Can anyone tell me why bike shops only open for half a day on Sunday?

**dipshit** · 22nd February 2010, 20:50

Originally Posted by SS90

After 15 years in the industry, I have to say "screw you all who think we should be open on weekends at all"

Enthusiast? maybe......slave? hell fuck no!

You want to come in to the bike shop and talk about bikes and drink coffee, ok, cool.

when do we get such an opportunity?

You've never heard of a roster system...???

Gee... the place I work at operates 24/7, 365 days a year and yet everybody still gets plenty of time off.

**dipshit** · 22nd February 2010, 21:05

Originally Posted by Robert Taylor

Frankly, NZ is way oversubscibed with bike shops relative to our tiny population.

Precisely. So could all the useless bike shops with their useless mechanics kindly fuck off and die.

**mynameis** · 22nd February 2010, 22:32

Originally Posted by wild_weston

I think that is the problem right there. No offence intened in using your observation to make a point here but:

Why are bike shops different to other retailers?

Most modern retailers gear their opening hours around their customers. No-one is suggesting bike shops open 24/7 (silly comment) but rather than being open on weekdays (I have been in at random times during a working day and it is usually just me and possibly another customer in there) why not switch the opening hours around to hours which are preferred by the majority of prospective customers.

Using electronic retailer comparisions was pretty close in my mind because:
Both import the goods, and are affectedheavily by the exchange rates.
Both face competition of direct importers (parrallel importers in the electronics industry) and the second hand (trade me) market.
Both sell relatively big ticket items (some of those TVs cost more than some new bikes - but this comment is more in relation to gear and parts). Hence why both offer finance on decent sized deals.

I sound like I might be a bit bike shop bashing here but I'm really not. As I said I prefer to walk into a shop and try on merchandise before I buy, rather than get an e-mail telling me of when I can expect delivery. I just wonder why I can't go into a bike shop at the weekend when other (non-bike) stores are still open (and really busy).

All well to pull out a whole bunch of stats and make comparisons in a little bit of detail but you've missed the mark big time and missed out a few critical aspects which pretty much makes your comparison meaningless.

1) DSE and Harvey Norman sell Electronic goods which pretty much everyone uses these days hence
2) The foot traffic/volume of sales is much more higher as it serves a much larger sector unlike bikers who make up bugger all of the pop.

Nice try though.

Could you be assuming that majority of the customers would like shops to be open on Sat and Sun and closed two middle week days?

**IdunBrokdItAgin** · 22nd February 2010, 23:58

Originally Posted by mynameis

All well to pull out a whole bunch of stats and make comparisons in a little bit of detail but you've missed the mark big time and missed out a few critical aspects which pretty much makes your comparison meaningless.

1) DSE and Harvey Norman sell Electronic goods which pretty much everyone uses these days hence
2) The foot traffic/volume of sales is much more higher as it serves a much larger sector unlike bikers who make up bugger all of the pop.

Nice try though.

Could you be assuming that majority of the customers would like shops to be open on Sat and Sun and closed two middle week days?

Tearing down is much easier than building up - what would you suggest as a comparison?

I think you are focusing too much upon scale of operation rather than the customer demographic. I would say that the demographic for electronics customers is not too far off the mark from bike shop customers (obviously not an exact match but good enough for the purpose of estimating customer preferred opening hours).

**stevo2001** · 23rd February 2010, 05:50

Here in Denver,Colorado pretty much all bike shops are closed Sunday and 99% on Monday.I don't get the being closed on Monday thing.I know they deserve 2 days off and all,but just rotate the staff days off or something.On Tuesdays they are busy as all get go.

**The Pastor** · 23rd February 2010, 06:51

Originally Posted by wild_weston

I have never worked this one out.

I did ask in a motorbike shop once and the reply was "we don't make enough money on a sunday to break even".

Surely more people are around to buy accessories and trial bikes on a sunday than on a week day?

Just never made sense, you don't see harvey norman or dick smith closing early on a sunday (just comparing some retailers).

It just seems like a really strange business model to me. At first I thought they closed to allow for shop organised rides but this doesn't seem to be the case.

i agree, it makes it really hard to go round all the dealers in 1 weekend. no im not going to take time off work to spend my money in their store.

