BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Halfords is in the process of shaking up its 450-plus store portfolio, with some fairly radical changes being made for the huge retailer.
It’s another part of its company-wide revamp, following last years big online announcement, where it added 15,000 new products to its web portal.
BikeBiz got a guided tour of one of the renewed stores earlier this month, on which there will be more detail in the forthcoming October edition of BikeBiz. In the meantime, here are some pics to give you a flavour of what Halfords is trying to acheive.
A simple (and huge) sign outside highlights the fact that Halfords offers cycle maintenance, an area the retailer has been missing out on.
Perhaps most radical of all the in-store changes, cycling is no longer banished to the mezzanine levels of those stores with an upstairs. This change will be reflected in another 90 to 100 Halfords stores where the mezzanine level is too small to afford cycling the extended space.
More consideration has been made for cyclists with neat touches like a slot to park your bike while chatting with staff. This innovation came via the Evesham store manager Rob.
Likewise, changing rooms are being installed so punters can try on the extended clothing ranges in store.
A classic retail ‘trick’ of letting more light into the front of the store has been implemented to make the store more welcoming.
With childrens bikes being so important to Halfords, attention has been paid to POS, with tracks laid to enthuse little ‘uns to try out a bike, as well as to encourage them away from riding around the store willy nilly.
Look out for the full article in October’s BikeBiz, out on 20th September.
