matter where it comes from.

So if you hear of any other good deals going please let me know.

BAS's picture

Anything I need advice on or clothes/shoes that i need to try on I always buy local despite the price. You are paying them for their expertise and for holding stock. Consumables like tyres/tubes, etc you are mad to pay local prices where more often than not wholesale is more than online price...

hawkeye's picture

I get tired of the local bike industry and their entitlement mentality.

They whinge about sites like this promoting overseas vendors and use that as an excuse to not advertise with them or provide product for review.

Another site I am associated with (most visited cycling portal in oz) responded and said "Ok, I'll put my money where my mouth is if you will." He stopped all advertising by offshore vendors.

Despite his going out on a limb on the basis of their assurances the local distributors still wouldn't come to the party and it was costing him money to the point where he just couldn't afford the lost revenue and had to open up to wiggle, CRC etc again lest the site cease being financially viable.

If the local industry wants advertising and editorial support they need to stop being so churlish and tight-fisted. The offshore vendors pull their weight and support sites like this with affiliate marketing and other arrangements, why can't they do the same?

Don't get me started on service levels... although I must say Cannondale Oz pleasantly surprised me this week.

GonzoRacing's picture
CyclinAl's picture

Hey Kawkeye, do you work in an job that is threatened by online retail?
My money is on NO. Otherwise, you'd know that those who do don't earn outrageous incomes nor do the businesses they work for. They just make a normal living like the rest of us, which makes them vulnerable. So if you think that basically suggesting they should just accept to become second class citizens hovering around the poverty line, won't come around and bite you on the bum in due course, you're fooling yourself. How about you find someone who is affected and listen to them describe their day to day frustration?
Then you'll realise it's a lot more complicated than the shotgun approach you've taken. And I look forward to your suggestions on how to solve it. Really, I do.
And Rob, if you didn't want it, you should have kept the info for non-aligned social sites. After all, you are the moderator, I'm led to believe...
Otherwise, perhaps we should get a post started on the appropriateness of this Forum being a platform for commercial advertising. I reckon you'll be ducking for cover real quick.
All in good faith!

Andy Bloot's picture

Oh FFS
Let's start a 26 vs 29'er argument just for something different

CyclinAl's picture

Andy dear, 26 & 29 are so passé... Don't you know 27.5 is THE WAY!
Sorry Mate. I AM a bit of a shit stirrer. Couldn't resist. Sorry. I'll go now...

Andy Bloot's picture

ha no worries mate
I've been known to stir a bit of shit myself

And with a shed full of 26'ers + parts
may be a while before I can convert to anything else

Scratchy's picture

I don't know if I missed it Rob but have you disclosed perthmtb.asn.au has a financial incentive in getting people to click those links? It may have been covered before but from what I can see those links you posted are to affiliate programs links where money is earnt based on peoples click through and purchases.
Edit: I think that's what you mean by "If you want to support this site" re reading your first post. I'm assuming the money generated goes to keeping this site running merrily along.

Rob's picture

Yup, as previously discussed. No-one batted an eyelid at that thread.

For the record, it takes a lot of time and trouble to keep this site, and others in the network running along smoothly. There are economies of scale in having several sites run from the same server, code, etc. but that doesn't change the fact that not a penny has ever been paid to anyone who does any of this work by any of the users, riders, clubs members, etc. I might have been a bit of riding kit (shorts & jersey) from one generous guy, but that's about as far as it goes.

People discuss on-line offers all the time, it's a fact of life we all like a good deal. So if this stuff is going to be discussed anyway, then we might as well take any kickbacks on offer, right? So again, as previously discussed we recently joined a few affiliate programs to do that (although to be fair, we've been in the T7 program for years). Costs the buyer nothing, but gives a little back to the place where they heard about the deal in question.

For whatever reason, some people don't like the stores discussed in this particular thread. Sorry about that, but you can't please everyone all the time.

For the record, when I scan through the last few threads in the shopping forums there's a good variety with praise for the Australian Fox distributor, Bunnings (yes, cheap place to pick up a bike rack apparently), MTB Revolution, NZO and a load of kind words for Midland Cycles in WA.

So would those who don't like this particular thread, and I assume want it gone, also like to see threads discussing those other commercial enterprises removed?

hawkeye's picture

@CyclinAl: online competition is in fact the *major* strategic threat faced by the business I work for.

That's why there is a huge investment currently going into ensuring future competitiveness.

