Evans Cycles Struggling!

Evans Cycles Struggling!

Author
Discussion

Jacobyte

4,718 posts

241 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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Jimboka said:
Such headlines damage their chances even more, unfortunately.
This is an issue for them.

We run cycle schemes for hundreds of companies, with Evans as one of the main 2 providers. Think of all the cycle-to-work Evans vouchers that have already been issued which staff are sitting on, which may have a value of £0 after next Friday. So companies running the scheme may pause or switch their scheme off now to (a) prevent any staff from buying vouchers until it blows over, or (b) switch to another (or, more pertinently, THE other) provider instead.

Either way, it's not pretty.

youngricharduk

235 posts

84 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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My LBS announced yesterday on social media they were closing down and everything was half price, so I went straight down and grabbed a Trek Remedy 8 I had my eye on for £1350 down from £2700, happy days smile

Daveyraveygravey

2,018 posts

183 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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P-Jay said:
Yeah Evans very publicly refused to advertise with The Sun, The Mail and The Express. It was during a push to stop funding the hate rags.

I’m not saying they’re not struggling, after-all the Beeb have in the last few hours reported it (although their story is only reporting the original sky story and a ‘no comment’ from Evans and PwC) but it wouldn’t be above News Corp to put the boot in to warn others from messing with the swindle.
That makes them saints in my book. Truly awful "newspapers" and about as cycle friendly as the Stop Velosouth clowns.

TheFungle

4,069 posts

205 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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youngricharduk said:
My LBS announced yesterday on social media they were closing down and everything was half price, so I went straight down and grabbed a Trek Remedy 8 I had my eye on for £1350 down from £2700, happy days smile
FFS

GOATever

2,651 posts

66 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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There’s so much competition around, for what Evans do, they had to ensure they were very good, at what they do, in order to sustain their size of operation. In my experience, they weren’t good enough, to stand out from the crowd. Their size makes the effect of the hit they’ve taken, more profound.

leyorkie

1,635 posts

175 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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I looked on line at a new MTB. Liked what I saw and Evans had all the options.
I went to the Kendal branch and to my disappointment they said we don’t stock that range in this branch. There was no mention of that on the web site.
Wheelbase on the other hand had what they had on line with stock information.
When you live in the sticks the internet is very important if you want choice and I find that Evans just aren’t coordinated with their on line presence.

PulsatingStar

1,715 posts

247 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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leyorkie said:
I looked on line at a new MTB. Liked what I saw and Evans had all the options.
I went to the Kendal branch and to my disappointment they said we don’t stock that range in this branch. There was no mention of that on the web site.
Wheelbase on the other hand had what they had on line with stock information.
When you live in the sticks the internet is very important if you want choice and I find that Evans just aren’t coordinated with their on line presence.
Its a bit different though. Never heard of Wheelbase but they appear to have 3 shops, where Evans have about 60. The cost in stock of just supplying 60 stores is massive, nevermind if you have to fill it with high end bikes. Pretty sure they would have ordered you one in to look at if you were interested in it though.

I use them all the time, but then im near head office so I can pop in and get literally anything in a matter of minutes so its often easier than even ordering from an online store for me.

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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SVS said:
I’d be very sad to see Evans go. Sadly, c. £2m profit on £138m sales doesn’t sound like a high margin!

The Daily Telegraph recently asked has cycling peaked in the UK?
Even if it hasn't, the rate of sales must surely fall. The amount of money spent on kit in the last, say 5 years, is phenomenal as so many people have taken cycling up 'from scratch'.

Those current cyclists are very unlikely to spend anything like as much in years 5-7 as they did in years 0-2 of their new hobby.

And when the current cyclists do buy a new bike, they likely push a second-hand one into the market, potentially removing a new sale from lower down the hierarchy.

g7jhp

Original Poster:

6,959 posts

237 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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SpeckledJim said:
SVS said:
I’d be very sad to see Evans go. Sadly, c. £2m profit on £138m sales doesn’t sound like a high margin!

