Buying the bike

Here is a short video of buying the bike, discussing the process and the bike. If you can’t see the video below try here

Details of the bike and other models on the Asda website

A few things covered in the video but I think are worth highlighting:

• Displaying bikes in boxes – let alone selling them that way – does not feel like good retail practice. I guess its all part of the cheap low cost way of doing things.
• To be clear I was offered no advice about the bike, and to be honest I’m not sure the staff could have offered much. There is no point-of-sale literature on display in this Asda store to assist the buying process. And certainly there is no opportunity to test the bike for size or fit.
• I was asked if I would like help taking the bike to my car.
• The bike is not as heavy as I thought it would be. Which is a good thing.
• The bike is supplied by Falcon Cycles Ltd and manufactured in Tunisia. I have very little knowledge of Tunisia as a centre for bicycle production, as most bicycles are produced in the Far East.
• In my personal opinion there are serious issues of sustainability and ethical production surrounding this bike. If a bike sells for £70 how much did it cost to produce, transport, import, distribute and market? Asda says it is selling these bikes at no-profit, which could also mean in retail-speak that they are “loss leaders” designed to drive footfall to stores . But what about the suppliers and manufacturers, are they equally as charitable in this project and taking no profit?