But that's beside the point. The point is the inconsistency inherent in complaining about a lack of support from local sites and then failing to step up and reciprocate when said local sites do as requested and drop overseas support.

Guess who provides the majority of that support for local sites? That's a pretty serious indictment right there.

Epic29er's picture

I do 99% of my bike shopping at my local and always will. that 1% is novelty odd stuff.

I love my local, I am friends with the guy who owns it. I get advice. I get service. I get support.

no-one at wiggle or CRC even knows my name.

I will always shop at local bike shops. Push n Pedal Cycles. KD cycles. Lakes Bikes and Wembley Cycles. These shops are run buy honest businessmen who wont rip you off.

Great shops, Great blokes, Great friends, Great prices FFS!

go ahead and send our hard earned Australian money overseas to 2 bit hustlers.

The end.

Antsonline's picture

Do you remember when to book a flight or a holiday, you would go into a shop and have someone tap a load of nonsense into a computer and 'check fares' for you? When did that end? Year 2000 (ish?)

How many of the people claiming that they will only buy local for their bike still go into a 'travel agent' to book trips now?
When they are on-line, do they still feel guilt that travel-agents may now be living as (quote) "second class citizens"?
Are you all buying your fruit and veg from independent stores? Or Woolies and Coles? The little bloke is dead in grocery shopping - why is cycling different.
Times change, consumer habits do too. If shops don't / wont adapt to meet the competition head on, then they will die.
Its no use saying 'they cant compete' because BikeBug does quite well.

Bike shops need to provide a compelling reason to use them - if they do, they will survive. If they keep on doing the same as before, and complain of things being 'unfair' - then they will quickly reduce in numbers...

GAZZA's picture

I earn a decent wage but live in an expensive suburb and have a few bikes so price is always an issue with me.
I do a lot of overseas shopping but have recently shifted my spending to local shops that have shifted their thinking to meet the demands of today's cyclists.
I've bought quite a bit of stuff from Bikebug lately as the prices ain't that much more than overseas and when desperate for a Chain and cassette early this week, I ordered Monday morning at a very reasonable price and the stuff was ready to pick up that afternoon from the shop.
Again, as Ants says, if you're not moving with the times then stop moaning and forget it.
You can still sell local and earn money. You've just got to get with the times and think differently.

turns's picture

I agree with Antsonline except for the example of Travel Agents. People still use Travel Agents if they are looking for a unique experience and this is what LBS need to do. Travel Agencies are growing (I know because I work for a national retailer) as they don't fight online but in brace it. When was the last time an online website spoke to you like a human. Travel Agents have their place for people who want more then a Bali holiday.

I do my best to support other Australian retailers. I however have become frustrated by 3 of my LBS due to poor service and a lack of follow up. I would go in and request prices for a bike upgrade, Only to be told that they would call me back. No phone call ever received.

So let me offer some free advice to some bike shop owners. I get the feeling that you own a bike shop because you love bikes (we all do). Try working on being a retailer and in brace online competition (you don't want to become a whinger like Gerry Harvey). People will buy your product not based on price but how you make them feel. Yes some people are price aware but not the majority.

My two cents take it or leave it.

GonzoRacing's picture

Good job waiting for that lbs return call when they are all wiped out. Ah well, glad to know we all will accept product from an oli or duo opoly and its all streamlined and distibution lines optimised.

And your wife isnt complaining about your expenditure which seems more the point.

And that our mtb clubs accept pushing the corporate line and accepts in principle payment despite leaning on lbs's for races.

Welcome the brave new world.

Product option steamlisation.

Fmd

Nice backhand deal.

ashley g's picture

Hey Gonzo,

Can you please explain your comment about mtb clubs? Just not sure what you mean and wondering if pmbc can improve here.

Thanks

hawkeye's picture

Interesting comment about waiting. Why does it take longer for a Mavic rim to come from Melbourne than Ireland? It wasn't the transport leg that was the delay btw.

Pushys in the ACT is a local operation that seems to have its act together, along with Cell Bikes and TBSM.

GonzoRacing's picture

Look I don't really care anymore. It's accepted practice that affiliates and users of the Australian Mtb.asn.au group will push corporate entities and deals as shown above and this supports their provision of service platform (pay per view).

So if you use the forum you will now be subject to paid advertising in way of forum content .

I seek that this is disclosed as this may conflict with efforts to get local bike stores on line with key events and benefits.

But as this is no issue now fully disclosed as the site forum is a routing agent then all good. The site in answer to question could do a heap better in terms of what's going on IMHO.

Rob

Slowpup's picture

where's that like button?

whiskers's picture

Anyone got like $350 I can borrow Sticking out tongue PM me

Ando's picture

I cant believe I'm reading some of these comments........there loyalty to your LBS and then there's plain stupidity......unless you have more money than sense : ) !!

Saved myself over 50% buying xt groupset in bits online...... chainguide in my LBS - $215.....online $108.....go figure.....

Yeah - I still buy my bikes form the LBS and major parts like forks .... but its just plain dumb not to source parts cheaper online...unless you are desperate ......thats my opinion.... : )

Ants - your 100% correct - retailers keep up.......the world is getting a smaller place every minute..... ordered something form CRC sent Monday ....got here today.....its like Xmas has come early.....

StanTheMan's picture

online is where its at. I'm part owner of a retail business. My wife runs that now. I now work for an online retailer. Ive put my proffession where my mouth is.

Australian retail has a lot to catch up to compared to Europe.Not just in pricing. Lots of things play part in the expense of running an Retail outlet of any sort. wages, qualified staff, rent & so on.

Online retail is here to stay. It ain't going anywhere. Globalisation is here to stay as well, and so is retail. The old way is just not where its at.

I know of a few professions who have shot themselves in the foot by ignoring the online presents. Refusing to change or deliberately making life difficuilt for those individuals who are having a go on line. Cant blame them really though.
LBS shops are certainly refusing to change & have missed plenty of opportunety. Same with Optometrists and many other professions...

Anyway if Rob can make a bit of money for his effort good on him. Saves me paying a membership fee for entering this site.

CyclinAl's picture

StanTheMan, for somebody who reckons he's got a foot in each camp, you're surprisingly dismissive of local businesses. You're right in what you say but you're still missing the main point.
As you mention,the difference between your Lbs and online is Setting-up and Operating Costs.

your Lbs has to pay a substantial premium to secure premises on a shopping strip while online will do with any industrial area or even a country location. Right from the start, we're easily talking an extra 20,30,50 grands per year if not more, that your Lbs has to fork out.

Then you've got setting up costs. Your Lbs needs to set up a decent showroom which requires fitout to display his products. They don't come cheap.
Online will simply set up much cheaper industrial shelving (A cost that also has to be born by your Lbs, though to a lesser extent, for the stock in his reserve).

Your Lbs has to display his products in a reasonably appealing way, which means "poor" product $ value per sq mtr ratio.
Online will just cram products on the shelves, maximizing his floor utilization.

Your Lbs needs a nice big sign that preferably lights up at night, so customers don't struggle to find him. There goes a few more hundred bucks if not a grand or two.
Online doesn't need any signage.

Your Lbs goes to the trouble of educating himself and his staff (Called: Staff Training) so they are knowledgeable about their products and can provide accurate answers to customers. Now a lot of people seem to believe that this just happens, like you pick it up naturally without having to spend time at it. Wrong!
Online doesn't need product knowledge. He just copies and pastes what info the manufacturer supplied. And for more details, he gets the CUSTOMER to fill in at no cost. What a stroke of genius!

Your Lbs will only have a chance of survival if his staff can interact effectively with customers. So now, we're requiring them to be knowledgeable AS WELL AS good articulate salespersons AND they need to dress reasonably well (yeah, I know, we're only talking cycling. Still...)
Meanwhile, online goes: "Can you read & count? Yep? You'll do. Just make sure you wear your safety boots". Now, I don't mean to be dismissive of people who work in the online business as they are not inferior in any sense. I'm just pointing out that online will secure his workforce much more easily (And I have no doubt cheaply in some cases) than your Lbs because their requirements are less.

And we can talk about presence. Your Lbs has to be open to make any money. Sick, holidays, don't care!
Online can be a lot more flexible because unmanned computers do a good deal of the work so, less staff for the same turn-over. Simpler tasks make it easier to find replacement staff. online doesn't have to keep their front door open to the public during business hours.

Chances are your Lbs won't survive without some sort of advertising, on top of which it must also have a website.
Online doesn't need to advertise. His advertising is online, through his website (In fact, the only investment where he spends more money than your Lbs).

