Distributors in Canberra

Plodder said:

G'day All,

I'm in the process of buying a bike shop 🙂 and need some more
distributors to supply me with stock. The area the shop is in (Kelmscott,
WA) won't support much high end sales (until I educate them!) but I need
some mid-range suppliers. The current stock is lowish to low mid quality
bikes and accessories. I want to raise the quality bit by bit.

I intend to focus on the commuter/family/shopping bike segment, largely
to get bums on bike seats. Not looking to make a squillion - I'll be giving
up a $100K package for a much lower income from the shop - it's a lifestyle
choice. I intend to get involved with BTA and other groups to encourage
cycling in the area as well as setting up a cooperative network with other
shops rather than competing. All warm and fuzzy stuff :-P

I'm off to Canberra next week and wouldn't mind contacting some bike and
accessory suppliers to explore some options and set up some accounts while
I'm there.

My partner's son reckons I should carry some skateboard stuff too. There
are no outlets in the area. Could do with some skateboard suppliers too.
Hard to find.

Anybody got any leads I can use?

Cheers,

Frank

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Frank
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Frank, is that Jet Cycles on Albany Highway? Saw the for sale
sign on there the other day. Can't help with distributors, but a
big best of luck with the change.

Brendo

RCTA lists some wholesalers on it's website (http://www.bikeoz.com/search.php/command/search/search_type/bia/), and there is a annual magazine put out by (I think) Bicycling Australia listing all wholesalers, manufactors, and brands. Can't for the life of my remember what it's called, but I imagine most bike shops would have one.

Most of the big distributors are in Sydney and/or Melbourne, can't think of any of the top of my head in Canberra. One thing I would recommend is talking to Cassons. Good to deal with, and they do a lot of quality brands.

Plodder said:

Anybody got any leads I can use?

Bicyclng Australia does a trade only magazine.
Get your name and business on the list and ask them if they will send
you the last year book.

Otherwise, if you are going to Canberra, wander around the LBSs and ask
them who their suppliers are.

Plodder (remove DAKS to reply) said:

G'day All,

I'm in the process of buying a bike shop 🙂 and need some more
distributors to supply me with stock. The area the shop is in (Kelmscott,
WA) won't support much high end sales (until I educate them!) but I need
some mid-range suppliers. The current stock is lowish to low mid quality
bikes and accessories. I want to raise the quality bit by bit.

I intend to focus on the commuter/family/shopping bike segment, largely
to get bums on bike seats. Not looking to make a squillion - I'll be giving
up a $100K package for a much lower income from the shop - it's a lifestyle
choice. I intend to get involved with BTA and other groups to encourage
cycling in the area as well as setting up a cooperative network with other
shops rather than competing. All warm and fuzzy stuff :-P

I'm off to Canberra next week and wouldn't mind contacting some bike and
accessory suppliers to explore some options and set up some accounts while
I'm there.

My partner's son reckons I should carry some skateboard stuff too. There
are no outlets in the area. Could do with some skateboard suppliers too.
Hard to find.

Anybody got any leads I can use?

Cassins, Dirt Jerks, Shimano, Apollo. I'm confused, the bike shop is
in WA, and you're asking about Canberra?

--
Frank
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"Brendo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Plodder said:

G'day All,

I'm in the process of buying a bike shop 🙂 and need some more
distributors to supply me with stock. The area the shop is in

(Kelmscott,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

WA) won't support much high end sales (until I educate them!) but I need
some mid-range suppliers. The current stock is lowish to low mid quality
bikes and accessories. I want to raise the quality bit by bit.

I intend to focus on the commuter/family/shopping bike segment,

largely

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to get bums on bike seats. Not looking to make a squillion - I'll be

giving

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up a $100K package for a much lower income from the shop - it's a

lifestyle

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

choice. I intend to get involved with BTA and other groups to encourage
cycling in the area as well as setting up a cooperative network with

other

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shops rather than competing. All warm and fuzzy stuff :-P

I'm off to Canberra next week and wouldn't mind contacting some bike

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

accessory suppliers to explore some options and set up some accounts

while

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm there.

My partner's son reckons I should carry some skateboard stuff too.

There

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are no outlets in the area. Could do with some skateboard suppliers too.
Hard to find.

Anybody got any leads I can use?

Cheers,

Frank

--
Frank
[email hidden]
Drop DACKS to reply

Frank, is that Jet Cycles on Albany Highway? Saw the for sale
sign on there the other day. Can't help with distributors, but a
big best of luck with the change.

Brendo

Thanks Brendo! Yep - that's the one. Will (who owns Gossie and Kelmscott
shops) and I will be buying most through a single joint account so we can
maintain supplier discounts but the shops will be independent.

I want to stock some things that his current suppliers don't have, hence
looking for other distributors. Hopefully a friendly and casual bike shop
will help promote cycling and give me enough to pay the bills. Pop in and
say hello - you don't have to buy anything 🙂

I'll continue working in my current job until about April next year to save
needing to borrow more money for working capital. Then I'll quit and go
full-time into the shop. I'm planning on making it a comfortable place to
pop in and have a cuppa - I hate hard sell and wont do it.

I'm a complete gumby in this venture, so any advice from the Great Usenet
Oracle is appreciated!

