Signa Sports with Liquidity issues .... (CRC/Wiggle/Bikester/Probike/Nukeproof/Vitus)

Doomanic

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That must be a Wiggle thing, I haven't had any in my last few CRC orders.
 

Rob Rides EMTB

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Has this all come about because of the little packet of Haribo they stick in with every order? 🤔

Haribos!

The glory days, 10 years ago:

Screenshot 2023-10-19 at 17.49.08.png
 

Mikerb

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I like Bicester. I found them to be one of few European sites that understood how to trade internationally including such aspects as reasonable shipping costs, including VAT and being clear a bout any customs charges. Many European sites were used to only dealing within the EU member states ( which included the UK originally) and had little or no experience of export.............and did not add VAT even for inter EU member state purchases. Their pricing therefore looked attractive.

At the same time as the UK left the EU a VAT charging regime was set up by the EU even for inter EU member purchases. I dont know if any of this had an impact on Sigmas Internet stores business but it probably did not help. We naturally focus on the bike industry but no doubt other sporting sectors suffered the same problems of high shipping costs etc, and that is now compounded by the energy crisis and recession in many countries.
 

Mikerb

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Me too, although the traffic round the outlet village can be a bit of a twat...
:D ah...now that Bicester I do not like at all serving as it did as a roadblock on my way to Milton Keynes from Weymouth on business.
 

Rob Rides EMTB

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OK, looks some of the brands in the Signa Sports United group are today starting to file for insolvency, the first announced is Tennis-Point.

I expect Bikester and all the brands I listed above yesterday to follow.

The situation reflects the serious financial ramifications following the termination of the €150M loss of funding, which has now led to insolvency filings starting with Tennis-Point GmbH and potentially extending to other entities within the SIGNA Sports United Group including the ultimate parent company, SSU.


Screenshot 2023-10-20 at 13.15.38.png




As of 13:34 20th October 2023, Tennis-Point | Tennis Shop | Tennis Rackets, Shoes & Clothing continues to trade.
 
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Rob Rides EMTB

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Here are a list of the brands that operate in the group:
  1. Bike :
    • Probikeshop
    • Fahrrad.de - FILED FOR INSOLVENCY
    • Bikester - FILED FOR INSOLVENCY
    • Wiggle - In Administration
    • Chain Reaction Cycles - In Administration
    • Brügelmann
    • Nukeproof
    • Vitus
  2. Tennis :
    • Tennis-Point FILED FOR INSOLVENCY
    • TennisPro
    • Tennis Express
  3. Outdoor :
    • Addnature
    • Campz - FILED FOR INSOLVENCY
  4. Team Sports :
    • Outfitter
    • Ballside
    • Stylefile
EDIT 23/10. Bikester / Farrad.de & Campz filed for involvency.
 
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RustyMTB

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Bikester website redirecting people to Wiggle. Pretty clear the wheels are coming off.
 

blacklab14

Member
Oct 16, 2023
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Just waiting/hoping for this to move to shipped! Will feel much more comfortable, aftersales/customer service could be an issue in the future but at least I will have a bike!

IMG_4763.jpeg
 

Mikerb

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I've just had a notification, though I'm not totally 100% certain, but I think my warranty forks have been shipped from Bikester ... Or warrington or whatever @Mikerb calls them today ...
I blame spellcheck for my typo! K K K K K.....( training my spell check):)
 

Zimmerframe

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Looks like there's various things going on in he background. Hopefully, mainly for the sake of all the people that work for these companies (who seem to actually genuinely be passionate about what they do and also produce much of the best and certainly best value products out there), but rather than doing the usual buy up, feck up, dump model - they do seem to be trying to move things instead to where they might be better managed.

"(Alliance News) - Frasers Group PLC on Tuesday said it agreed to acquire Sportscheck, "one of the leading sports retailers in Germany", from Signa Retail Department Store Holding GmbH for an undisclosed fee.

Frasers, which is based in Shirebrook, England and owns House of Fraser, Sports Direct and Flannels retail chains, said the acquisition will enable Frasers to grow its presence in Germany, one of the biggest sports markets in Europe and a key focus area for the Sports segment.

Frasers said completion of the transaction is subject to merger control clearance. It expects closure of the deal to occur in the first quarter of 2024, saying it will update the market in "due course".
"
 

Amber Valley Guy

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Oct 15, 2023
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I watched a YouTube vid this morning from a guy running a bike shop in Florida. He explains what's going on.... not just with Wiggle/CRC but the whole industry and allied industries, like clothing. Well worth a watch. YouTube:

The Bicycle Industry is in Big trouble! (Found on his ytube Chanel)
GC Performance
 

Bummers

Well-known member
Mar 12, 2022
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I watched a YouTube vid this morning from a guy running a bike shop in Florida. He explains what's going on.... not just with Wiggle/CRC but the whole industry and allied industries, like clothing. Well worth a watch. YouTube:

The Bicycle Industry is in Big trouble! (Found on his ytube Chanel)
GC Performance
What's the gist of what he was saying?
 

Zimmerframe

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What's the gist of what he was saying?

He's basically saying that lots of manufacturers and sellers are over stocked and trying to dump stuff at lower prices. With some of the on-line retailers then having to lower prices to compete with the bigger on-line retailers who are selling low to move stock to get some cash back - Making it harder still for bricks and mortar stores being asked if they can price match.

The main market for them is very slow and they're struggling to sell bikes, except the very high end models where people who are financially unaffected are still buying the top spec bikes like S-Works - He didn't mention the word "Dentist".
 

RustyMTB

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Random thought, the demise of mega warehouse box guys could well benefit LBS. Whether it's good for the consumer is debatable but it does feel like the market is undergoing a structural change.

Different random thought. Wiggle/CRC are so big, there's no way they'll disappear. Maybe buckle up for Mike Ashley & Wiggle/CRC/Evans 2.0
 
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