Outset a bike shop by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Bike Store
  2. Form your Bike Shop into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Wheel Shop for Taxes
  4. Open a Business organization Bank Business relationship & Credit Card
  5. Gear up Accounting for your Bicycle Store
  6. Become the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Bike Shop
  7. Become Bike Shop Insurance
  8. Define your Bike Shop Make
  9. Create your Wheel Shop Website
  10. Set up up your Business Phone System

There is more than to starting a business organization than merely registering it with the state. We have put together this elementary guide to starting your bike store. These steps volition ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business organization ideas.

Stride 1: Plan your business

A articulate plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It volition help you lot map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

  • What are the startup and ongoing costs?
  • Who is your target market?
  • How much tin can you charge customers?
  • What will you name your business concern?

Luckily we accept washed a lot of this enquiry for y'all.

What are the costs involved in opening a bike store?

One of the initial costs is obtaining any required business license and permits . Depending on the location and size of your store, opening a bicycle store can cost as much as $350,000 , or as lilliputian every bit $10,000. Startup costs are commonly lower in smaller cities where rents aren't equally high, since a substantial amount of space is required.

Once a suitable space is located, it must be outfitted to effectively brandish bikes and accessories. Purchasing initial inventory is likewise costly, but many wholesale bike dealers offer shop owners a line of credit at 0% interest for a limited time (usually iii-vi months), which helps finance the initial inventory. Other goods, such equally safety equipment, article of clothing, and accessories must be purchased outright.

Read our bike shop purchasing guide to learn about the materials and equipment you lot'll need to start a bike store, how much to budget, and where to make purchases.

What are the ongoing expenses for a bike shop?

Ongoing expenses include:

  • Rent
  • License and insurance fees
  • Inventory maintenance costs, which can be reduced past advert more expensive items in brochures, rather than keeping them in stock
  • Freight charges, which can be reduced by using local wholesalers whenever possible
  • Sale and inventory management software designed specifically for bike shops
  • Tool maintenance
  • Staff preparation and salaries

Who is the target market?

Preferred customers are people who enjoy cycling as a grade of transportation, a competitive sport, or a recreational hobby.

How does a wheel store brand money?

Bicycle shops make money by purchasing bicycles and cycling accessories for resale. Nearly shops too offer replacement parts and bicycle repair services. Some offering bicycle rentals also as sales. Customers rely on the extensive knowledge and expertise of bicycle shop staff members to maintain their bicycles in safety riding condition.

How much can yous charge customers?

Bicycle repairs tin can cost anywhere from $10 to $150, depending on the complexity of the job and the price of the replacement parts. Elementary beach cruisers price anywhere from $199 to $700, while complex, rugged mountain bikes can range from $700 upwardly to $10,000. In that location are also hybrid electric bicycles. Although they may accuse more, near people choose wheel shops over large box stores for the quality of their products, the superior knowledge of the staff, and the high level of customization they offer.

How much profit tin can a bike shop make?

On average, the retail profit margin for bike sales is 36%, although the margin is somewhat higher for other types of cycling-related products, such as clothing and accessories. Past selling a combination of bikes and other goods, the average wheel shop earns a profit margin of about 42%.

How tin you make your business more profitable?

Many bike shops have begun expanding their businesses, by making their stores bachelor for other types of customs events. According to a recent survey of 4,000 cycle shops, 12% now have java bars, xi% offering cycling/spin classes, and nearly 1% partner with other service providers to offer massage and yoga. Your profits tin increase in direct proportion to the customs involvement your shop makes possible.

What will y'all name your business?

Choosing the right proper noun is important and challenging. If you don't already accept a name in mind, visit our How to Proper name a Business guide or get assist brainstorming a proper noun with our Bicycle Shop Name Generator

If you lot operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business proper name by checking:

  • Your state'due south concern records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability.

Information technology's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Step 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your wheel shop is sued.

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Class your LLC for You

2 such reliable services:

You lot can form an LLC yourself and pay just the minimal country LLC costs or hire ane of the Best LLC Services for a pocket-size, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a gratis year of registered amanuensis services. You lot can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your ain.

