BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — As this unforgettable year comes to end, retailers are eager for a little off-season rest, but anxious about the prospects for 2021. Will they have enough supply? Enough workers? Will a soft economy or COVID-19 lockdowns curb demand, or has everyone who ever wanted a bike already got one?
For a feature in our December magazine, we touched base with 16 retailers to get their take on the 2020 season and their predictions for 2021. We'll be sharing snapshots from those interviews online over the next two weeks.
Jeff Milbauer, Valley Bike & Ski, Apple Valley, Minn.
Our sales are substantially up over 2019 and margins are up as well. Lack of availability with increased demand sure helps.
I am cautiously optimistic for 2021. Supply will not keep up with demand but knowing our industry we will be oversupplied by the fall of 2021. I am disappointed that manufacturers continue to keep margins on high-end product so low. We had a perfect year to reset the pricing structure.
None of my suppliers have really come through. We focus on our customers and the brand is really not that important to them. The suppliers are pushing harder than ever for preseason orders.
We have a ski business so sales in the winter months are awesome and winter is shaping up to be a good one.
Our 2021 staffing plan is pretty simple: Hire more mechanics, hire more sales staff.
