CIN Podcast: The blueprint for a successful bike shop
Storytelling, information, atmosphere… when you’re looking to optimise the layout of your retail space to maximise sales potential, the science and principles behind shop floor layouts can seem complex and brutally hard to grasp. But help is at hand for those who want to ease customers journeying to their shop counters. Forming part of our recent suite of CIN Podcasts designed to help bike shops boost profitability, retail design expert Gosia Adamska of WHiCH Interiors chats with Sean Lally…
The Cycling Industry News Podcast has recently taken a swerve towards ‘how-to’ guides and discussions aimed at shops wishing to make the most of their potential to yield profit. Last time, regular CIN Podcast host Sean Lally spoke with John Styles about bike shop sales techniques and, this time around, Lally chatted with retail design expert Gosia Adamska about some of the dos and don’ts on bike store layout and atmosphere to help form a successful bike shop.
You can listen to the podcast on Soundcloud now.
Adamska’s experience is gleaned from multiple industries, including architecture and project management, plus many years working directly with bike shops in the UK and Europe to help them shift from chaotic, cluttered spaces to more boutique style settings that enhance customer comfort and increase sales.
The significance of storytelling, community engagement, the efficient use of space and the good old concept of making a customer feel comfortable are some of the elements Adamska emphasises when helping shops attract and retain customers, and ultimately enhance business profitability.
Before you begin…
“I think the first biggest challenges are the state of mind. [Store owners] feel the need to show every single bike they have in stock and that if customers do not see it available straight away in the colour they want and the size they want, then they will lose the customer to the next shop. I have had lots of shop owner conversations about that.
“They need to understand that less is more. Don’t show every single bike. If you can create a good emotional connection with a customer then they will wait…
“That’s the most challenging thing – change the bike store owner’s point of view that redesigning the bike store is actually going to make it better.”
“The walk of shame”
“The walk of shame is when a customer comes in with their bicycle for repair. They come into this environment with new shiny bikes everywhere, and then their bike is maybe 10 or 20 years old… The walk of shame is the distance from entry to the service area.
“And when your customers come in and they do not know where to go, they do not want to wander around the store with bike, so you can create signage that shows where to go. You can create a bicycle service entrance not far from the entrance… without disturbing the flow around the store.
“And if you see customer struggling like that, just go towards them and help them out. Start the conversation with them sooner and don’t judge… you know, just help them out.”
The benefits of physical retail
“The advantage of having a physical store is that you can create a changing room. I’ve been to the store where the changing room was created in a dirty toilet… imagine sending your customer there. It would put me off straight away and I’m sure most people would be put off as well. So, creating a changing room is something that you can easily add to your store. A proper changing room with a mirror and good lighting. Some stores are restricted because of the size. But you can create something that makes them comfortable that will do the job as well.
“And then how you display your clothes? You can display the clothes like a clothing boutique, say on a wall you’ve got a cardigan, a shirt, you’ve got trousers… all in nicely matching colours. And the person can see themselves wearing these clothes. And it’s similar with bikes. And make sure that after customers are looking at something, you tidy up after they leave. You can colour code clothing… you can add some graphics and dress up a mannequin with a bike next to it and just create the story how this gravel bike that you’re selling could be dressed with all the accessories. There are lots of tricks.”
Communities and emotional connections
“Create a home community and create an emotional connection. Customers will go back to you or recommend the store that they go into where they feel welcome, where they can have coffee and have a chat. In these times, everybody is behind their laptops and phones. There is not as much social interaction face-to-face. We are social animals and if you create an environment where people like a store… people will spend more time in your store and are more likely to buy something. If they feel welcome and comfortable and nice, they will recommend that store.
“Not every store has space for a coffee area and so far, but a small coffee machine where people can just grab coffee on the on the go, maybe a community board announcing any of the rides, organising rides from the store… It’s always good PR and creates this special bond with the staff and with the owner.”
In the customer’s shoes
“If you are looking at something every day, you might not see things clearly. It’s very often important to step back and just really be observant of your own store. Look how things are operating, look at your display, and put yourself in the customer’s shoes… maybe ask some people who come into the store, or maybe members of your family, or somebody that doesn’t normally come to your store. Ask them to come and have a look and give their honest opinion about it. Do they think the store is chaotic? Do they think it’s somewhere they would like to buy a road bike? Sometimes it’s nice to just take step back and just, like, look at the whole picture.”
Listen to the full podcast here.
You can get in touch with Gosia Adamska through:
