Indie bike shops unconcerned about any potential impact of Halfords’ decision to double its premium bike offering
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News
Independent shops are not concerned about Halfords' decision to double its offering of premium bikes, according to interviews with Cycling Weekly.
Adam Cross, brand development manager at ACT member Paul's Cycles in Dereham, Norfolk, which has Halfords as a close neighbour, said:
"We often tell people, oh, we're behind Halfords, because you can see Halfords from the roadside and you can't, you know, we're sort of behind it. I can't see [Halfords' latest move] having any impact on us.
For those looking to spend a bit more money on a bike, Cross said, "It's not their first bike… particularly their first road bike. So chances are they've got some knowledge, some experience, some sort of awareness of trends, models and that sort of thing.
"I don't think that they would see Halfords as the place to go and get their new, second or third road bike down the line. I can't see that making a big impression on established bike shops," he added.
When asked if independents would be worried by the move, Jon Williams, owner of Fred Williams Cycles in Wolverhampton, said "I don't think so."
"I guess the brands that they have access to is where it could affect other shops," he said. "If they pick up some brands that independents are stocking, then they've obviously got more clout and more marketing and more advertising and things that they can do with those brands."
But he said that in his experience, Halfords staff lacked expertise when it came to high value cycling sales.
Gordon Fletcher, associate dean of research and innovation at Salford Business School told Cycling Weekly that smaller shops should not underestimate Halfords' clout when it came to offering a familiar brand with a wide-ranging network.
"While the independents tend to be positioned towards the serious and top end of the market, they also rely on strong word of mouth marketing as well as returns and referrals from satisfied customers," he said. "Halfords crashes into this space with the promise of a network for support which can be important for commuters and serious leisure users alike."
He added: "High end products coupled with the reassurance of a high street brand will be an attractive combination for many consumers," and pointed out that Halfords had a strong ability to analyse the market and target offerings in the way that independents could not.”
