January Sales - Or Lack Thereof

[Capt Sisko]

Happy New Year to all and talking of which, January Sales. I've taken a fancy to getting a pair of Keis heated gloves. Every retailer I've looked at has them listed at £200 so as it's a fancy rather than a need I thought I'd wait to see what offers cropped up in the January Sales - What January Sales! They just don't seem to feature in the motorbike accessories retailers calendar. Sure there is the odd one or two, and everyone has their old tat & clearance section, but the usual 'January Sale', '20% off everything' and the bold flashing lights attention grabbing 'Biggest Sale Ever' tags just does seem to exist.

 

Is the industry so buoyant that it doesn't need them or are margins so tight they can't afford them. I appreciate the retailers are never going to have an Easter or Spring Bank Holiday sale as many see one or the other as the start of the riding season and will buy new kit at the full rate because that's when they want it, but come on, January & February have to be pretty slow months in the motorcycle accessory business and I'd thought the extra sales would be a boost in the quieter months.

[Gerontious]

Seems unlikely to me that you are going to find any form of winter gear being sold cheap - in the middle of winter.  Especially if its niche, and heated gear is definitely niche. The best time to buy this stuff is when the chance of even a light frost is in the rear view mirror. after easter. If there is any left to sell. and if there is its probably going to be sizes that nobody wants.

Likewise this is definitely the best time to buy summer gear - assuming there is any left, I imagine it was mostly on sale in October.

Gear that changes yearly is the stuff you might find on sale now, in readiness for the new styles arriving for next season. Plus leftovers. over orders. odd sizes for oddly shaped people. stuff that's been on the racks for far too long and is about to be rendered obsolete.

Edited January 2, 2024 by Gerontious

[Nick the wanderer]

I find signing on to dealers mailing lists and putting things in your basket can sometimes yield discounts. Search engines seem to magically put things in my feed when I start looking for stuff. But as above the cheapest time to get winter gear is in the summer

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I bought my mesh jacket for about 1/3 usual price in March. 

 

Generally things are so bad retailer's are cutting things close all year round so there's little margin for sales. 

[daveinlim]

I was hoping to pick up a few bits in sales but nothing came up that was worth buying. 

 

Something I do need to buy is a spare charger for the batteries in my heated gloves. 

[onesea]

I would agree, here I am often look for stuff for 12 months till I see the bargain.

I am considering a new lid, I know 3 models I would consider.

However they still need to drop, they will in the size I need and design I like, in the mean time I wait. Something better might come along anyway.

 

We did the same for the fridge for the boat £450 down to £200.   We waited years for that as at £450 it was slow working it's way up our agenda, at £200 it hit the top.

 

[S-Westerly]

I tend to buy stuff when I actually need it although I can be conned into buying something I really don't need if the price is right. Sometimes this is good but sometimes whatever I've acquired ends up in the loft never to be seen again. 

[Pie man]

My Wife bought me the Keis heated gloves (she knew I had been looking for weeks) I opted for gloves instead of heated grips. 

 

On New years day, I went out for a ride, over towards Knowl Hill in Lancashire, a mixture of wind and rain, the gloves worked a treat. I also had the Keis heated Gillet, warm and toasty. I would say, if you need them, buy them. 

 

Edit: we searched for sales and discounts, none to be had  so took the plunge and bought them. 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2024 by Pie man

[Shepherd]

9 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Generally things are so bad retailer's are cutting things close all year round so there's little margin for sales. 

This.

I work in 'Big Ticket' retail, and it has been tough since the Covid rebound died around a year ago. People had money they hadn't spent and things were recovering to make up for the furlough shortfall - but then it just stopped in it's tracks.

It's gonna stay tough for a lot of retailers for a long time I think. The days of big 'First day of Sale' takings are long gone, and it's a long slow burn.

Most retailers in my trade are fully discounted all the time for fear of being dearer than others.

Footfall is low, and those that are out and about are taking forever to commit to spending.  I've had 2 or 3 customers since Christmas that have been fannying about since lockdown ended without getting their money out.

 

Notice how many stores didn't open on Boxing Day this year? People don't need to rush out and buy, it'll be the same price for months.

 

 

Shep

[Fleck]

Never fear, there's a sale on in Sir Tim's Wetherspoons

[husoi]

Same crap about reduced prices goes to motorbike shows.

Last 2 years the prices in the Edinburgh show was no different from what you can get online or if you go to a reputable garage and show them what you can get online.

[RideWithStyles]

J and s have one on rst including heated gloves.