Women Mean Business
This week was the National Women’s Bicycling Forum held by the League of American Bicyclists. While I wasn’t able to make it to Washington, DC, I tried to follow as much as I could online. The theme was “Woman Mean Business” and there’s a pretty serious video presentation of just how much business.
But it doesn’t take statistics to tell us women there is some serious untapped market potential out there.
But beyond simple market potential, we’re a force to be reckoned with. And I reckon there’s going to be some change coming.
I think our female-to-male customer ratio is actually greater than 50/50, it’d be stupid for us, as a shop, to ignore that much of our market. The industry as a whole… well, that’s another story.
Aaaand I just saw the “Dick’s Bikes” sign too. Brilliant.
Of all of the bike shops I’ve visited, I’ve really only had this problem once…but I also usually barge in with a slew of technical problems and super specific part (or gear) requests, and I’m loud. So they immediately know that I mean business.
That aside though, even if I’m just browsing or drooling over the latest bike that I want, I rarely get treated any differently than my male counterparts. Perhaps that’s because the area I’m in has a high percentage of cyclists, both male and female, casual and not, but it is nice that the LBSs in my area don’t automatically assume I know nothing.
The teeny women’s selection though…yeah, that most places still have to work on a bit.
I have found that the larger chain bike shops tend to be like this with everyone who doesn’t fit their stereotype of a “serious cyclist” or who doesn’t look like they are there to spend £1,000 on a new bike. I have spent ages in one just standing there, looking expectant and waiting for a member of staff to offer help/assistance/advice.
Thats why I only go in the big shops if I’m in a hurry and I know exactly what I want so can just grab it and go to the counter. The rest of the time – most of the time – I go to my LBS. And the LBS gets all of my maintenance/servicing.
Disclaimer: I am male.
Goodness! Some dissension here, and also good discussion. I guess that is what we are saddled with, just being human. It’s amazing we make any progress at all. But then again, we did invent the bicycle, and that has been good for men AND women, so that is progress and a good thing.
I was happy to host The Path Less Pedaled in my home here in D.C., when they attended and covered the National Women’s Bicycle Forum and the whole NBS.
And I noticed that they left an extra NWBF program when they went home, and WHO did the cover for it? Why, Bikeyface, of course, and she’s too modest to say it here! So thanks so much, Bikeyface, for your great work, and if you ever need a place to stay when you have a D.C. bike event, please feel free to contact!