Business related feedback
General Topic
Folks, some of you know me as the owner of the ebike store eBike Generation. And for the last year sales have been lower due to economic changes and so I was toying with the idea of offering different types of products that would cater to hunters and I thought who better to ask than the Bowsite guys.
I have considers categories like solar generators (charging ebikes remotely) and gun safes (for safe storage, either while on the road or at home). What other categories do you think would be helpful?
thanks for the feedback
Do you carry panniers for the bikes you sell?
Hey Dana, I sell fat tire ebikes and the various ebike related accessories. So trailers, pannier bags, gun/bow holder and have always stayed very bike industry specific.
I wonder if adding more categories to cater to the hunter will be better overall or end up diluting the brand and not having the desired effect.
'Adding more categories' puts you head-to-head with Cabelas etc. - unless you're looking at smaller product lines the biggies don't want to bother with. (And then you might be up against Amazon.)
Do you offer 'package' deals on what you sell? How about lightweight riding chaps? Biking gloves? What might the new e-bike rider/hunter not consider until he sees it on your website?
Seems like a tough market. The market seems small any way, and from what I see in bike shops there are quite a few offerings. Gonna' have to figure a way to set yourself apart to expand the customer base, or be satisfied with a smaller consumer market. If it were my money I am not sure how I would lean.
My 0.02 would be to stay in your niche and try to broaden your audience to make up for lower percentage of people buying e-bikes with this economy the way it is. I think the last thing you want to do is compete with a Cabelas or Amazon. There are lots of guys, and gals who prefer not to buy box box… just got to let them know you are out there. Best wishes my friend.
John, I bought the Mule Hunter Package from eBG just because of your sponsorship here. One thing I thought would have been more helpful to me, and might help set you apart for those looking is more videos on the bikes. When I was looking one of the things I tried to find was videos of people in the field using them. It was surprisingly limited and detailed reviews of the bikes from you with field tests I think might help. As others have said not sure how much expanding the product line would help. Maybe some, but then you just have that much more inventory sitting on hand that may not move.
Do they make a practical solar charger for a bike? Seems like a small generator carried in the vehicle would replace any solar charger. Just my opinion. I don’t own an e-bike so, my opinion probably isn’t worth much.
If there was a heated battery blanket for keeping the bike battery warm, I’d sell them for sure. If there wasn’t, I’d patent it and sell the rights and the blankets.
I’d sell carts that attach to the bikes if you don’t already. Sounds like you’ve got the holders and on board accessories covered.
That’s all I got. Other than that, it’s what fdp said. You gotta determine if expanding to new markets is worth your investment. If not, you are in a limited arena. How many bike riders truly are going to buy an e-bike?
Good luck whatever you decide.
Have you ever considered renting them? They are intriguing to me, maybe if I rode one for a weekend I'd think I had to have one. Even if you only broke even on renting them I bet that would lead to some that rent buying and you would have a relationship with those people if they do buy making you first person they think of to buy from.
John, in my opinion you should focus on the market outside of hunting. I think most guys who are inclined to buy an e-bike for hunting have already done so. We hunters are a small niche in a much larger market.
We have a condo in Winter Park Colorado, which is a huge biking community in the warmer months. When I ride in town, I routinely get approached by people who are curious about my Bakcou Mule, especially older folks. Many of these people have only heard the term "e-bike", but they really don't know anything about them. My wife was an example of this. She had no clue what an e-bike was before I got mine. And, as you know, she had to have one after she rode mine.
We also spend a lot of time down on Sanibel Island in Florida. Almost everybody rides bikes down there, young and old. All the Inns on the Island have stables of bikes they rent out to their guests. There are also at least 3 bike rental shops on the island. The last I checked, none of them rent e-bikes. Just something to consider.
Matt
John, here in CO the fastest growing demographic for ebikes is the urban crowd. Denver offers rebates for ebikes. People are riding ebikes all over in towns, and more and more urban bike trails are being opened to ebikes. Folding thin tire bikes are popular for mass transit. Maybe separate out the hunting bike "department" and rebrand yourself to target the urban market?
Until and unless the USFS opens up more trails/closed roads to ebikes, I'm afraid the hunting market for ebikes is probably getting saturated.
Matt posted while I was typing..
Frank says it best - "Gonna' have to figure a way to set yourself apart to expand the customer base".
In other words, why should I buy from*you*?
If I write a review after buying a bike package from you, hopefully it would read something like, "A real pleasure to deal with. Put together a package based on my needs, set it all up, and gave me a discount on the complete bike and accessories. Five *'s."
Only eBike concerns I've had is getting dust in the motor while driving with it on gravel roads and keeping batteries warm in the cold.
Yeah, I agree with the guys saying the hunting market is too small, I like Jaq’s Urban marketing strategy.
That has to be tough owning a Ebike store with all of the online competition.
I love the rent or test drive option. I have one hill in mind that if a bike with trailer can tow a 200 lb load plus me up the hill, I would buy one for sure. I just want to borrow or rent one to try first.
In Fort Collins CO there are ebikes all over town that people simply jump on, insert a credit card, and ride away. The concession then drives around and picks them up from street corners every couple days. Townie ebikes are exploding in trendy, bike-friendly cities.
A few towns have bike shops that rent them, like Steamboat Springs. But that's a brick-and-mortar business, and John probably doesn't want to go there. The shift would be into marketing to the potential urban bike buyers. It's becoming a crowded market but I haven't seen any one company emerge as THE leader.
Thanks for all the advice guys. There's lots to ponder. I'll take it all in and come up with something. Whatever I decide it will be with your advice in mind. Onwards and Upwards
I particularly like the idea of solar generators to charge ebikes remotely, that sounds like a useful and eco-friendly addition. As for gun safes, I can see the appeal for hunters or anyone who wants to store their firearms safely while on the road. To add to the discussion, have you thought about other outdoor adventure-related products like camping gear, backpacks, or even binoculars? On a separate note, I've been reading up on
SEO Trends lately and thought it might be helpful to share some insights. These could potentially appeal to your existing customer base and attract new ones as well.
tough market... personally, I think the price of the bike has taken the average user out of the equation.. $4-5000 for a bike is way beyond what the casual biker is willing to spend. Competing against Cabelas, etc. is a no win.. You offer service on the bikes? (Demographics are a problem, but what about people that are close to you) That was/is my biggest concern with mine. In depth, how to videos would be a great service, but not a money maker like you are looking for. Expanding you merchandise offerings is always a plus, but the added $$ needed for keeping inventory for everything possible that you would sell would be a major investment, and there would be no guarantee what you sell, would sell, especially when people can browse any price on the internet... I like the rental ideas, but...... upkeep, breakdowns, misuse, etc. would be tough... Solar charger that works... gold!!!
Good luck!!
Great to hear you're thinking about diversifying your product line at eBike Generation, especially given the economic shifts. The hunting community could definitely benefit from solar generators and gun safes. I think both are fantastic ideas. Additionally, you might consider portable food storage solutions or even advanced hunting gear like night-vision scopes. But before you jump into diversifying, it might be wise to consult with a
Licensed and Reliable Insolvency Practitioner. They can help you assess the financial implications of your planned changes.
You might also explore accessories like bike racks for hunters or even outdoor gear. It can diversify your offerings and attract a broader customer base
