The Ultimate BNA Online Shopping Survey

[AUbicycles]

I am pleased to announce:
The Ultimate BNA Online Shopping Survey is now open.

It is targeted towards Australian Cyclists and will take approx. 5 - 10 minutes.

I invite you to participate - click here start


Why the survey?
With the explosion of online shopping for bikes and parts recently, I am writing a comprehensive article and with qualified market research can get the low down on current activity and future trends. The article is intended to benefit cyclists (consumers) as well as retail (eg, improving customer service)


Recommend this survey to others!
My aim is to get at least 500 surveys completed... this will be tough however possible if I can encourage you to let anyone else you know (Aussie) who rides a bike to complete the survey. Please forward this link, post it in your blog or website, tell your club and riding buddies about it. http://www.bicycles.net.au/survey/index ... 31&lang=en

Code: Select all

<a href="http://www.bicycles.net.au/survey/index.php?sid=64831&lang=en"><strong>Take part in the Ultimate Online Shopping Survey for Bikes and gear</strong>

And a final word - this survey is not for or against the Local Bike Shop - complete it and you will have a great chance to share your opinions. The cycling market in Australia is changing due to the rapid growth in online shopping, there are also local online retailers and successful (physical) retail store - the shift in purchasing patterns is a good thing.

If you wish to discuss the topics or themes from inside the survey, please start a new thread - in the General Forum for example. For (general) survey questions, comments then here is fine.

Cheers
Christopher

[gavinr]

Hi Christopher,

I found a problem with the question "Which other cycling disciplines do you engage in?" You have to answer this question, but there is no "none" option.

I ticked 'other' and wrote none in but I think there are better ways to organise this - either make the question non-mandatory or have an "I am a single minded individual who does not participate in anything other than my sole cycling discipline" option.

Intersting survey though and I look forward to seeing the results.

[AzzA]

Looking forward to seeing the results

[AUbicycles]

Thanks Gavinr... I missed that and have corrected. It is no longer mandatory.

Just over 30 responses already (in half a day) which is great... and I can give you a sneak peak on the current "most favorite" brand of bikes - Giant takes the cake with about 15%.. followed by Cervélo and Cannondale both with about 5%

Cheers
Christopher

[AUbicycles]

85 responses - some very interesting trends.
To date - 89% of participates have purchased online.
Also - 89% of participants have listed forums as a way they do research before purchasing - the top 'medium' followed by google search (85%) and then the Brands Website, Local Bikes Shops and Online shops - all at 75%.

Funniest thing I have noticed is that in over half of the (optional) comments at the end - I have been criticised for my spelling
Shame on me...

Promotion is now up on the homepage to attract more participants.

[Kalgrm]

You must remember that this survey will always be a biased one. Members of forums are the only ones filling it out (at the moment), so you're introducing a sample bias from the outset.

If the survey was a paper one left on the counter of the LBS, you'd get a very different set of responses, as you'd be sampling from the people who do their research by talking to (and buying from) the guys at their LBS.

Cheers,
Graeme

[AUbicycles]

Good point Greame, however to the strategy, the promotion of the survey is a step by step approach, so it doesn't break down with too much traffic at once, so first in the forum, then on the main website, then another forum promo and then a newsletter.

One thing I want to encourage is that it is passed to others who are not on BNA.

In communication of the results - yes, I will note that it is an online survey and hence some results may not reflect the entire cycling market.

[slowflow]

How many posts sofar?

[}SkOrPn--7]

Well I did my bit to aid in your research Chris but my guess is that allot of the folks that preach the LBS and give those of us a hard time about not supporting LBS are also making purchases online and overseas just too gutless to come out and admit what they do. You may have wanted to throw in a question (Do you purchase for others) or something along that line because my answer to how much I have spent in the last 12 months was inclusive of me purchasing for myself/others because I paid for it all and got reimbursed later but it was me doing the purchase.

Looking forward to seeing the results.

[AUbicycles]

There are a few questions in there regarding the LBS - valuable info for the consumer to know what is drawing or keeping them from the LBS.... and of course for the LBS - whether or not (and how) they can influence purchasing decisions.


Regarding purchasing for others - are they fellow riders, and with a bulk purchase you can get a better price (or at least a lower cost per item because postage only being paid once).


Currently 128 completed .. and 18 incomplete (ie. abandoned).

I will try and drive more traffic to the survey in another way.

[Baldy]

[quote="AUbicycles"

And a final word - this survey is not for or against the Local Bike Shop [/quote]

Then why have the online retailers linked at the end of the survey? As someone who only buys locally for various reasons I thought it was a bit cheeky for an unbias survey to give them a plug.

I know im becoming the minority more and more but thanks for letting me put my 2 bobs worth into the mix.

cheers
Baldy

[}SkOrPn--7]

Regarding purchasing for others - are they fellow riders, and with a bulk purchase you can get a better price (or at least a lower cost per item because postage only being paid once).

Yes fellow riders and not to save on postage nor a group buy for a better deal. When ever I place an order I just let those I know I'm doing it and if they need anything then get back to me asap with details so I can get my stuff at the time I want it. I know many have made the comment to me that there is no way they could buy it locally at the prices I do. Many don't sport CC's or paypay accounts or know the first ting about buying online so sort of leave it up to me for a smooth transaction and just enjoy the savings. Some have made mention about group buys but too much freaking around for me so I won't get involved in organising those things but happy to place orders when I'm after stuff for myself they can all tag along that is a simple process.

[acoustic_phil]

not a bad survey, though it would have been good to include a 'which of these would you like to hear more about' type thing. I want to know where more group rides are (especially fixie rides in melbs)

Cheers

[AUbicycles]

Then why have the online retailers linked at the end of the survey? As someone who only buys locally for various reasons I thought it was a bit cheeky for an unbias survey to give them a plug.

I know im becoming the minority more and more but thanks for letting me put my 2 bobs worth into the mix.

That's a fair question and there are a few answers, though briefly - the links are at the end so would not influence participant decisions and similar to the links in the forum (under the velosure banner, top right) offer a small commission for BNA in the event of a purchase.

When attracting supporters or advertisers - I have put more work in over the years attracting LBS's whether they operate online or offline or both though have only had a single LBS who committed (they generated a lot of traffic to their website from BNA and should be returning shortly).

What I would like to offer - for the next (lets say 3) LBS's, owners or staff, who email me (info@bicycles.net.au) - I will included their website links on the final page of the survey though in return will ask a few question as part of my research into the online shopping article.


--

Thanks acoustic_phil. In the demographics I didn't want to go overboard with the questions as it is a fairly long survey, depending upon which answers are selection (if you don't shop online then the online specific questions are not shown). To your question you can ask in the fixed gear section or Victoria section of the forum. There is also a fixed gear site (fixed.org.au) which also has some good dialogue.

[AUbicycles]

Currently 156 completed responses (177 partially complete).
My third phase in spreading the info was a good looking banner on the main site of BNA.

Next.. I have a bunch of questions for online shops - there are some confirmations already and this is probably a good place to ask if you have anything that you would like to know from online shops.