[TheThinkTank] Random Thought: Creating a bicycle parts/tools distributor for Community Bike Shops.

[Jim Sheehan]

Stuart, I agree with your take on this very interesting topic (thanks for
starting it, Jonathan):

On 3/13/08, Stuart O Anderson <soa at ri.cmu.edu> wrote:
>
> It seems to me that QBP supplies most of the CBS's right now.  Maybe
> someone should approach them about identifying and stocking products
> that conform to our purchasing policies (i.e. green/fair trade/us
> made/union made/etc icons in the catalog) and ask about discounts for
> non-profits promiting bicycle use?  I'd think the best way for that to
> happen would be for several shops to work together to create a request
> that could be delivered on all our behalfs.  Does this interest anyone
> - I'd be willing to help with such a project.
>

I would also help work toward a special CBS account at QBP rather than try
to start a distributorship -- definitely "a huge undertaking"!

 I think QBP would be willing, with the right guidelines: I learned at the
LAB Summit recently something about Steve Flagg, QBP founder, that I could
have found on the QBP website: "After graduating in 1974 he helped found
Freewheel, the first bicycle co-op in Twin Cities. Though he enjoyed serving
the community's passionate cyclists, Flagg realized independent bike dealers
also needed a knowledgeable, go-to source for acquiring hard-to-find parts
and resolving sticky technical issues. And so the inspiration for Quality
Bicycle Products (QBP) was born."


For QBP to find this attractive would require some commitment from CBS's
that would build trust with their LBS customers, AND make QBP's job easier
(perhaps CBS's contribute some research into most-sustainable products?)

At OCBC, we take seriously QBP's stringent account qualifications, and keep
in mind that not competing with LBS's is in the broader interest of cycling
-- we have very clear pricing policies for parts sales that don't undercut
LBS's, and send folks to their LBS when that makes sense.

I hope we can keep this discussion moving forward, and at least develop a
draft plan to show to QBP.

Jim Sheehan
Director, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op
1823 Columbus Rd
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216 830 2667
OhioCityCycles.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.bikecollectives.org/pipermail/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org/attachments/20080323/9c279287/attachment.html