Cheers,

Frank

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Frank
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"Bleve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Plodder (remove DAKS to reply) said:

G'day All,

I'm in the process of buying a bike shop 🙂 and need some more
distributors to supply me with stock. The area the shop is in

(Kelmscott,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

WA) won't support much high end sales (until I educate them!) but I need
some mid-range suppliers. The current stock is lowish to low mid quality
bikes and accessories. I want to raise the quality bit by bit.

I intend to focus on the commuter/family/shopping bike segment,

largely

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to get bums on bike seats. Not looking to make a squillion - I'll be

giving

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up a $100K package for a much lower income from the shop - it's a

lifestyle

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

choice. I intend to get involved with BTA and other groups to encourage
cycling in the area as well as setting up a cooperative network with

other

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

shops rather than competing. All warm and fuzzy stuff :-P

I'm off to Canberra next week and wouldn't mind contacting some bike

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

accessory suppliers to explore some options and set up some accounts

while

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm there.

My partner's son reckons I should carry some skateboard stuff too.

There

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

are no outlets in the area. Could do with some skateboard suppliers too.
Hard to find.

Anybody got any leads I can use?

Cassins, Dirt Jerks, Shimano, Apollo. I'm confused, the bike shop is
in WA, and you're asking about Canberra?

Thanks for the replies Folks,

Yep - I'm in WA but I'll be in Canberra next week and thought I'd take
the opportunity to look around while I'm there. Just looking for options...

Cheers,

Frank

In aus.bicycle on Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:40:41 +0800

Plodder said:

I'll continue working in my current job until about April next year to save
needing to borrow more money for working capital. Then I'll quit and go
full-time into the shop. I'm planning on making it a comfortable place to
pop in and have a cuppa - I hate hard sell and wont do it.

I'm not sure how much bicycle shop money is made via the workshop, but
for most motorcycle shops it's a significant part of the cash flow.

If it is a biggish part then you find that bods popping in to
chat can really slow up your working rate and [censored] the paying
customers. That's also true of the people who just come in looking for
something.... the chatters take up room, and distract you from the people
who walk in the door.

So be aware of that, and don't let yourself be distracted so you don't
lose potential new customers.

There's a balance. Best motorcycle shop I've dealt with had the owner
and a mechanic. The spannerman was out the back doing his thing and
the owner was a really friendly guy who spent good time with everyone
who came in, no matter how unlikely. On a saturday afternoon he
officially shut the place at midday and everyone sat round with a beer
and chatted but if you dropped in at 1 to get bits you could get them.

THe worst one was a shop that only did mechanical work. Nice enough
bloke but he was too easily distracted both by people dropping round
and by doing the fun stuff instead of the bread and butter boring
stuff.

So everything took forever and too many things got forgotten.

Zebee

Plodder said:

....setting up a cooperative network with other
shops rather than competing. All warm and fuzzy stuff :-P....

I know what you mean, but....

Beware the ACCC. :eek: Illegal anti-competitive conduct does not just include agreeing prices with other sellers.

I'm in Kensington, but I'll have to wander down Albany Highway some time and drop in. 🙂

Best wishes for the success of your venture.

SteveA

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Frank
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"Zebee Johnstone" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

In aus.bicycle on Fri, 29 Sep 2006 05:40:41 +0800

Plodder said:

I'll continue working in my current job until about April next year to

save

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

needing to borrow more money for working capital. Then I'll quit and go
full-time into the shop. I'm planning on making it a comfortable place

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pop in and have a cuppa - I hate hard sell and wont do it.

I'm not sure how much bicycle shop money is made via the workshop, but
for most motorcycle shops it's a significant part of the cash flow.

If it is a biggish part then you find that bods popping in to
chat can really slow up your working rate and [censored] the paying
customers. That's also true of the people who just come in looking for
something.... the chatters take up room, and distract you from the people
who walk in the door.

So be aware of that, and don't let yourself be distracted so you don't
lose potential new customers.

There's a balance. Best motorcycle shop I've dealt with had the owner
and a mechanic. The spannerman was out the back doing his thing and
the owner was a really friendly guy who spent good time with everyone
who came in, no matter how unlikely. On a saturday afternoon he
officially shut the place at midday and everyone sat round with a beer
and chatted but if you dropped in at 1 to get bits you could get them.

THe worst one was a shop that only did mechanical work. Nice enough
bloke but he was too easily distracted both by people dropping round
and by doing the fun stuff instead of the bread and butter boring
stuff.

So everything took forever and too many things got forgotten.

Zebee

Yup - good point and one I've considered. One reason I want to continue
working for pay is so I have time to expand the business to pay two
reasonable wages - one for a mechanic.

I do have a tendency to get distracted into conversations too easily. I'll
need to keep a check on myself. I hadn't articulated that thought - thanks
:-)

The direction I want to go is very much service based so yes, I'll be
looking to the workshop to provide a significant portion of the income. I'm
hoping (perhaps a little naive) that if I can build up a good service
reputation then sales and return custom will follow - the old "take care of
people and business will take care of itself"

Here's hoping it works out - I've often been accused of being a dreamer, but
so many 'dreams' have worked out when I've applied effort. At least I won't
be saying "I shoulda" as I retire from my 40 years in the same office!

me