The number of U.S. independent bicycle retailers declined 2.6 percent between 2015 and 2016, according to a new report from the National Bicycle Dealers Association.
However, as the number of store fronts continues to decline, average store gross revenue is on the uptick, the NBDA's 2017 Specialty Bicycle Retail Study shows. Revenue was up 17 percent, from US$916,000 (A$1.22 million) to US$1,068,000 (A$1.42 million), according to the study.
The study estimates there were 3,700 IBDs in the U.S. at the end of last year, down about 90 stores from 12 months earlier, and down about 550 stores from 2010. The NBDA defines IBDs as stores that derive at least half their business from bike sales to consumers.
The new report also found more shops focusing on service and maintenance, and growth in the number of stores focusing on urban, used, and electric bikes. However, 83 percent of respondents still said they focus on being a family bike store.
According to a report that you can see at this link there were 6,259 IBD’s across the USA in the year 2001 so the number has almost halved since then. By comparison the number of IBD’s in Australia has remained more constant although anecdotally it appears to be declining slightly most recently.
Most of this article was previously published in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
