I am considering moving to Florida and will not have any job or really anything to do. I don't want to work a regular job and have some savings to possibly open up a small store. I'm in my mid 30's.
I'm not looking to make a lot of money, I would be happy just to break even with rent/expenses for the first couple of years and have something to do everyday.
There may be another electric bike shop in the area so I will have some competition. However, they only sell turn key bikes and don't have the technical skills that I would have. The reviews seem to be mixed and I doubt they are as passionate about ebikes as I am.
I've been obsessed with electric bikes for the last few years and have learned so much thanks to you guys here. Everything from bicycle mechanics, servicing suspension fork and shocks, battery repair and welding, hub motor fixing, wheel and spoke lacing, electronics and even repairing circuits. I'm basically a bicycle mechanic and also feel like an electrician at the same time.
I became so knowledgeable about bikes that even when I go into regular bicycle stores I find I know more than the mechanics and salespeople.
What I am thinking to make my store unique is I will have the high end bikes to show, like my current Qulbix Q76R and maybe have a stealth bike for show or what ever the best high end bike is at the time. This way I have a variety of stuff to sell, the high end bikes and also the turn key bikes like the strommer that most electric bike stores sell. Hoping that letting people test ride my high end bikes will get some traffic in and this will set me apart from the other stores that I am the place to go if you want good support and someone who will have the technical skills to fix your bike or upgrade it. That will be my selling point and the people should clearly see that I know my ebikes.
I will also be able to upgrade peoples bikes unlike the other store which the reviews seem to hint that they lack the technical knowledge to do that. For example, I called a the most popular electric bike store here in New York City to see if they could weld a few batteries together and they had no idea what I was even talking about. This was before I got my own spot welder.
My question to you guys here is can I make this business work? Or is it not worth it if there is other competition in the area? Store Rental space are cheap in Florida which I think is a major benefit.
I know you guys are mostly negative about making money from electric bikes, and I agree there isn't money to be made trying to do stuff through the forum and internet. I'm wondering if this will be the same deal with opening up a local ebike store.
I'm not looking to make a lot of money, I would be happy just to break even with rent/expenses for the first couple of years and have something to do everyday.
There may be another electric bike shop in the area so I will have some competition. However, they only sell turn key bikes and don't have the technical skills that I would have. The reviews seem to be mixed and I doubt they are as passionate about ebikes as I am.
I've been obsessed with electric bikes for the last few years and have learned so much thanks to you guys here. Everything from bicycle mechanics, servicing suspension fork and shocks, battery repair and welding, hub motor fixing, wheel and spoke lacing, electronics and even repairing circuits. I'm basically a bicycle mechanic and also feel like an electrician at the same time.
I became so knowledgeable about bikes that even when I go into regular bicycle stores I find I know more than the mechanics and salespeople.
What I am thinking to make my store unique is I will have the high end bikes to show, like my current Qulbix Q76R and maybe have a stealth bike for show or what ever the best high end bike is at the time. This way I have a variety of stuff to sell, the high end bikes and also the turn key bikes like the strommer that most electric bike stores sell. Hoping that letting people test ride my high end bikes will get some traffic in and this will set me apart from the other stores that I am the place to go if you want good support and someone who will have the technical skills to fix your bike or upgrade it. That will be my selling point and the people should clearly see that I know my ebikes.
I will also be able to upgrade peoples bikes unlike the other store which the reviews seem to hint that they lack the technical knowledge to do that. For example, I called a the most popular electric bike store here in New York City to see if they could weld a few batteries together and they had no idea what I was even talking about. This was before I got my own spot welder.
My question to you guys here is can I make this business work? Or is it not worth it if there is other competition in the area? Store Rental space are cheap in Florida which I think is a major benefit.
I know you guys are mostly negative about making money from electric bikes, and I agree there isn't money to be made trying to do stuff through the forum and internet. I'm wondering if this will be the same deal with opening up a local ebike store.