The Daily Telegraph recently asked has cycling peaked in the UK?
Even if it hasn't, the rate of sales must surely fall. The amount of money spent on kit in the last, say 5 years, is phenomenal as so many people have taken cycling up 'from scratch'.

Those current cyclists are very unlikely to spend anything like as much in years 5-7 as they did in years 0-2 of their new hobby.

And when the current cyclists do buy a new bike, they likely push a second-hand one into the market, potentially removing a new sale from lower down the hierarchy.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.

bakerstreet

4,755 posts

164 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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I would be disappointed to see Evans go. I have bought two bikes from them through the CTW scheme. Apart from those two bikes, all my normal purchasing is through Wiggle and CRC and that is really one company now.

The web site now looks fairly dated when compared to the competition.

I imagine that main issues is the vast cost in keeping 60 shops open on the high street combined with the competition from Wiggle and CRC.

Their stores extended opening times in London can be really useful and I know I will miss that. The mechanics and staff at the Kings Cross store are pretty friendly and helped me out when I was in a bit of a fix. However, thsy just aren't my go to place for buying normal every day bike stuff like chamois cream and inner tubes.

I can see them going to wall and that will be shame. They must emply a few thousand people at least.

stuarthat

1,047 posts

217 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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Evans cycles will have any bike in their range , you choose delivered for a test ride ,have used them and they are good ,also you can get £350 for any bike trade in ,I used them £350 for bike from skip also discount 15% voucher, mechanics pretty good open TIL 7 some days what’s not to like ?

toastyhamster

1,660 posts

95 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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Bit of a cycling boom with our club, always new starters needing kit. Despite that newest LBS is now a pizza restaurant, the ones that are doing well are very good at what they do, run/owned by club members, not many of them actually sell new bikes.

Bought a MTB from Evans a couple of years ago, bit disappointed that they couldn't build it as fast as the website says but apart from that no complaints and I bought some kit while I was picking it up as well. Seemed fairly busy but I've not been back, it's in the town centre so have to pay for parking and there's no bike storage options, much easier to get online. Didn't even bother with the free first service.


Black can man

31,816 posts

167 months

Friday 21st September 2018
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Not an Evans fan tbh but it would be sad to see them go.

GOATever

2,651 posts

66 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
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The coup de grace, is often dealt by the insurers of the retailer, either refusing to insure the company in regards to meeting supplier invoices or banging the price of cover up, that the business becomes untenable.

campionissimo

578 posts

123 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
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I hope they don't go under - was in there today, served by helpful and knowledgeable staff, and ending up buying a 2018 Specialized Diverge E5. It's in the store but just needs to be built, pick it up on Thursday. Excellent discounted price too.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
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Therein lies the problem

Evans regarded as good for selling stuff cheap

But will be sad to see it go

Not so sad as to shop there at proper prices that enable it to make a quid, pay wages of good staff, rent, rates etc

Retail in a nutshell

supersport

4,040 posts

226 months

Saturday 22nd September 2018
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JPJPJP said:
I can't remember the last time I even felt the urge to go into an Evans shop. There is one pretty close, but I cycle / drive right past it to go to one of much better (in every aspect) independents in York.

Website hasn't tempted me either. Always better stock / prices elsewhere IME

My perception is that it might be a decent option for C2W users buying a £1k bike. Maybe I am wrong about that
Didn’t even know we had an Evans.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 23rd September 2018
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supersport said:
Didn’t even know we had an Evans.
https://www.evanscycles.com/store/york

That said, ime you weren't missing much for not knowing

option click

1,164 posts

225 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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PulsatingStar said:
I use them all the time, but then im near head office so I can pop in and get literally anything in a matter of minutes so its often easier than even ordering from an online store for me.
Me too - having the warehouse as my local store is so useful as I can pop in and rely on them having stock.

joema

2,644 posts

178 months

Monday 24th September 2018
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Unsurprised. Only a few years ago there were only a few stores but they've rapidly expanded in a traditional way into a changing market. LBS's have been struggling for a long time against the internet giants, compounded by direct from manufacturer sales.

Why were Evan's any different to a LBS apart from branding?

Shame for all the staff.