At 700 we are not fans of disingenuous enticements.
We spend a good deal of time and energy forging partnerships with brands that deliver real innovation, genuine user benefit and unique selling points. Brands that need not routinely discount their products because they themselves see the value in them. Indeed, quality products often have the lowest margin - the price of R&D. While it may be necessary to occasionally move old stock or end of season items, we do not believe in devaluing brands for the sake of it.
In managing our own business and cash flow, and in order to streamline our product offering to deliver our customers a considered, curated selection of products that are premium examples in their particular niche; we occasionally price items to move. In the last few years, Black Friday and it's now month-long 'worship' of capitalism, has become a real bane for small businesses who struggle to compete with big players as they position themselves to control the market.
The recent decline in the market - fuelled by the glut of cycling products in the post Covid era and the simultaneous drop in demand - has put further strain on companies who have overstretched. Those same enterprises are liquidating stock to keep the lights on.
While it may be a little soap boxy, it is worth reminding people that expertise and passion found in small businesses - of all types - is in danger of being erased from high streets. The service and expertise that one can lean on and benefit from, and that is attached to the products that line the shelves, cannot be undersold.
At 700 - as far as possible and when our hand is not forced - we refuse to capitulate. With all our sale items, regardless of time of year, we offer genuine deals in harmony with our suppliers, we cannot always be the cheapest, but we guarantee that our sale items are real deals - not 'inflated' deals or sub-par 'hyped' product. Only quality and genuine value for money.
So for us, if it has to be, it's in harmony with suppliers and never for the sake of it. We value the brands and suppliers we work with and it is in everyone's interest to maintain those relationships to keep everyone supplied with cycling kit.
In 2023, it has been sad to see the deep discounting, this is not a positive thing - it is often the last ditch effort to keep people in business, and as we are seeing - it doesn't always work.
#shoplocal #shopindependent