Marketing women's Cycling Products

[tzvia]

The issue isn't simply of 'marketing', it's one of _understanding_ what women want/need in the cycling community and being willing to provide it. I thought that finding 38.5 Sidis locally was a bear; everything was mens mens mens mens. . Womens shoes, sure- how about some nice ones that look like tennis shoes or hikers-. So even while the shoes I want exist, finding them at a local LBS is problematic. The few that have a pair want full list! No wonder I am buying more and more on the Internet. I want to support the local LBSs but not at full list price. So you girls who need size 10 or 11, trust me, we woman with normal feet aren't doing much better with the local LBS. Unless you want hiking MTB shoes.

My beef with 'womens' stuff is gloves. They make them pink and call them 'womens'. Padding is an inch thick in hard lumps. So I buy mens small (Rock Racing gloves are the bomb). Don't the manufactures get it? Some women want performance gloves. Pearl Isumi is the worst offender- their womens gloves are horrible and I don't care if they are pink and light blue with flowers, thank you.

Again, the LBS; womens saddles? Sure, big wide beach cruiser weighs 5lbs. Great. Another sale lost to the Internet.

Yes things are better than they were 20 years ago. I own two new bikes that are sized to fit women. The toptube isn't longer than the Titanic. The drops are shallow and the crank arms are 165. They aren't beach cruisers. And I found them both in stock at the LBS, הַלְלוּיָהּ! But they didn't have the shoes...

[Susan Otcenas]

The few that have a pair want full list! No wonder I am buying more and more on the Internet. I want to support the local LBSs but not at full list price.

I'm probably going to regret this....

There are so many things wrong with your statement.

For one, you imply that someone charging you full list is ripping you off. That's simply not true. Margins are small in this business. Why do you want to deny business owners the ability to make some money? It might come as a shock to you, but most people are in business to earn a living. If you remove the profit motivation, most people simply wouldn't bother to start a business at all. Most business owners, me included, work far longer hours, evenings and weekends, than the average non-owner. We do it because we love what we do. Nonetheless, I wouldn't work this hard, for this long, if there was no financial reward in it for me. We owners work our tails off, and there's nothing wrong with our making some money from that hard work.

Secondly - service and selection don't come free. You want good service? That requires hiring good employees. Who need to be paid. Who are paid from the margin on the products we sell. You want selection? Where do you suppose the money comes from for business owners to finance their inventory? Money-losing businesses can't afford to hire good people, or keep a wide selection of product on hand.

Now, I should tell you I love to find something on sale as much as anyone else. And you'll find end of season and prior season items on sale @ TE. Great bargains to be had on some of this stuff. But a full-price business model allows me to hire great staff, have a huge selection, and take home something for myself at the end of the month. And I simply will not apologize for that. I hope we attract customers that value the service and selection we provide, and who recognize that those things don't come cheap.

Susan

[OakLeaf]

<applause>

[Geonz]

+1

There are costs to cheapness.

We are so spoiled... we generally don't see those costs. AT some point, though, the world pays.

I'd much rather keep my LBS going than Wally World or Discount Online.

[Velobambina]

Now, I should tell you I love to find something on sale as much as anyone else. And you'll find end of season and prior season items on sale @ TE. Great bargains to be had on some of this stuff. But a full-price business model allows me to hire great staff, have a huge selection, and take home something for myself at the end of the month. And I simply will not apologize for that. I hope we attract customers that value the service and selection we provide, and who recognize that those things don't come cheap.

Susan

You get what you pay for. In my experience, TE is one of the best online retailers in the business and I think we are spoiled by the selection, service, and fair pricing. It's rare to find such consistently exceptional customer service in this day and age (anyone ever deal w/Verizon Wireless? Performance Bike? I've had issues w/Terry, for crying out loud, but NEVER with TE). I will pay more for high quality products offered by a reputable, customer-focused company. It might mean that I'm more selective in what I buy, but I am also purchasing the assurance that if something goes wrong, TE will "make it right."

[babynoahsmom]

You want to talk problems? Try being a plus size rider. Yes, some of us do actually haul our fat rumps on a bicycle. Right now I am looking for winter tights that I think will be comfortable. Don't even get me started on plus size sports bras. As I write, my new Dolce Elite is at the bike shop being fitted. If I don't find a comfortable long tight before much longer I will be religated to the trainer all winter and as I live in AR, our winters are relitively mild. Alos if you are ever in Little Rock, ride Big Dam Bridge. It's great!