As a retailer I am stuck in between the suppliers and the customers of electric bikes, so get proper feedback on the shop floor. I have sold nearly 400 electric bikes. I decided to get into them early as I could see great potential, and a good niche market for my shop, as our competitors had the high end cycle market well covered.
I would say 50% of my customers were virtually non cyclists before they got an electric bike, i.e. lost their driving licence, told to get exercise by the doctor, and some that just found riding in the wind and up hill to much hard work.
The remainder are made up of different types, office workers not wanting to arrive all sweaty at work, couples that enjoy a trip to the local a few miles away that did not want to risk being caught being drunk in charge. There are also regular cyclists that would like a light weight electric bike with a small amount of assistance.
So how can I sell more bikes and make them more popular, my target market is different to most, as my shop is on an island with 60,000 people. Most of my new customers, usually know someone else with and electric bike and that is why they have come to us.
I feel the main way I can increase use of electric bikes is to offer a product which in the first instance must be more reliable, which is why I have taken on two up market brands of late.
Price is a factor, most of our early bikes were £450 to £600 but gave some headaches, and customers are soon to spread the word if you have an unreliable product on a small island. They quibbled at having to pay around £1000 to £1500 for a new upgraded bike, until they rode one.
The biggest damage to the electric bike industry has been done by cheap poorly built bikes sold on-line, and no matter what is said on here by enthusiast which is what many users are on this forum are, electric bikes are not always that simple to fix by a normal cycle mechanic, so if the bike gets a fault it is difficult to get repaired and the customer will never by another one.
The other problem was that there were many companies suppling bikes to cycles shops, we trusted them that they would supply a reliable product, as in the early days we were all a little green about electric bikes in more ways than one. I eventually stopped dealing with these suppliers who even had a job supplying new batteries, let alone parts and helping with fault finding.
I saw a few bike shops give up on electric bikes due to early problems like this.
So yes I feel the market will naturally increase, but some damage has been done, and many of the suppliers using this forum are addressing that by the great back-up they now offer to direct customers, and cycle shop owners.
Demo days are a great idea, and a dedicated mag would be wonderful.
The latest range of £2000 plus electric bikes, will help the image of the industry, but not sell in great numbers, after all most people hanker after a Ferrari but drive a Ford. That is not to say that one will not find its way into my shop in the future though.
I would say 50% of my customers were virtually non cyclists before they got an electric bike, i.e. lost their driving licence, told to get exercise by the doctor, and some that just found riding in the wind and up hill to much hard work.
The remainder are made up of different types, office workers not wanting to arrive all sweaty at work, couples that enjoy a trip to the local a few miles away that did not want to risk being caught being drunk in charge. There are also regular cyclists that would like a light weight electric bike with a small amount of assistance.
So how can I sell more bikes and make them more popular, my target market is different to most, as my shop is on an island with 60,000 people. Most of my new customers, usually know someone else with and electric bike and that is why they have come to us.
I feel the main way I can increase use of electric bikes is to offer a product which in the first instance must be more reliable, which is why I have taken on two up market brands of late.
Price is a factor, most of our early bikes were £450 to £600 but gave some headaches, and customers are soon to spread the word if you have an unreliable product on a small island. They quibbled at having to pay around £1000 to £1500 for a new upgraded bike, until they rode one.
The biggest damage to the electric bike industry has been done by cheap poorly built bikes sold on-line, and no matter what is said on here by enthusiast which is what many users are on this forum are, electric bikes are not always that simple to fix by a normal cycle mechanic, so if the bike gets a fault it is difficult to get repaired and the customer will never by another one.
The other problem was that there were many companies suppling bikes to cycles shops, we trusted them that they would supply a reliable product, as in the early days we were all a little green about electric bikes in more ways than one. I eventually stopped dealing with these suppliers who even had a job supplying new batteries, let alone parts and helping with fault finding.
I saw a few bike shops give up on electric bikes due to early problems like this.
So yes I feel the market will naturally increase, but some damage has been done, and many of the suppliers using this forum are addressing that by the great back-up they now offer to direct customers, and cycle shop owners.
Demo days are a great idea, and a dedicated mag would be wonderful.
The latest range of £2000 plus electric bikes, will help the image of the industry, but not sell in great numbers, after all most people hanker after a Ferrari but drive a Ford. That is not to say that one will not find its way into my shop in the future though.
