Evans Cycles

It’s not meant to be - my point is that a salesman can generally sell anything, from bikes to cheese.

The real issue with having staff like that is the same with retail the works over - you just don’t have a vested interest in the company. You do your thing and go home at the end of the day, and that’s it. Bike supermarkets like Evans, CS and Halfords do mean most LBS’s are struggling. I know more people on bikes is always a good thing but small shops closing while we are supposed to be in the middle of a cycling boon is depressing.

It’s not just bikes anyway, ask any local hardware shop owner what he thinks of B&Q. It’s repeated in virtually every business, so forgive me if I don’t shed too many tears if one goes under.

Bike supermarkets like Evans, CS and Halfords do mean most LBS’s are struggling.

Bath seems to be able to support six indie bike shops, which I put down to there only being a small, shit Halfords centrally. There used to be seven but one moved about a mile out of town.

Generalisation

;)

Beagle winky

:)

you just don’t have a vested interest in the company

The only people I've known who said phrases like this had been people who displayed that they didn't have any interest in the wellbeing of staff, employment for them was a one sided agreement that the staff should grovel and beg for meaning they often chucked out that staff didn't do enough for the company to get more from them as "if you wanted the work you would do x" and then asking them to do more than as you put it "You do your thing and go home at the end of the day, and that’s it." which is exactly what they have agreed to do when contracts/agreements exchanged. That goes the same for any job people should just be able to punch out and head home to rest happy that they have done what they do and that's that.

From my casual observations we are really clueless about this stuff in the UK - both employers [most] and employees [some].

But for the most part its ridiculous to ask employees on minimum / living wage to go beyond their agreed duties / working hours. Unless an emergency and the time / benefit can be given back somehow.

Now, if they were partners or shareholders or had performance related pay and didn't just feel they were working their assess off just to put somebody else's' kids through college...

small shops closing while we are supposed to be in the middle of a cycling boon is depressing.

It's the middle of the end of the boom :)

cycling levels across the UK have remained pretty static for the last 20 years or so, iirc.

London has seen increased numbers but most other places have been pretty static.

But for the most part its ridiculous to ask employees on minimum / living wage to go beyond their agreed duties / working hours.

The cheeky part is that it's in the contract that they may need to do duties that's not in the contract.

Yeah that’s annoyingly standard

We're not really saying that Evans is in any way good are we? FFS have you ever been in one? The sooner it goes under the better.

You do your thing and go home at the end of the day, and that’s it.

Sounds like a pretty healthy work life balance and one that I've made sacrifices for and worked hard to maintain.

Interesting that Halfords (Cycle Republic) seem to still be turning a profit on the bicycle side of the business during these tough times for retail. Anyone have any insights as to what they're doing differently (Halfords and Evans normally being clubbed together)?

https://www.bike-eu.com/home/nieuws/2018/09/e-bikes-strengthen-latest-halfords-figures-10134475

Cheaper overheads? I know Bicycle Republic are “high street” but Halfords tend to be in out of town retail parks and the like.

Also in my experience, 95% of the staff in a Halfords branch will be on min wage.

Bottom end of the market, cheap shit bikes with lowest end components. Volume not quality.

Good point - Cycle Republic stores = 21 / Evans = 61.

That's largely comparing like-for-like (100% bicycle product offering). That said, I'd hazzard a guess that automotive sales account for the lions' share of income for the Halfords branded stores that also happen to carry some bicycle goods.

Yeah, but the Halfords-owned Cycle Republic stores are largely comparable, no?

It was a while ago I worked for them but back then I’d have said that small purchases yeah mostly automotive, tools, paint, air fresheners, fuzzy dice etc but I think we made as many £100+ sales as the automotive folks.

They sell loads of BSOs, sub £250 bikes.Boardman are their premium brand which they own anyway.

True enough. I just get a bit creeped out when I hear staff at somewhere like Tesco or Sports Direct being called ‘colleagues’, to try and make it appear as if they actually give a toss about them. I can’t imagine why you’d ever feel involved in somewhere like that.

Perhaps I just need to be less cynical...

What the fuck should they call them? My minimum wage partner/the cunt at the till/acne teen?

acne teen

@hp93 triggered !

Teen members ?

LEAVE ME ALONE MUM!

reported for grooming.