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... and Cycle Gear slumps lower on the totum pole.

Blah, Blah, Blah.... C'mon you guys, give CG constructive positive thoughts about your direct experience if you want them to listen and act.

I agree with another (forgot who said it) where CG was becoming like Harbor Freight, analogous to the cheapness of some stocked items. Then again, yes, Inventory costs money. And a good selection in flooring that costs even more. But this is 2012. Automation and Analytics make running inventory turns fairly seamless, sans issues with returns and shrinkage.

If one thing is for sure, having a lot of stores geographically spread may actually hurt CG if the selection and quality isn't consistent with the communities needs and wants. This lesson in B&M is pretty academic. A few really kickass well stocked locations that can service traffic far outweighs the satellite stores where supply chain issues and selling space are at a premium and moral is low.

The take away from this; "less is more". Offer fewer stores, better stocked with more highly trained staff at these "Superstores" in key geo's vs. smaller, poorly run and low stocked satellite stores, and the margins are stronger with greater velocity. The formula for success has been spelled out in this thread by several who gave you first hand experiences.

My consultancy calendar has a couple days open in November. Have your people call mine for a business velocity boot camp. :teeth
 
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I have a CG personal shopper who gives me the ins and outs of whats good and whats not at CG.

:)
 
I have a CG just a couple miles down the street from me. They are very customer service oriented and I buy most of my stuff from them. Tires, stands, tie-downs, misc stuff. But like others have said, when I want a really good pair of gloves or a new jacket, they just don't have the quality brands I need. I'm glad they are so nearby and I hope they stay in business a good long time because they serve 90% of my cycling needs. It's that last 10% where they fall short.
 
I just caught on to this post. . .

JP, my wife now works parts at Northbay Motorsport. (After working for both Cycle Gear and Mammoth)
You need stuff, give them a call and ask for Danielle.
 
Papi said:
Blah, Blah, Blah.... C'mon you guys, give CG constructive positive thoughts about your direct experience if you want them to listen and act.

I agree with another (forgot who said it) where CG was becoming like Harbor Freight, analogous to the cheapness of some stocked items. Then again, yes, Inventory costs money. And a good selection in flooring that costs even more. But this is 2012. Automation and Analytics make running inventory turns fairly seamless, sans issues with returns and shrinkage.

If one thing is for sure, having a lot of stores geographically spread may actually hurt CG if the selection and quality isn't consistent with the communities needs and wants. This lesson in B&M is pretty academic. A few really kickass well stocked locations that can service traffic far outweighs the satellite stores where supply chain issues and selling space are at a premium and moral is low.

The take away from this; "less is more". Offer fewer stores, better stocked with more highly trained staff at these "Superstores" in key geo's vs. smaller, poorly run and low stocked satellite stores, and the margins are stronger with greater velocity. The formula for success has been spelled out in this thread by several who gave you first hand experiences.

My consultancy calendar has a couple days open in November. Have your people call mine for a business velocity boot camp. :teeth
Click to expand...

So why is their catalog dominated by BiLT garbage?
 
Human Ills said:
So why is their catalog dominated by BiLT garbage?
Click to expand...

Let's say you know nothing about golf--have not clubs or anything else, but want to start playing.

Do you:

a) Go to your local sprotsmart, and get a decent (to you) set of Wilson clubs

b) Go to a high end Golf store and order yourself a set of custom Pings
 
Stan, c'mon, golf equipment has little or nothing to do with your safety while playing the game.
 
Ceeceefree said:
...We are not a franchise operation, we are a Bay Area based, employee owned company...
Click to expand...

budman said:
...The owner is a real moto luvin man that cares and respects the people who love the life on two wheels...
Click to expand...

Can someone explain to me who owns the company?

"Employee owned" I assume just means there is some sort of stock issuance program for employees. Who holds the majority of shares?
 
Kornholio said:
And those aren't catalogs, they're monthly sales flyers.
Click to expand...
Decent point.

stan23 said:
Let's say you know nothing about golf--have not clubs or anything else, but want to start playing.

Do you:

a) Go to your local sprotsmart, and get a decent (to you) set of Wilson clubs

b) Go to a high end Golf store and order yourself a set of custom Pings
Click to expand...

I'd say in order for the analogy to hold, the clubs at the local sportmart would have to be branded SwinG. I think this strategy will end up backfiring and was hoping to see some evidence that they're getting it. I've not seen it yet.
 
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Kornholio said:
Stan, c'mon, golf equipment has little or nothing to do with your safety while playing the game.
Click to expand...

No, but my analogy applies just the same. It's up to the amount of $$ one is willing to spend when the target market of the store for safety gear is new riders.

Older riders are less likely to buy gear - why? - because they already have them.

A new rider isn't gonna spring for the latest $5,000 Alpinestars airbag suit, but a leather bilt suit with free boots and gloves thrown in for $250 is going to appeal to the new rider.

Older riders like yourself that's already well beyond and past their beginner gear stages isn't what they are marketing for.
 
stan23 said:
No, but my analogy applies just the same. It's up to the amount of $$ one is willing to spend when the target market of the store for safety gear is new riders.

Older riders are less likely to buy gear - why? - because they already have them.

A new rider isn't gonna spring for the latest $5,000 Alpinestars airbag suit, but a leather bilt suit with free boots and gloves thrown in for $250 is going to appeal to the new rider.

Older riders like yourself that's already well beyond and past their beginner gear stages isn't what they are marketing for.
Click to expand...

What I have been wishing for is the mid range from CG.

I know where to get ultra high end gear, and subsequently entry level gear. My hope is that CG will bring back the support for the middle that they used to have and have increasingly gotten rid of.
 
stan23 said:
Older riders like yourself that's already well beyond and past their beginner gear stages isn't what they are marketing for.
Click to expand...

I suppose I should be wearing an Aerostitch now, right? It'll go with my touring bike quite well. :laughing
 
Tim-That CX Guy said:
I just caught on to this post. . .

JP, my wife now works parts at Northbay Motorsport. (After working for both Cycle Gear and Mammoth)
You need stuff, give them a call and ask for Danielle.
Click to expand...

Will they honor 30% discount on all accessories?
 
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Human Ills said:
Have they come out and said that? So CG is just for newbs now? Oh-kay:|
Click to expand...

Not exactly. I still see lot's of well-seasoned riders with what I would consider cheapo CG special helmets. They stock more lower-priced gear, because that's what sells. For every 1 person who comes in looking for a $600 Dainese jacket, there are 100 folks who will buy a Bilt jacket.

I'm pretty sure they have done some exhaustive research on how many folks come feel up the Dainese suits, try them on, do a few squats, only to leave the store and order it online. Doesn't make sense to stock them, right?

revnort said:
What I have been wishing for is the mid range from CG.

I know where to get ultra high end gear, and subsequently entry level gear. My hope is that CG will bring back the support for the middle that they used to have and have increasingly gotten rid of.
Click to expand...

Mid range is still there. My local store isn't a superstore (SJ) but when I was looking for a good summer textile jacket, they had several Dainese and upper end Alpinestars jackets at hand. While I still had to order my size, I was impressed that they had some on the floor so I can check out the quality.

I think the overwhelming floor space devoted to their house brands makes every other brand seem minimal.

Kornholio said:
I suppose I should be wearing an Aerostitch now, right? It'll go with my touring bike quite well. :laughing
Click to expand...

My finger's been hovering over the 'buy' button at Aerostitch's site for some time now.. Just haven't pulled the trigger.:laughing
 
Human Ills said:
Decent point.



I'd say in order for the analogy to hold, the clubs at the local sportmart would have to be branded SwinG. I think this strategy will end up backfiring and was hoping to see some evidence that they're getting it. I've not seen it yet.
Click to expand...

You realize that most cheapish gear (gloves, boots jacket, helmets too) are actually private label? Meaning, there is a few main/big manufacturer's - probably mostly in China and Pakistan, and they sell to gear companies here and put their name on them.

You'd be surprised at the number of 'big name' manufacturers that use private label on their low end stuff. Held comes to mind. Take a look at their lower end gloves and they will look like lower end gloves from many other manufacturers.. Remember Joe Rocket helmets? They are just branded lids..

I get it though. Your beef is that CG stocks 99% of their house brands and that reeks of monopoly. What you need to consider is that all they did was create their own brand--bought directly from the private label manufacturers and slap on their name to rid themselves of the middle man for cheaper prices and more profit.
 
yodaisgod said:
Will they honor 30% discount on all accessories?
Click to expand...

What, year round? That wouldn't really be a discount then, would it?

They are a brick and mortar store, with a pretty good inventory of parts.

Regardless, when you call Danielle, you get top notch customer service, if they don't have it, she will try to find one for you locally.
...You know, like the old days when stores actually had "customer service."
 
Tim-That CX Guy said:
What, year round? That wouldn't really be a discount then, would it?

They are a brick and mortar store, with a pretty good inventory of parts.

Regardless, when you call Danielle, you get top notch customer service, if they don't have it, she will try to find one for you locally.
...You know, like the old days when stores actually had "customer service."
Click to expand...

Rodney's been known to give anyway 30% discounts. :laughing
 
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