RANT - Don bankrupt your local running shop

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DeeGee Jan 2013 1:44pm, 18 Jan 2013 13,493 posts	0 DeeGee Here's the rub. I don't live,"out in the sticks", but in a reasonably-sized town of 160,000 souls. We have no running shop. Next big town to me is 25 miles away and also has no running shop. In fact, our two nearest running shops, which are both great, are an eighty mile round trip away. I do visit both. However, sometimes life gets in the way and I can't afford two hours driving to buy a pair of shoes, or shorts or something. I have to make a special trip. And I have to make that special trip on a Saturday, as they're either closed or selling their wares at local races on the Sunday. Unfortunately, working five days a week, I have no other opportunity to go to the bank, or return library books, or have my eyes tested, or collect parcels from the post office, or any number of other things that can also only be done on a Saturday, and those will always take priority as I can do those in the town where I live. And paying in a cheque to avoid bank fees, ensuring continued vision or collecting my son's birthday presents are more of a priority than buying shoes. However, doing any of these means, if I'm to spend any time with my family, I have to postpone my trip to the running shop to the next week. Or the one after that. Or the one after that. And before you know it the sole's coming off my shoes. So I have to go online. Because I don't have two hours to visit a running shop on a Saturday.
Bru-Bru Jan 2013 1:52pm, 18 Jan 2013 2,000 posts	0 Bru-Bru (((applauds))) Yes, actually why aren't running shops open on a Sunday? Lots of other shops are.
Joopsy Jan 2013 2:00pm, 18 Jan 2013 6,806 posts	0 Joopsy I love the fact that people are justifying why they are not going to local running shops. It is your money, you earned it, you spend it how you want. If you want to losa a local shop fine then do so, don't do it because some nutter off the net as had another rant.
DeeGee Jan 2013 2:02pm, 18 Jan 2013 13,494 posts	0 DeeGee I had an issue this Christmas. Normally, my parents buy me a pair of running shoes. I want to try different shoes as my running has changed since my last gait analysis, which was for a heavier man running shorter distances less frequently, and I know my shoes are no longer suitable. My parents, as is the way in modern Britain, live many miles from me. Not just the next town, not even the next county. They're nearer Paris than my home. My choice was either get shoes online and run the risk, go to running shop and pay a hundred pounds that I didn't have to get that refunded by my folks, or go to running shop and pay a "gait analysis fee" (which one shop levies to get round people having the gait analysis and then clearing off online) then get my parents to order the shoes wherever they saw fit. So I ended up with no new shoes and instead waited until after Christmas when "running the risk" would be a damn sight cheaper on last season's shoes.
DeeGee Jan 2013 2:03pm, 18 Jan 2013 13,495 posts	0 DeeGee But I really like Lincolnshire Runner, Joopsy. Just wish they were in Grimsby.
Lisa T Jan 2013 2:07pm, 18 Jan 2013 1,253 posts	0 Lisa T I have absolutely no problem in saying I will buy from wherever is the cheapest whether that will be high street or internet. I don't earn a lot & I need to get a good deal. A few of our local running shops will price match the internet & that's great. If they do that then I'll go there.
paul the builder Jan 2013 2:17pm, 18 Jan 2013 3,193 posts	0 paul the builder You don't have to go in to a bank branch to pay in a cheque, you can do it by post. That would save you some time. Just sayin.
DeeGee Jan 2013 2:21pm, 18 Jan 2013 13,496 posts	0 DeeGee Can't have my eyes tested by post though, can I
Joopsy Jan 2013 4:33pm, 18 Jan 2013 6,807 posts	0 Joopsy Lincs runner is fab Deegee and I get everything from them or El Bee! I just don't feel the need to justify it.
♣BelleVueRacer♣ of Beartown Jan 2013 6:46pm, 18 Jan 2013 5,798 posts	0 ♣BelleVueRacer♣ of Beartown .Joopsy, eloquent. Yes, i can see why many go online - I have done so myself. Not telling anyonento justify it, just to give some thought to the prospect of their being no normal running shops. They won't all survive just by being fantastic. How can they compete with the economies of scale and mass bulk buy negotiation power of the bigger companies. That's not to have a pop at Sweatshop. Not only do their workers do so much locally (by the way if they are closed on Sunday - heaven forbid they have Sunday off - they are probably running a stall at a race) but nationally they support Parkrun, they established SRC - all good for running. Lots of small shops closing can't be good for the economy... More unemployment, less people in the supply chain.... Imagine what would happen if someone like Amazon gave Sweatshop and other big retailers no choice but to close stores and work online only... with their legal (but IMO morally repugnant) tax dodging, economies of scale etc... it wouldn't be surprising. Not saying online is a bad thing. Online only would be. Some online retailers are amazing (hence I linked Faster Feet in my opening rant). Faster Feet actually did a better job of fitting shoes via email (measuring parts of my feet, sticking pencils under my arch, repositioning my foot...) than a gait analysis has ever done - he really earned that (probably small) profit margin that the shoe company gave him. Well that's my right to reply bit done. Amber...Red.... Shut up and make a brew