And before too long, because of this disproportion in setting up and operating costs, online is able to go to the supplier and say: "Look here, I'm selling shit-loads. How about you give me a bit of a discount on what I buy" to which unfortunately, most suppliers reply: "You're right. Ok, here's another 10%".

And you have the matter of Customer returns. For a similar number of faults/change of minds, the return rate to your Lbs is about 4 times greater than online. The fact that you simply drop in at your Lbs to return stuff as against having to mail it back to online is probably the reason. But the end result is that your Lbs quickly starts going backwards when dealing with returns while online suffers little loss.

Probably one of the worse aspects because it affects your Lbs both financially and psychologically, is their brain being picked by "pretend" customers who in fact have no intention of buying the product there. Yet your Lbs still has to pay his staff or himself, even though the 20 minutes he's just spent helping a customer will not put a dime in his till when the said customer declared that he will "think about it" and your Lbs knows precisely by his demeanor that he won't be back, but will buy it online. That is low-life behaviour and all I can wish on these people is to lose their job because of others doing it to their work place.
Meanwhile, you can pick the brain of online all day and night, within the limits of the above mentioned available info, without costing him a penny more.

Believe it or not, I could go on quite a bit more because I am very familiar with the phenomenon. There's the subject of Customs clearance, port fees, gst, which are all applicable to the products in your Lbs while not on the products you've just received from overseas. However, I'm sure some readers out there have already decided I've gone on enough. But I make no apology, what's at stake here is a damn sight more important than a few extra $ in their hip pocket. The reason is simple: It doesn't just affect Lbs but the entire brick-and-mortar retail sector, the BIGGEST EMPLOYER in our economy and probably one or more of your family members.

So, I will conclude by asking you Stan (but not limited to...): How the hell do you want your Lbs to "adapt" to this situation?
You go and try to "adapt" your rent with your landlord because you're suffering from online competition who are renting at 2/3 of the price.
You go and "adapt" your showroom by stripping it to the look of a warehouse.
You go and "adapt" the quality of your service to save money, with the result that your staff knows shit.
Even better, you "adapt" by telling customers who come in "Go and check it out online and when you know what you want, you can come in and buy it". Well, what's wrong with that? After all, it's very commonly done, the other way around... and see how long you survive.
Man, it ain't adaptable to, particularly for a small business.

Having said that, is there anything inherently wrong or unfair in online retail? Absolutely not. So to all you people out there who chose to shop online because you can get more for your dollar, I make no condemnation. You're simply playing by the rules in place.
Is there anything inherently wrong or greedy in the way your Lbs operates?
Certainly not. He's carrying on a business in a normal fashion to make a normal living and, in a lot of cases, he's even ready to curtail his income to live his passion, which he freely distributes around his shop.

So why isn't working?
Because online, this new form of retail that operates on a totally different principle has landed and no one has seen fit to create a new, different set of rules for it. Not the industry, not the authorities. Worse, any effort that could currently be considered by those suppliers who do see extra value in their products being seen, touched, enquired about in your Lbs, and are prepared to properly reward for it, are likely to bring the ACCC down on them. And that is a fact.
Yet, the solution is simple, BUT YOU WONT LIKE IT. Lbs should pay less for their stock because they service the products better. Online should pay more for their stock because they don't service them as well. The result is a world where the gap between the respective retail prices of Lbs and online will narrow down to reflect the actual advantages and disadvantages of buying from one or the other.
Don't believe me? Just wait!

In any case, I'll close by saying: Please, before you go to your Lbs and ask him if he'll match the online price, reflect on the above.
CyclinAl over and out...

Magnum9's picture

I didn't know the forum was configured for posts that long!

StanTheMan's picture

Yes youre probably right about me being dissmissive about local business. small business is certainly not easy. certainly not as easy as say in the 70's , 80's & 90's. those days are over.

I'm completely aware what cost are, to open a retail shop as well as running expenses hrs required for 7 days a week coverge weekend rates training staff , keeping & attracting talented staff & so on.
for an average person it almost impossible to make it in retail bricks & mortar shops. I believe were on the same page there. Where we differ is I believe a combination of the 2 is where its going.
Internet retailers know you can't feel & touch online. Thats why bricks & morta shopps are around to stay. just in a different role in a few years.
I've had only a few psoitive exoeriences in LBS's not to say that your business is the same. But like you said, Its impossible for a small private business to keep stock , open 60 hrs a week & so on.

