bargainguy

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...w#.XAnOUdtKiUk

Sad news. This was the one big, must-attend event in the bike trade. Now it's finding itself in a position where it must reinvent itself to survive in today's market.

Gresp15C

Denny said consolidation on the supplier and retail side has contributed to Interbike’s woes. “There are about 4,000 retail stores now, and arguably about half of them are doing business predominantly with one commanding brand. ... That’s a pretty big factor,” he said.

carlycarlcarl

Which brand?

wschruba

Doing business with one brand, ie, Trek, Specialized, Giant, Accel, etc. Large brands don't want you splitting your money between them and someone else, and to that end, they have largely jumped into the distribution game, too. Most shops get by with their big brand+one other re-seller account (HLC, QBP, BTI, etc...). It is very easy to just buy what you can from the main account, and fill in minor stuff elsewhere, especially since small companies that self-distribute don't want to extend credit.

canklecat

Trade shows have been dying for years. Every industry that used to rely on trade shows has had to adapt or die. Same with the camera industry. Online marketing replaced the promotional value.

Too expensive to send reps to trade shows. There's also the liability exposure risk. Business conventions and trade shows in hot entertainment venue cities offer temptations and situations that can compromise a company's reputation. One drunken screw up could sink a start up or innovative product.

indyfabz

Buy local.

fietsbob

Only way those trade shows are affordable is as a business tax deduction for the retailers,
and that leaves Individual small shops paying out of pocket for the things..

Maybe a Casino funded Bus trip that you visit put a few bucks in the slots, to justify their bus cost ..
& you get cheap transportation..

east coast that would not be available ..

rydabent

Is it possible that big bike mfg have spent way too much money advertising $15,000 plastic bikes, and have forgotten the vast number of people that want a bike that costs way under $1000? And too, much of the older generation have discovered recumbents and trikes.

Cyclist0108

Maybe it was the idiotic name.

I-Like-To-Bike

Where have YOU seen $15,000 bicycles being advertised? How much is "much" of the older generation? Any possibility of it being a percentage greater than .00001%?

Jon T

Or they're like me and still riding a 34 year old bike that they purchased new and see no need to replace or up grade to some thing modern.
Jon

I-Like-To-Bike

Don't Individual small shops deduct business expenses too? If not, no wonder they are failing.

BTW, times have changed on the East Coast as far as legal casino gambling.

EdwinHeadwind

"The substantial increase in tariffs on bike-related imports during 2018, and announced for 2019, is compounding these challenges."

Rajflyboy

EdwinHeadwind

Gresp15C

These things are certainly true in the business that I'm in -- high tech industrial equipment. People want you to tell them what they need to know, via the Internet, or to visit them directly. Things like CAD modeling have made it easy to visualize a product without seeing it first hand. Folks might go to more specialized conferences that aren't as crowded or expensive.

It has gotten harder and harder for people to travel. People don't want to risk getting detained or harassed. More and more conferences are being held in Canada, Europe, or even China. The main conference for my business is now in Europe.

rydabent

Are you sure it is not .00002????

I-Like-To-Bike

No, I am not sure, you tell us, since you are the self proclaimed expert on what bicycle products the "older generation" is buying, as well as advertising expenses in the bicycle industry.

Rajflyboy

EdwinHeadwind

You may deny that current U.S. trade policies are negatively impacting the bike industry, but reality says otherwise.

Sounds easy. You should apply for a job with Interbike. Contact info in link.

CliffordK

I wonder if Interbike has issues with Interweb.

If I'm wanting to compare a Trek to a Giant to a Cannondale, I'm not going to travel 1000 miles to talk to some sales reps that doesn't know. I'll hop on the web, and track down the intimate details.

The major manufactures seem to want to leak sneak peaks at their products over the web rather than making big announcements at trade shows that nobody is attending.

One thing that might be nice would be a traveling show. It might be spendy to organize, but perhaps a smaller show that would hit 50 or so major US cities (and, of course, globally too).

Would it be possible to rent local paved race tracks, or mall parking lots, and get mechanics, and bikes out there so one could actually test ride each bike,rather than just looking at pretty parts?

Oh, also, you want "Local Bike Shops", by doing local shows, one could solicit local participation.

Rajflyboy

rydabent

Well then lets go ahead and make it .00002%.

eja_ bottecchia

dedhed

Our local multi shop LBS has been doing something along these lines for decades.
Bike Expo Sale Wisconsin