Originally Posted by Virago

Most bike shop personnel are keen bikers too, and are perhaps entitled to some time off to ride their bikes...?

Here in Dunedin, all the bike shops are open Saturday mornings only, closed the rest of the weekend. I've got no problem with that at all.

hire weekend only staff

Originally Posted by AllanB

Besides - this everything open all weekend and public holidays - stuff that, I'm against it. Where's the family time now days for the poor buggers working retail?

hire weekend only staff

Originally Posted by Big Dave

The main reason is the people who work in them have lives outside the bike shop. A lot of them go for a ride.

hire weekend only staff

Originally Posted by FJRider

Perhaps when bikers buy more stuff IN motorcycle shops ... instead of on "trade me" or similar internet sites, they could afford to open all weekend ...

this is a vaild point, however if i cant get to the damn store, where dose that leave me? the internet. Why can't the shops figure out a way to compete with the internet (i.e., open longer hours, easy to get to, knowledgeable staff, good mechanics, good supply of accessories)

Originally Posted by Brian d'marge

Ive been in working in the bike trade in Britain and in Japan and always have opened on Saturdays and Sundays

in fact OPEN anytime YOU the CUSTOMER wants me to open. ( yes midnight in the truck picking up one of my customers whose bike has stopped, or returning from the auctions after starting at 6 in the morning )

Its a concept called customer service , or work in other parts of the world.

( sorry but its true , should I reach for the flame suit now ??? )

You Have to GO out there and get business ,

Stephen

oh I forgot we are talking about the third world here,,,

carry on , remain closed , tickets for bread are available from the city hall on Tuesdays

Agree with you 100%

Originally Posted by pritch

Too true. I don't get the "shop til you drop" bullshit. People like Steven Tindle go on about people spending time with their kids. People who don't work in the Wherowhare presumably. How do you spell hypocrit?

There are now very few times when shops aren't open: Christmas Day, Good Friday, the morning of ANZAC Day?
And still there are politicians who want more.

Really, how thick do people need to be, to be unable to make their purchases on the 362.5 (?) days the shops are actually open ?

not sure if you're talking about bike shops here or supermarkets? The issue here is the time in the weekend (retails prime time) that they are open for.

Originally Posted by merv

What I like when I am overseas in great countries like Aus and USA (laugh if you like) the shops seem to open late and close late though the bike shops aren't open all weekend from what I have seen. This makes a lot of sense to me. Office workers go in before 9 and go home at around 5, shop workers go in by 10 and stay until 7, 8 or 9pm. So they can hang out their washing before work (yeah right) drop off the kids at school etc while the office workers knock off early, get the shopping done, go and pick the kids up from creche or whatever and get the dinner on etc then the shop worker comes home all sweet I reckon.

I would just love the bike shops open until say 7pm at least so I can get what I want and then I wouldn't even care if they didn't open in the weekend - we could all go riding then. A few times I order my stuff from Malcolm at Econohonda just because its easier getting it delivered (by the right Courier) than waiting until Saturday to drive over to Motomart for example.

We definitely need better overlap in the times we can do things.

My pet hate are couriers. They come around to your house and leave a card because you are at work. What a waste of time. If its Courier Post they at least deliver it automatically on Saturday or you can pick it up at the depot. Other dorks don't deliver Saturday and they are in some god-forsaken place you have to pick up before 5pm or you have to give them another address to deliver to. WTF can't they just deliver when we are home like between 6pm and 8pm at night for example. The time and effort they waste cruising the empty 'burbs during the day is just plain ridiculous in my view. They should sharpen up their customer service.

thats a great alterative / idea about later weekday nights - it'd be much easier for me to get to a shop after 7pm than to somehow get time off during the day.

Originally Posted by dipshit

Most bike shops in NZ are stuck in 1981.

Couldn't. Agree. More.

**Crasherfromwayback** · 23rd February 2010, 08:06

Originally Posted by dipshit

Precisely. So could all the useless bike shops with their useless mechanics kindly fuck off and die.

I bet some guy that works in a motorcycle shop fucked your girlfriend, and was probably much better at it. You sure are one bitter tossbag.