I'm suggesting a LBS becomes an extension of the inernet business, the real tricky part is how to make this finacially viable for both partys and how to arrange it in a contract sense so both partys benefit.
I'll let you know when I've worked it out.

My own business.....can't see it last much longer in the old model but the Optical game has recently been turned upside down. and its about to get turned over again.

Ando's picture

I reckon the local bike shop should develop into a place to hang out....bussleton's specialized shop has a cafe in it....I for one would prefer to buy a coffee in a bike shop watching DH/freeride/ all mountain dvds than spend a fortune in the DOME.....

Am thinking about developing one myself....in my dreams !!

StanTheMan's picture

too right.....Ando.

I know of quite a number of businesse like that. Not in cycling but in motorcars. they have a site where they sell stuff. the forum is of course where they discuss cars but also get thier potntial customers from. They rent an old warehouse for very cheapThey have nights racing cars on computers. you buy the drinks there maybe a t shirt and other stuff. group buys get organised & so on.Also nights where you can repair your car with all the knowlege of members around also make money of the multinationals with advertising on thier blogs & so on
One of the businesses I know does very well at that. I'd say thats the model of future small business. where you can connect several different interests an individual may have.

Oldernslower's picture

Can someone explain why I can buy an MTB item (almost anything) online cheaper than the local LBS is charged for the same item by the importers or even the maunfacturer? A few LBS' have made the same statement - "that price is cheaper than the supplier charges me"

FWIW I prefer the LBS for most things except 'exotic/exclusive/hard to get' items.

Scottboy's picture

Im not a supporter of mine because the young bloke working there that I have known for a few years going there swore at me when I told him he had ripped me off , so complained to his boss and he had the hide to tell me he didn't like the way I have spoken to him in the past as well , I found out that he has no sense of humor and is very bland , a few of my mates shopping there have had bad experiences at the same shop too .So from now on my local doesn't get business from at least 4 of us and that can range from $100.00 ~$1000.00plus per year...

jcl's picture

There's plenty of argument for each way but it's the people that go into the shop try on shoes, helmets, muck around with parts and then ask for the details to be written down so they can buy them online. If your going to waste their time at least show some loyalty and shop there occasionally and don't expect products you've bought online to be fitted to your bike or serviced at mates rates

CyclinAl's picture

Rob's going to hate me but hell! if I can contribute something constructive, I will!
First thing: I should clarify that I don't own an Lbs nor do I have a personal relationship with anybody who does. I am in a different sector of retail but suffer the same.
Oldenslower, the reason why your Lbs pays more for the item than you can get it for online (presumably from overseas) is this:
The overseas online sites you deal with are very large operations and in most cases, they negotiate their purchases directly with the manufacturer. Because of their size, they command very good prices but avoid the costly obligations usually imposed on Distributors.
From there, not only are there no in-betweens, but thanks to the delivery methods they use, they avoid all the importation costs (Provided you kept the bill under $1000, which is highly likely) and you avoid paying the 10% gst.
On the other hand, before reaching your Lbs, the item has to be imported by the Australian Distributor. It's not even certain he has as strong a capacity to negotiate the prices but he'll have costly obligations placed upon him by the manufacturer, such as carrying slower selling products and having to promote the brand through advertising and expos, etc. Although the freight is probably a bit cheaper, he has to pay full importation costs, plus 10% gst (Neither here nor there as he'll get that back). Anyway, he takes his cut.
Then, he has to have reps to market the products, and they take their cut.
So by the time your Lbs orders your product, all these loadings have taken their toll. Yet, he still has to pay more freight to get it delivered to him, plus 10% gst (Also neither here nor there as he'll get that back, except that now, you are next in line and you'll have to pay it and you won't be getting it back).
And that is how, unless I'm mistaken and the mtb industry doesn't work on this standard format (Which would surprise me), your item has come to be more costly to your Lbs than you could buy it for, from an overseas online retailer where low profit margins are the norm thanks to their high turnover.
You could be forgiven for thinking your Lbs is trying to rip you off but he's not.
Hope it helps.

Shelley6148's picture

It hasnt yet been mentioned here - but a dynamic none-the-less....

Lack of product in the LBS...

I recently had an XTR rear mech connect with my spokes and cxhewed itself to bits. I must have called almost every bike shop in Perth metro and NOT ONE dealer had an XTR mech in stock!

