Interview with Wiggle Australia - Geo-blocking, taxes and competitors

[AUbicycles]

I recently met-up with Gina Ricardo of Wiggle in Australia who was candid sharing insights into the retail activity of Wiggle and c r c.

Key topics: Increasing Competition, effect of Brexit chaos, effect of the GST exemption on low-value imports being removed, Geo-blocking and differences between Australia and other markets.

Interview: Past, Present and Future of Australian Online Cycle Retail – Interview with Gina Ricardo of Wiggle



Christopher

[Prydey]

Nice insight there, well done.

Interesting her thoughts on the top dhb kit being equal to rapha.

[MichaelB]

It will be interesting how they can manage to get Shimano sales in Aus

[AUbicycles]

It will be interesting how they can manage to get Shimano sales in Aus

Wiggle have an advantage of being a one-stop-shop for customers and for Shimano Australia can offer good volumes in sales. The range is however smaller - Shimano Australia do limit their spares for other groupsets so that can force buyers to other overseas suppliers with the stock. One of the trends we also saw with the overseas online bike shops was that they would buy old-stock (which was great for replacements and spares) and if you are running old groupsets, the availability from WIggle / c r c may drop.

With WIggle buying locallay, they can no longer pass on the same significant cost savings on parts and groupsets of the past, however compared to bike shops they will generally still be cheaper. That said, the direct competitors in Australia will generally be on par now...

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Interesting her thoughts on the top dhb kit being equal to rapha.

The Aeron Lab series is the top level from dhb. I am not able to make direct comparisons myself as I don't own any Rapha kit, but there are a few brands who have started with mid-range kit and are now about high-end premium kit. A lot of us remember the early days of dhb when it was more about cheaper cycling gear but the pricing and quality of the Aeron Lab really does position itself towards the top-end.

[Thoglette]

The range is however smaller....old stock

That's being polite in the extreme.

[g-boaf]

It will be interesting how they can manage to get Shimano sales in Aus

I've totally abandoned Wiggle - I use Bikebug instead, the advantage of cheap prices and being able to get what I want immediately and not waiting on deliveries is something Wiggle can't match.

[Prydey]

It will be interesting how they can manage to get Shimano sales in Aus

I've totally abandoned Wiggle - I use Bikebug instead, the advantage of cheap prices and being able to get what I want immediately and not waiting on deliveries is something Wiggle can't match.

same. bikebug is definitely one of the best bike shops around. Much lower free postage threshold as well.

[MichaelB]

About the only thing that Wiggle is best on pricing are the Hi5 drink tabs. But with the $200 shipping price limit, will have to bite the bullet elsewhere

[warthog1]

I still buy a bit of gear from them but get it up over the $200 limit or look elsewhere.

[briztoon]

Can someone explain Geo Blocking in regards retail sales please.

[Thoglette]

Can someone explain Geo Blocking in regards retail sales please.

In short: if you try to buy something from a store outside your area (as determined by Shimano), your order gets cancelled.

I think we're in a .au bubble (or is .nz in too?) but good luck trying to buy the 80% of the Shimano range that the local importer has decided to not to stock.

You are allowed to buy the 20% that is imported locally but you need to pay the local prices. 50% cheaper in .sg or .de? You're out of luck.

[AUbicycles]

To add to the above, when you visit an online shop, your IP indicates your location (hence a shop saying ‘you are coming from Australia, please use our AU site’... or they switch you automatically.

But IPs can be tricked so if you can add to the shopping cart, by the time you enter your shipping address you are usually caught and items can’t be shipped (or an Australua Tax is added).