**Big Dave** · 23rd February 2010, 08:21

>>hire weekend only staff<<
Beahahahaha! Yeah - lets get some University Students in. It'll be great.

>>your girlfriend!<<
Bwahahahaha!

**R1madness** · 23rd February 2010, 08:33

Originally Posted by AllanB

Stop your bitching - there are no motorcycle shops open on a Sunday in Christchurch and they all close by 1.00pm on a Saturday.

The Harley shop used to open on a Sunday and close on Monday but they stopped this a year or more ago when the recession hit.

However they were open today, but that was due to the Harley thingy happening down here and they were probably hoping to sell some bikes and bling!

Besides - this everything open all weekend and public holidays - stuff that, I'm against it. Where's the family time now days for the poor buggers working retail?

We used to be open on Sunday (for about 4 years) but it was not worth it. We are still open until 4pm on Saturday though.

Actually here is my full hours list

Monday workshop only (sales by appointment) 8am-5pm
Tuesday workshop and store 8am-5pm
Wed Workshop and store 8am-6pm
Thursday Workshop and store 8am-6pm
Friday workshop and store 8am-6pm
Sat store only 10am - 4pm

so other than a sunday (which i will not bother with sorry) what other hours do you think i need to be open? Surely 6 days a week is enough. That leaves me 1 day to have family time, go riding, do some home maintnaince, walk the dogs, have a BBq with my mates, etc.

As for hire specialist weekend staff thats a joke, you all say you want people with knowledge... when was the last time you got a good knowledgable partime salesperson at the warehouse???? or Dick smith? or Hallensteins?

**R1madness** · 23rd February 2010, 08:42

Originally Posted by kave

The reason bike shops close on Sunday is that they are staffed by motorcycle enthusiasts as opposed to people who actually give a shit about customer service.

I agree about shops being staffed by enthusiasts but to say we all give bad customer service is a crock of sh#t. I was out for a ride on Sat when i came across a crashed R6. I stopped to see if he was ok, he wasn't, i called an ambulance, stopped my ride, went home got my van, went back and loaded his bike, took it back to his house and did not ask for or expect payment from his distraut wife. All of this took me 2 1/2 hours. I hope he brings his bike to me for the repairs but thats not why i helped. Bad customer service? I dont think so...

**NordieBoy** · 23rd February 2010, 08:47

Nelson Motorcycle Centre only recently(ish) started opening on Sat 'till 5pm.
One of their busiest days.

Open Sat so riders can get last minute prep/spares for Sundays race.

Almost all the staff race in one form or another so Sunday opening is out.

**Ixion** · 23rd February 2010, 08:52

Originally Posted by Big Dave

>>hire weekend only staff<<
Beahahahaha! Yeah - lets get some University Students in. It'll be great.

Or, hire some retired/semi retired bikers. Who have a shit load of experience, usually are pretty good at dealign with the public, have a good work ethic and loads out there would be glad to pick up a day or two days work to supplement the pension. And they don't care about working weekends cos they have the whole week off.

Sorted.

**Big Dave** · 23rd February 2010, 09:18

>>Or, hire some retired/semi retired bikers.<<

To take the commissions off the full time staff?

**Ixion** · 23rd February 2010, 09:30

Originally Posted by Big Dave

>>Or, hire some retired/semi retired bikers.<<

To take the commissions off the full time staff?

Who don't want to work weekends. Can't have it both ways.

Reading this, two things come through very loud and clear.

One is that some bike shops DO open at hours that suit the public. Good for them.

Others, don't . And the overwhelming reason that comes across is "We just don't want to". That's fine, no-one should be forced to open their business when they don't want to.

But, the counter of that, is if you aren't interested in service, I don't have to give you my custom. This is the age of the global innertubes, I can get stuff from the States pretty much as easy as from the other side of town. Delivered to my door.

If you aren't going to inconvenience yourself by opening at hours when I can visit you, then I'm not going to inconvenience myself by visting at hours that don't suit me. My alternative is a click of the button. So, don't whine and moan about parallel imports and people buying over the net. You don't want to sell me stuff, I'll go else where. Simple as that.