To boot, some would even claim that they wouldn't bother ordering same for me. I got offered a whole range of XT or SRAM mechs, (with the requisite "it's easily as good as" bs, but not a single XTR. Most bike shops wouldnt or couldnt guarantee a shipping date.

And it's not just mechs - if you're looking for the better quality gear here in Perth - you almost don't have an option but to go onliine... And to restate - I called almost all the big chains and a whole bunch of the little locals...

Yet, an online store had the part I needed in stock and shipped it within 24hrs! Even before the issue of cost, online beat the lbs arena hands down!

(But yes, it WAS cheaper to buy and ship than to just buy the product here in Perth)...

fairy1's picture

Most shop employees I know seem to really hate the Shimano importer and one shop I know of buys a bit of Shimano stock from other sources and they inform the buyer that it is not a Shimano Australia part.

Also Dirt Works have a lot to answer for, every time a product moved to that shitful importer the price shot through the roof and they cornered many parts of the bicycle market, at one point it was hard to build a wheel here without buying something from DW. I would love to see them go broke and so does every bike related staff person I know.

I do think the Government really need to go back to the $1000 tax free threshold as reducing the threshold didn't make many importers(some did, SCV for example) more competitive it just sent them broke, some may have deserved it others maybe not.

I do buy a bit online, some because some importers won't sell to my LBS, some coz I love a bargain but often just buying from small companies that manufacture in house, I like supporting those guys.

Scottboy's picture

Went out for a ride on local trail upon a step up on a little pinch climb I ended up stepping thru my bike ...ie handle bars going under legs or thru in between I picked up the bike to keep riding and I had bent the front rotor somehow so a new one has been ordered from overseas supplier so should be ready to ride next weekend again ..

mxracer92's picture

online shopping for me too , try support lbs when needed .. "specialized" is very smart with their marketing and cant get parts even interstate so there is no mail ordering those parts.

not all but alot of people work retail hours to getting to a LBS twice gets hard ( yes twice because most stuff needs to be ordered in )
i usually online shop when i get back from a ride and full of adrenaline. Aint no bike shops open at 10pm at night .. few days to a week later its either sitting at my door step or ready to collect at post office ( which my local has a parcel pickup from 6am )

and prices are always better online

inertia's picture

I really would have thought more shops would move towards a service oriented model. There are a couple of guys here in Newcastle running bike service shops. As someone else said, a cafe that is also a bike service centre might be the go.

There does need to be a shift in customer expectation though. If you take your car to a mechanic, do you expect them to do work on the spot and for free? You should expect to pay a professional rate for a bike mechanic, and in return you should expect a professional service. Incidently, I stopped going to bike shops after repeated poor service - either not actually doing what I asked, or doing it poorly. As it happens, this caused me to increase my online spending.

lorax's picture

Something like Deus Ex Machina but for bicycles?

Hugor's picture

I saw this thread and ignored it a few days ago. It was only when it blew out to 40+ replies that I knew there was something going on.

I am completely disgusted that a PMBC forum moderator would freely promote the competitors who support us locally.
If I was involved with Wembley cycles, TBE, Cycles Bespoke, or Kalamunda cycles I would disassociate myself from any support of this site and club.
Armed with the trivial and questionable power of the ban hammer the mods always assume some kind of moral superiority in these debates, whereas the reality is their opinion has no more merit than anyone else.

We'll keep arguing about the online vs local debate for a lot longer I bet.
As has been mentioned by many posters above the locals have plenty of challenges to face in this battle if they want to survive.
One thing they DON'T NEED is the local forums providing completely FREE advertising to their competitors.

obmal's picture

Its very one dimentional like thinking that cheap online bike parts are the death of the retail bike store, yes its a fact that online shopping reduces the margin in a commodity market, retail shops that rely on product margin to survive… sorry but its a sad fact that it looks like tar pits for the LBS guys who fail to evolve..

Mr Average bike consumer has X dollars to spend, say he saves Y bucks on a special online.. He's probably still got that Y clams he saved by shopping online, burning a hole in pocket ready to spend on other bike related stuff.. perhaps latte and banana bread if he's a roadie.. or a beer and a steak sambo if he's MTB.. The real survivor of an LBS would find a way to shift their business to cater for the "growing" market of cyclists, its a fact that cycling as a sport and recreation is growing right now.. so there is a market.

