I've just received an e-mail from that friendly Hein Gericke company....
They are offering to give me a cheque for £40.00 if I spend £160.00 with them on gear.
Not a bad offer really except I really don't need owt at the moment.[/colour]
I rang HG at Bradford yesterday as I'm looking for a new visor for the C3. They didn't have any, nobody at HG seems to have one at the moment, anyway I digress, the conversation from their end seemed to be pitiful and almost bordering on desperation.They were trying so hard to sell me stuff I wasn't even asking about. Just made me think about all the previous chat about HG possibly being in financial trouble.
They, like may others, are suffering from competition from online vendors.
When buying bike gear, I normally visit a few bike shops and bike shows to try on what I am after.
Then I hunt up the cheapest deal for it online and buy it.
Shops are too expensive. Great if you are an "I WANT IT NOW" type, but I'm not.
Most of us have to watch the pennies these days and there is no way a real shop will ever compete on price with online shops.
Motorcycle dealers have the advantage of selling some high-priced items (bikes) which most people won't buy without at least a test ride, and they also provide servicing and warranty fixes, so most should be able to weather the current downturn.
Accessory only shops are fading fast. Sorry but see ya HG.
I don't know what HG's running costs are, but the mark up on the gear is high.
Years ago my mum worked as a self employed machinist. She'd get paid 0.20 - 0.40p per garment. At the warehouse these would be sold at £3/piece. On the shop floor, probably £19.99 (I guess that hasn't changed, only that the machinist is now based in China)
HG still has the advantage that it is a recognised quality brand.
With the way the recession is going, the only thing saving the economy is low interest rates. Even then, spending isn't that high. My local motorbike shop is really feeling the pinch. They've resorted to selling mountain bikes as well.
I think we're in a period of stagflation. Not good for the economy at all.
Quote from: Boomer on April 19, 2012, 11:08:07 AM
They, like may others, are suffering from competition from online vendors.
How is that since HG actually started off as a mail-order business and have an online shop as well?
I reckon they only opened shops for those I-want-to-try-it-on-and-take-it-home-now customers like me.
I hate buying online since you never know what you get and have all the hassle with deliveries and returns.
And why buy online from HG if you get the same gear for the same price in the shop - and touch and try it on before you buy?
No, I think their problem is that their gear is just too good and lasts forever. :hammer:
I definitely need to try on stuff before I buy cause I'm too damn tall for most things (jackets and trousers). As much as I had some issue with HG in the past, I don't want to see them disappear. Love my current jacket (some mega expensive goretex one) from them.
I can't comment on the quality of their kit as none of it fits me.
As for HG having an online/mail order operation,.... then why do they charge the same prices online as in their shops?
I buy almost all of my kit from JTS in Coalville.
It's a BIG Bikers shop. http://www.jtsbikerclothing.com/ (http://www.jtsbikerclothing.com/)
I paid £200 for my 2100 jacket (now discontinued) and 5 years on it is still waterproof, still warm, the lining is intact (apart from a small hole in one pocket) and for 1½ years it was worn every day thru rain and hail, sun and wind, for 3hrs/120miles.
When I have to replace it I'll buy another from them, probably the Mash jacket.
Don't be freaked out by the sizes. My jacket is a 10XL but I wear a 4XL t-shirt and can fit in a 3XL.
Now JTS provide a service that HG and most others don't do. They cater for large and small people.
Not a big enough market to support a big chain, but more likely to weather the changes in buying habits.
If you want HG to stay in business, then I suggest you get down there and buy something.
If you don't in 6 months they will be "downsizing".
Quote from: Boomer on April 19, 2012, 04:03:36 PM
I can't comment on the quality of their kit as none of it fits me.
As for HG having an online/mail order operation,.... then why do they charge the same prices online as in their shops?
Simple - If they charged more if you buy in the shop then people would go into the shop, find what they want and order it online instead of buying it there and then. :oops:
Quote from: mecki on April 19, 2012, 04:58:18 PM
Simple - If they charged more if you buy in the shop then people would go into the shop, find what they want and order it online instead of buying it there and then. :oops:
which is precisely what I allus do..... call in to a shop, try on said garment, or look at said gadget/widget, decide if I like/want it....and then buy it cheaper on line .....simples :yes:
Quote from: Boomer on April 19, 2012, 04:03:36 PM
Now JTS provide a service that HG and most others don't do. They cater for large and small people.
Not a big enough market to support a big chain, but more likely to weather the changes in buying habits.
Ah yes, I've been pointed at them before. I may well be after some new waterproof trousers from there seeing as Richa have stopped doing extra long leg lengths (grumble grumble).
Quote from: olde coney on April 19, 2012, 05:43:30 PM
which is precisely what I allus do..... call in to a shop, try on said garment, or look at said gadget/widget, decide if I like/want it....and then buy it cheaper on line .....simples :yes:
That may well be possible with other brands like Alpine Stars.
And even there you don't know if you buy online if you get some cheap copy or factory seconds.
Now the question is, 'where can you buy HG gear cheaper online than in the HG online shop?'
Well, you can't because only HG sell HG gear! :hammer:
And since the online price is the same as in the shop you save yourself the hassle if you just buy it in the shop after you tried it. :yawn:
Unless Mecki you buy from HG through Ebay. They have their own Ebay outlet for returns and slight seconds. There are occasionally many bargains to be had. It's worth having a gander.
Do HG sell inner bags?
Quote from: mecki on April 20, 2012, 08:25:03 AM
That may well be possible with other brands like Alpine Stars.
And even there you don't know if you buy online if you get some cheap copy or factory seconds.
Now the question is, 'where can you buy HG gear cheaper online than in the HG online shop?'
Well, you can't because only HG sell HG gear! :hammer:
And since the online price is the same as in the shop you save yourself the hassle if you just buy it in the shop after you tried it. :yawn:
Thanks for pointing that out Mecki... if you look closely at my posting you will see that I wasn't making specific reference to HG shops/products, my remark was more generic in that I said "call into a shop" :yawn:
You are of course correct about HG products and their source of availablility :agree: