Who is robbing?
Due to the government’s traffic control during the epidemic situation and the public’s concerns about public transportation susceptibility, European and American consumers have recently bought bicycles to solve travel problems.
In a bicycle retail store in Washington, DC, the entry-level bicycles were all sold out at the end of April, and the store’s order reached its highest level in 50 years since its opening. Brooklyn Bicycle Company (Brooklyn Bicycle Company) sales increased by more than 600% over the same period last year, the company’s president said that bicycles under $1,000 have been sold out.
According to data from market research company NPD Group, the turnover of bicycles, equipment and repair services nationwide in March nearly doubled from the same period last year. In the same month, sales of commuting and fitness bicycles also increased by 66%, leisure bicycles jumped by 121%, children’s bicycles increased by 59%, and electric bicycles increased by 85%. By the end of April, many shops and dealers have sold out all low-end consumer bicycles. The United States is currently facing a serious bicycle shortage.
On the morning of May 26, the bicycle store in Donnybrook Bikes, Dublin, Ireland, was filled with bicycles
Cycle SuperStore tweeted that bicycles are being bought every day, and there are still many orders delayed for delivery every day. Bicycles have been selling too hot recently.
Edward Joy, the owner of the British bicycle shop, said that some customers who bought cars in his shop hadn’t touched their bicycles in 25 years, and now they want to use bicycles instead of public transportation. And many people find that they can save a lot of transportation costs after riding, so even if the epidemic passes, they will continue to ride to work. The largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK Brompton said that since April, online sales have increased fivefold. The London-based retailer Sigma Sports, which specializes in high-end road bikes and triathlon equipment, said that the sales of entry-level bicycles in April surged by 677% over the same period of the previous year, and even the sales of related tools and maintenance products were also higher than the previous year Grew by 255%! (The asking price of their entry fee starts from £500, equivalent to RMB 4,400!)
Ismail Cakal, the owner of a bicycle shop in Frankfurt, Germany, said that because many people tried to avoid taking public transportation during the epidemic, the demand for bicycles has “exploded” and they are “busy crazy” this spring.
The popularity of bicycles also appeared in Russia. According to data from Russian online retailers, bicycle sales in May increased by 6000% over the same period last year. Not only bicycles, but other outdoor sports goods are also extremely popular. As of May 24, skateboards increased 10 times, roller skates increased 8 times, scooters increased 6.5 times, and children’s tricycles increased 6 times.
The same is true in Sydney, Australia. Grant Kaplan, the city’s giant store manager, said bicycles are now like toilet paper. Everyone wants to have one, and the phone rings every day. The biggest problem he faced was the large demand but insufficient supply. BikeNOW in South Melbourne is similar. General Manager Nathan Ziino said that they sold 40 to 45 bicycles in a single weekend, many of which are entry-level models with unit prices ranging from 700 to 1,200 US dollars.
How long can it be hot?
Some positive changes are expected to be continued after the epidemic, and bicycle travel to reduce carbon emissions is one of them. There is even a hot topic on Twitter called “#BikeBoom2020” (Bikes are hot 2020). The British government announced that it will smash 2 billion pounds to add bicycles and walking spaces to relieve the crowded public transportation system in big cities. There are rare opportunities for people to travel. The British government will propose a national bicycle plan in June, hoping to double the number of bicycles used by 2025.
Italy is even more powerful. Milan intends to carry out a major transformation of the city’s appearance, turning a 35-kilometer street into a bicycle lane. More encouraging people to ride is that the Italian government has approved a subsidy of up to 60% of the price of bicycles for consumers who buy bicycles. The maximum subsidy limit is 500 euros, and it is valid until the end of this year. All can enjoy this subsidy.
According to data from Bike Europe, since 2017, Cambodia has exported more bicycles to the EU than Taiwan, becoming the EU’s largest supplier of bicycles. In the first half of 2019, Cambodia exported $181 million worth of bicycles to the EU. At present, the largest bicycle export market in Cambodia is the European Union, in addition to Australia, the United States, Canada, India, Chile, Mongolia, South Korea, South Africa, Argentina, the UAE, and some ASEAN countries.
Is it easy to export?
On the other hand, the mid- to high-end bicycle market is still firmly controlled by Taiwan and China.
Taiwan, China is the manufacturing base of high-end bicycles in the world. Almost 90% of the world’s high-end and even top-tier bicycle brands are produced in Taiwan (except for the very small number of top-tier niche brands that still insist on being handmade locally). Taiwan’s finished bicycles are mainly exported to Europe (43.2%) and the United States (29.8%); the import markets in the EU and Mainland China each account for 38.0% and 85.7%, both ranking first. In 2018, Taiwan’s import market share in the United States, Australia, Japan, and South Korea was second only to mainland China, both ranking second.
Japanese bicycles are in the mid-to-high end of the international industrial chain, with high added value and strong brand power. And this depends on the high quality of products from Japanese parts suppliers. Among them, the Japanese manufacturer Shimano (Shimano) is the world leader in bicycle parts, especially gear transmissions, with a market share of about 90% in sports bicycle parts.
For Chinese bicycle manufacturing companies, obstacles and opportunities coexist, and competition and surpass are both presents.
My question do you want to import Bike from China now?
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