Some people that say that online shops like CRRC and Wiggles (yes I know their names but there is some funny stuff happening when you type their name here??) don’t support local bike events? Well I think you've not thought about it enough; Think about Mr Average bike consumer, he's saved his money on parts for his bike, and now has more money to spend on cycling and perhaps entering events, maybe he's even got enough cheap parts left over to build a race bike and sold his other bike cheaply to a mate who's also getting into cycling and may even fill in the numbers at an event or two?

If cheap online bikes and bike parts result in more bikes in the community, more people riding them… then how does online shopping NOT benefit cycling as a sport? How does it NOT increase the potential market for the savvy LBS?

Although I do agree that tax free online sales thing needs to be sorted out.. Taxes are required by GOVco to keep this country trucking…

I wonder how Google or Apple would approach this new retail dilemma?

pharmaboy's picture

Problem is largely an australian one. UK bike shops can compete and certainly can get better supply prices that CRC s retail prices. Se in the USA, it's just Australia where distros for many brands completely rip off the Consumer and the LBS. some mentioned dirt works - a prime example of a ripoff merchant that does not deserve your business.

It's a pretty similar situation in a lot of retail, Aussie retail and Aussie distributors run on larger margins than other parts of the world , and are now whinging because consumers have found overseas online and door to door.

There was a productivity commission report a few years ago that more or less said that 50% margins were unsustainable and would have to change. Well it's changing.

Magnum9's picture

To make it worse it would appear Dirt Works have their own online store selling direct to public and undercutting their own bike store customers - http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/showthread.php?t...

CyclinAl's picture

Hugor: Totally agree. At the very least, I believe there is a duty to disclose any interest when posting commercial links like that. While most would probably understand and accept that the forum website needs some top up income to function, it should be made clear EVERY TIME.

Inertia, Lorax, Obmal (and others previously): Adding a lounge and snack bar to an Lbs is what an astute owner does to improve his business IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES (Sorry, I'm not yelling, just can't find how to underline). But this isn't normal circumstances and it won't suffice to offset the unbridgeable disparity in prices. Customers will come in to enjoy the atmosphere and they'll buy the odd trinket to quieten any scruples, but that will just be crumbs, and the bulk of their dollars will still go online. Can't blame them, the savings are just too great. And if the Lbs is really successful at this, he may even put the corner cafe out of business...

Pharmaboy: While you may be right in some cases, unless you've seen the distributor's books (Which I think unlikely) or seen what model BMW they drive to their plush office from their riverside mansion (Well of course they'll have a shit-hot bike!), resist generalizing as you might be shooting yourself in the foot. Some of what you see as exorbitant margins could be sponsoring events and the development of the sport, which means basically coming back to you.

Magnum9: It wouldn't be a first but that one really comes down to Lbs owners to do their homework (Company search) and retaliate within their capacity.

Sorry if some feel I'm "hogging" this thread. Truth is it's a subject that interests me and more importantly, it will shape the future of our sport, which looks definitely Lbs poor. And I think that will be a sad day for all of us, online shoppers included, if it does come to pass.
Meanwhile, the subject might have been "done to death" but man, it's still kicking vigorously from what I can see. So keep'em coming! praise, criticism, suggestion, even the generous "F.-you-Jack, I'm-alright!" ones. There're lessons in all of them and I hope every Lbs owner is taking notes...

cryline's picture

When I can get Fox Digit gloves in my size (XXXL) for $13 online and the guys in the 3 well regarded Perth bike shops I went to wanted $45 plus, didnt have my size (dont blame them for that though - I have monster hands...) and have no interest in ordering I'll spend my $40 online and get some grips, a couple tubes and some tyre levers as well delivered to my door in a week.

They cant compete with online unfortunately however I gotta get the most out of my money.

MPN's picture

PMBC do not endorse this post.

We value our local bike shops and the support they offer us through your the season.

Local riders , trails and shops....,,

Regards

MPN

This post will be removed

Hugor's picture

In my business (not bike related) I charge a premium for jobs that I don't like doing.
Hopefully some of it goes elsewhere but the bit that remains pays well and lessens the pain.

I would suggest that if foreign retailers want to advertise on Aussie social networks then they should pay top dollar; hell even crazy dollars!
That would at least inject a bit back into the local system.

CRCC & Wiggles sponsor some of the biggest and best events in the UK across all cycling codes. Sweet FA here though.
Most of the big Perth retailers sponsor and run our greatest local events.
Our clubs and forums should be supporting these guys rather than their overseas competitors

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