Lithuanians rush to buy bicycles, but sellers are sad: items are missing, some are trapped on a ship that has blocked the Suez Canal | Business

Viktorija Kaupienė, who runs the physical and online bicycle store Velonova 15 minutes He said shoppers flooded stores much earlier than expected this year.

We were ready to start the season in April, but the shopping started in February.

“This year, like last year, there is a very high demand for bicycles and bicycle parts. We were ready to start the season in April, but we started buying in February, ”said V.Kaupienė.

Some of the goods got stuck on a ship that blocked the Suez Canal

Traders believe that this year the season could be even better than last year, but the main problem is the lack of bicycles. During a pandemic, a bicycle claims to become a near rare commodity.

15 minutes Bike shop managers interviewed said the range is much smaller this year as order-filled bike manufacturers not only delay product delivery, but don’t even specify deadlines when a more significant addition can be expected .

“He who is in a hurry has bought, and now there is no great choice. The range is much smaller than in previous years, and the most important thing is the uncertainty: there are no forecasts of when we will receive the replacement of goods. There is a shortage of bicycles around the world, so manufacturers distribute everything to everyone and something, “lamented the owner of Velonova.

The range is much smaller than in previous years, and the most important thing is the uncertainty: there are no forecasts of when we will receive the replacement of merchandise.

Incidentally, Lithuanian traders were also affected by the Suez Canal incident. V.Kaupienė reported that some of the bicycles that were supposed to arrive at the Lithuanian shop got stuck on the ship blocking the Suez Canal.

“The specialized bicycles are trapped in the Suez Canal on that freighter. They had to come to the manufacturer in the Netherlands, and from there they had to be transported across Europe. We will all suffer as a result,” the Velonova boss reported.

The dealer said he no longer chooses bicycles, what manufacturers offer, he accepts. However, this is not enough either. V.Kaupienė regrets that the variety currently available is not sufficient for the entire season, and the shortage will be felt from April.

Range has been reduced by a third and more

The lack of bicycles was also highlighted by the managers of other stores. Rytis Paulikaitis, the director of the company that runs four bicycle shops in the cities of Vasarė 15 minutes He confirmed that demand is similar to last year, but supply is “severely stagnant.”

“Last year, the availability of bicycles increased significantly across Europe and all warehouses were thoroughly cleaned. All resources were used for the production of new bicycles, but the production of bicycle components stuck in factories broke the chain of supply: when the production of at least one part is blocked, the common product is not produced ”, explains R. Paulikaitis.

He assured that the range in Vasarė stores will be 30% lower this season. There are enough bikes at the moment, but very few new ones are yet to come.

“In terms of variety, we can offer a lot, but there are not enough quantities for the whole season. We try to arrive in small batches, we have signs that the merchandise will be delivered at the end of the season. Some are late. There are no great fears ”, said the person in charge of the bicycle shops.

Some articles do not exist and will not exist, their delivery dates are foreseen: October, February.

Egidijus Ivanauskas, the manager of the Geras dviratis bicycle shop, does not receive enough products from the manufacturers. The merchant, who swept every warehouse last year, regrets that the shortage of bicycles has become a serious problem this year.

“There are no merchandise,” says E. Ivanauskas sadly when asked how this year’s season started. “Some positions do not exist and will not exist, their delivery dates are planned: October, February.”

“The range is much smaller because the warehouses are empty. Someone has older reservations from last year. When other retailers say that the big problems are not because the stores are not working, but because they cannot sell the leftovers, they are happy to have something to sell, ”the bicycle seller advises other segments not to complain.

Add in all the leftovers swept up from last season.

“Last year, we even sold items that stood for ten years,” says the trader.

Last year, we even sold items that stood for ten years.

Orders have to wait even a year

Most of the stores lack mountains, universal bicycles, which are the ones that Lithuanians buy the most. As a result, buyers may no longer find the right size or color.

“Lithuanians are quite tall, so L and XL sizes are missing. There is still a choice of smaller sizes,” explained V. Kaupienė.

And Ivanauskas says that the biggest problem is that Lithuanians buy different products from Germans or Dutch. 80 percent. Bicycle sales in these countries are made up of city bikes, but in Lithuania this segment is only 10 percent. According to E.Ivanauskas, city bikes are still in the warehouses of German manufacturers, so it would be easier to bring them. However, they are unpopular in Lithuania.

“We can offer city bikes, but they are not bought. And the versatile produces very little. We do not have bicycles of this type, we have to wait for them to be replaced, but the manufacturers say they will be late and nobody can say when they will be delivered ”, explained E. Ivanauskas.

As a result, the order period has been significantly extended. Traders said products ordered in October were delayed, and in February and March, they had already ordered bikes and spare parts for 2022.

“If I ordered bicycles today, it would take a year and a half to produce it; it would be delivered in at least 8 or 9 months,” said R. Paulikaitis, manager of Vasarė stores.

E.Ivanauskas, the director of Geras Dviratis, also agrees with him: the manufacturers of some bicycle accessories, such as bags, promise to present it only in February next year.

Buyers who want a particular bike also have a long wait.

“If a customer wants to order a more expensive specific bike, we accept orders for the fall. Before, we had to wait a maximum of one or two months,” compares V. Kaupienė.

If the customer wants to order a more expensive specific bike, we accept orders for the fall. In the past, you had to wait a maximum of one or two months.

Missing components

Why is there a deficit of bicycles in the world? Given that bicycle sales rose sharply around the world last year, as residents who have not traveled abroad choose to spend their free time in the nature of the country, manufacturers cannot change. People started buying more bicycles and as a safer vehicle during a pandemic.

And their job was further complicated by severe shortages of bicycle components and rising costs of containerized shipping.

“This winter, the bottlenecks were caused by rising container shipping prices and container shortages as they all left for the United States. The big question is whether the situation will be able to return to normal. The production shortage is approaching throughout Europe, “said R. Paulikaitis, adding that because of this, manufacturers receive bicycle parts” in a very limited way. “

E.Ivanauskas adds that the lack of spare parts for bicycles was also determined by the fact that some factories in China did not operate for a long time due to last year’s coronavirus pandemic.

Prices also went up

Bicycle prices have increased this year, not only because of high demand, but also because of increased transportation costs. Traders said producers have raised prices by 10 to 15 percent.

“Manufacturers have changed prices a couple of times. Forecast that it will be 10 to 15 percent. More expensive, but if there will be 30 percent. More expensive, I would not be surprised,” summarized E. Ivanauskas.