Distributors
Distributors are a necessity for any collective or co-op. They are the middle-man of the bicycle industry, and your connection to buying parts at wholesale bulk rates. Generally speaking, they buy from manufacturers at 75% less than MSRP and sell for 50% less than the MSRP.
Looking at the requirements it may seem impossible to get an account as a new organization, but if you are honest and describe your situation -- most of them will help you out.
"The big concern most distributors have is with community shops buying stuff at wholesale and then selling stuff well below what commercial shops are selling stuff at. That undercuts their other customers. We only buy tools and consumable parts and almost all parts are for fixing bikes, not direct sale to our customers. We will sell things on occasion, but we make sure we are charging what commercial shops are charging. We also want to maintain good relations with the commercial shops in our area because they donate bikes to us."
Local Bike Shops
If you can't get a distributor account, contact your local bike shop (LBS) and explain what you are trying to do and that you would like to place distributor orders through them. The best they can do is usually cost + 10%, this helps them cover shipping, staff time and taxes. Not only do you get parts at a discounted rate, but you are also building a very important long-term relationship. Some LBS have seen community bike shops as competitors, so it is good strategy to involve them from the beginning.
Order Policies
Once you get an account, how do you regulate it?
Free Ride
We require people to give 24 hours volunteer time every three months in order to join the collective council. The qbp privilege is a bonus for that commitment. And, it is consistent with QBP's policy, in that the people who can make personal orders are essentially the "employees" of the shop.
Ohio City Bicycle Co-op
We have a four-tier policy for all new parts purchasing (including special orders). Anyone can pay retail, members get retail -15%, members who volunteer an average of 10 hours a month get -30%, and staff, board members, and volunteers who accept special responsibilities get -45% (so we still cover shipping costs and the time we put in on ordering). We also occasionally sell to another local bike collective at a very small markup and do some discounts for clients, mostly on locks and helmets for kids' programs.
It's been this way for our whole "mature" history, and I've never seen it cause any problems. What it takes to get each discount is very clear, and only requires a certain commitment of time, not anyone's approval. It doesn't cause any grief from shops, because the total of people who can get 30% or more is probably less than 30. I'm pretty sure it's wholly compatible with all of QBP's policies, too.
Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective
Only people on our Key List can make orders.
Midway Bicycle Supply, Inc.
Requirements To Establish an Account
We are a small supplier and our specialty is to serve small, independent bicycle shops - both for-profit and non-profit. We also serve non-traditional, but legitimate bicycle businesses, such as mobile repair shops and pedicab fleets. However, we do not sell to individuals who sell bicycles out of their garages, or to hobbyists, as these entities tpically are not incorporated and don't carry liability insurance.
- No charge to open an account.
- Copy of your liability insurance certificate.
- Resale certificate issued by your state showing tax-exempt status and ID number
- Photos of your location: store front with signage, interior sales and service areas
We offer the following:
- A minimum order quantity of just $25 (plus shipping).
- Our best price on every item purchased, regardless of the quantity you buy.
- No minimum number of purchases in a calendar year. You order just what you need, when you need it.
We also pledge to give ten percent of all Midway Bicycle Supply's income to charity.
Most of the items that we carry are the basic parts you use every day to repair older bicycles. We don't stock many higher-end parts, because the bulk of the business at most of the smaller shops, especially the non-profits and coops, involves repairing older bicycles.
Contact
- 506 N. Prior Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104
- 651-955-1930
- info@midwaybike.com
Quality Bicycle Products
Requirements To Establish an Account
- A current phone bill showing your company name.
- Proof of liability insurance binder.
- Pictures of your business including: storefront with signage, warehouse, retail bike department and shop/service area.
- A completed QBP New Dealer Application.
- Account candidates must demonstrate the ability to conduct themselves professionally and courteously throughout the application process
- Web/Mail order accounts must have a physical retail location that allows the business to serve its customers face-to-face during regular retail hours.
Contact
- 800-346-0004 phone
- 952-941-9391 phone
- 952-941-9799 fax
- 6400 W. 105th Street; Bloomington, MN 55438
J&B Importers
Requirements To Establish an Account
See http://www.jbimporters.com/newcustomer/
Contact
Euro Asia Imports
Requirements To Establish an Account
Contact
- 3935 Foothill Blvd; La Crescenta, CA 91214
- 818-248-1814 phone
- 818-248-1243 fax
- euroasia@sbcglobal.net
United Bicycle Parts
Contact
- 800-482-1984 phone
- staff@ubike.com
- Ron handles non-profits.
United Bicycle Supply
- http://www.biketoolsetc.com/ (they don't have a website yet, so they use this one)
Contact
- 800-572-4988 fax
- 800-225-8287 phone
- ubs@bisp.net
Wilson Bicycle Sales
Requirements To Establish an Account
- Store front in area zoned for business.
- Repair Department
- Tax ID Number
- Re-sale License
Contact
- 510.471.7520 phone
- 510.487.2676 fax
- sales@wilsonbike.com
- 31157 Wiegman Road; Hayward, CA 94544
Provelo
Requirements To Establish an Account
- Credit Card
Contact
- 800-222-8356 phone
- 618-393-2956 fax
- thorsten@khsbicycleparts.com, ulli@khsbicycleparts.com
- 3550 N. Union Drive; Olney, IL 62450
Cyclone Bicycle Supply
Requirements To Establish an Account
- A completed and signed Dealer Application
- Physical retail location and regular retail hours
- Physical business location that accepts daily deliveries in the store's name
- A business phone number listing verifiable through directory assistance
- Proof of liability insurance
Contact
- info@cyclonebicycle.com
- Toll Free: 800.927.9242
- Local: 503.226.0696
- Fax: 503.226.0824
- 135 SE Main St.; Portland OR 97214
Canadian Suppliers
Live to Play Sports
https://www.livetoplaysports.com/
Live to Play Sports is committed to working exclusively with independent specialty bicycle dealers. We rely upon their expertise and experience to ensure our customers have the very best cycling experiences possible, every day.
Authorized Live to Play Sports Dealers and their staff are trained professionals you can trust. They have the knowledge and experience required to provide product recommendations and sound advice to help you choose the right product for your intended use and enjoyment.
Requirements To Establish an Account
Contact
https://www.livetoplaysports.com/en/contact-us/
HLC
Requirements To Establish an Account
Contact
https://www.hlc.bike/ca/Company/Contact
OGC
Requirements To Establish an Account
Contact
https://b2b.ogc.ca/storefrontCommerce/requestAccount.do
Cycle Babac
Open to small community bike workshops. Free Canada-wide shipping for orders at least $400.
Requirements To Establish an Account
Contact
https://cyclebabac.com/contact-us/
D'Amour Bicycle & Sports
Open to small community bike workshops.
https://www.damourbicycle.com/