Torpedo7

[Wollemi]

Going back through various threads at this forum today, I clicked on links twice for Torpedo7 products. Their screen tells me they have left Australia, but you can buy when you are in NZ. Is that right - we in Australia cannot buy on-line Torpedo7 products now?

www.torpedo7.co.au’s server IP address could not be found.
"The time has come for Torpedo7 to go back to our Kiwi roots, and leave the Aussie market. We've loved sharing Torpedo7 with you. Join us anytime for an adventure in New Zealand, we'll be there!"

[mikesbytes]

Why don't you contact them, perhaps they do international delivery. https://www.torpedo7.co.nz/contact-us

[AUbicycles]

Correct Wollemi.

Years ago Torpedo7 were quite big in Australia and were on a good path to dominate. They were NZ based and there was an ownership change which affected both their marketing approach and at the same time they tried to diversify and do all sports and for the Australian audience they started to go into decline.

With their market grasp dwindling, they then decided to stop sales on Australian online customers a few years ago.

[MichaelB]

Echoing Chris's comments - I used to use T7 a lot, but in the end the pricing wasn't competitive or their range just wasn't there.

In the end I didn't even look at their site.

Good example of diworsifying.

[queequeg]

Yep, T7 used to be my go to site around a decade ago, but they got progressively worse with both their stocked range and their pricing, and I basically stopped shopping there.

[find_bruce]

Yep, usual internet seller cycle

• site identifies a niche market
• growth based on availability, price & service
• sales plateau in that market
• adopt management fad for profit growth (product diversification, increased pricing, reduce warehouse stock, new website design etc)
• sales drop off
• site dies & is replaced by something else

As others have noted T7s availability dropped off, their prices stopped being competitive & the website design became clunky with the diversified product range. While they probably blame the Hardley Normal tariff barrier, they were in decline before then

I thought that wriggle would be one that bucked this trend, but, at least from an Australian perspective it seems not. Growth stagnated, venture capital saw it buy out chain retraction, 24bike. I wrongly thought they were big enough to resist shimano's global market carve up, but no! They moved to an Australian site with high prices & low availability, reinstating the Australia tax. Cyclists vote with their wallet & go elsewhere.

The question is who will come up with a strategy to meet the market that is currently unsatisfied

[Testing386]

After reading this thread I decided to visit their site...wow, it looks like a poor, clunky copy of BCF - with less range!

I remember them offering good cycling deals but that was many years ago. I never cease to be amazed how companies "seize defeat from the jaws of victory".

[rollmop]

I bought a load of Shimano Deore XT components from Torpedo 7 around 2005 for my mountain bike and then some Dura-Ace stuff a few years later. The prices were miles cheaper than from any local dealers.

In fact the Dura-Ace gear was substantially cheaper than buying Ultegra locally.

I remember mentioning what I had paid to a guy who worked in a bike shop and he said it was cheaper than they could buy from the Australian Shimano distributor and that Torpedo 7 was impacting their sales.

A while later I noticed most of the high end Shimano stuff had disappeared from Torpedo 7 and assumed that Shimano had taken some kind of action against them.

[trailgumby]

I bought a load of Shimano Deore XT components from Torpedo 7 around 2005 for my mountain bike and then some Dura-Ace stuff a few years later. The prices were miles cheaper than from any local dealers.

In fact the Dura-Ace gear was substantially cheaper than buying Ultegra locally.

I remember mentioning what I had paid to a guy who worked in a bike shop and he said it was cheaper than they could buy from the Australian Shimano distributor and that Torpedo 7 was impacting their sales.

A while later I noticed most of the high end Shimano stuff had disappeared from Torpedo 7 and assumed that Shimano had taken some kind of action against them.

That's why I never tell B&M retailers when I find on-line bargains. Shimano Australia's service was crap and remains so. There is simply no justification for it to take longer to get product from Melbourne to Sydney than from Ireland, even before you add the delay to have to go and get it from the LBS on the weekend.

[trailgumby]

Echoing Chris's comments - I used to use T7 a lot, but in the end the pricing wasn't competitive or their range just wasn't there.

In the end I didn't even look at their site.

Good example of diworsifying.

I also got fed up with the constant bombardment by email on the latest "bargain". I don;t think the Aldi model is sustainable long term. I'd rather be able to rely on the product being available when I need it, than intermittent cents-in-the-dollar specials.

[AUbicycles]

I don;t think the Aldi model is sustainable long term. I'd rather be able to rely on the product being available when I need it, than intermittent cents-in-the-dollar specials.

From a traditional perspective sure... but the ALDI approach is to get people in the door with weekly specials and convert them into regular shoppers.

The value for money on these big-ticket items can be fantastic for customers which ALDI may be selling at cost-price. This week it is bikes and accessories, next week fishing, the week after Christmas and then BBQ.

Aldi market share in 2018 was 11.4%... the growth has slowed but considering they first opened in 2001 and have 500 stores, they have done pretty well.