Step 3: Register for taxes

You lot will demand to register for a variety of state and federal taxes earlier you can open for business organisation.

In order to register for taxes you will demand to apply for an EIN. It'south really piece of cake and complimentary!

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You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or past post. If you would like to acquire more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our commodity, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to go an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or notice your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.

Small-scale Business Taxes

Depending on which business structure you choose, you might take different options for how your business will exist taxed. For example, some LLCs could do good from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

You tin can learn more almost pocket-sized business taxes in these guides:

  • LLC Taxes
  • Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
  • LLC vs Corporation
  • LLC vs S Corp
  • How to Get-go an S Corp
  • S Corp vs C Corp

There are specific state taxes that might utilise to your concern. Learn more well-nigh state sales revenue enhancement and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

Stride 4: Open a concern bank account & credit carte

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business concern accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Additionally, learning how to build business concern credit can help you lot go credit cards and other financing in your business organisation'due south name (instead of yours), better interest rates, college lines of credit, and more.

Open a business bank account

Also being a requirement when applying for business organisation loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company'south avails, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and taxation filing easier.

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Open internet 30 accounts

Net thirty accounts are used to plant and build business credit as well as increment business cash flow. With a cyberspace 30 account, businesses buy goods and repay the total balance within a xxx-mean solar day term.

NetMany internet thirty credit vendors written report to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business organisation Credit). This is how businesses build business organization credit so they tin can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Go a concern credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

  • Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
  • Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise coin subsequently on.

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Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business organisation credit speedily.

Pace 5: Prepare upward concern accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is disquisitional to understanding the financial performance of your business concern. Keeping authentic and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Brand LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Canvas.

Step 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to learn necessary permits and licenses can outcome in hefty fines, or fifty-fifty crusade your concern to exist shut down.

State & Local Concern Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a bike shop business organization. Larn more about licensing requirements in your land past visiting the Small Business organization Assistants'southward reference to country licenses and permits .

Virtually businesses are required to collect sales tax on the appurtenances or services they provide. To larn more than well-nigh how sales taxation volition affect your business, read our commodity, Sales Revenue enhancement for Pocket-sized Businesses.

Bike shops may also wish to expect into applying for a resale certificate, as a resale document allows retailers to purchase goods intended for resale without paying sales taxation.

In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may utilize. For more information well-nigh local licenses and permits:

  • Check with your town, metropolis or county clerk's role
  • Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business concern Associations directory of local business organisation resources

Liability Waiver

If a cycle store is considering renting bikes, liability waivers are essential since consumers volition be in loftier hazard environments, operating potentially dangerous mechanism. For this reason, it is all-time to require protective gear. Attached is a link to a general informed consent form for a bike shop.

Certificate of Occupancy

A cycle shop business is generally run out of a retail store. Businesses operating out of a concrete location typically crave a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and authorities regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to charter a bike shop:
    • Information technology is generally the landlord's responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Earlier leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a bike store business.
    • Later on a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of concern will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease understanding stating that lease payments will not embark until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to buy or build a wheel store:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local authorities authority.
    • Review all edifice codes and zoning requirements for your business' location to ensure your bike shop will exist in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP vii: Become business insurance

But as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in social club to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your visitor's financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you're unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the near common coverage that small-scale businesses demand, so it's a great place to showtime for your concern.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers' Compensation Insurance. If your business organisation will have employees, it'due south a good gamble that your state volition require you to carry Workers' Bounty Coverage.

Pace 8: Ascertain your brand

Your brand is what your visitor stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A potent brand volition aid your concern stand out from competitors.

If you lot aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

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If you already accept a logo, you lot can also add together information technology to a QR lawmaking with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from thirteen QR code types to create a lawmaking for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a bike store

A great style to promote your store is past partnering with other local businesses to sponsor bicycle races and other community events for charitable causes. Part of what makes bicycling and then attractive to people is existence outdoors, interacting with nature and other members of the community. Providing more opportunities for them to do that is certain to increase your client base.

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are excellent platforms to advertise both customs and sales events. Many bike shops also make it possible for their customers to purchase items online past maintaining a page on Shopify, or some other sales platform. Creating and maintaining a website is a good way to inform regular customers nigh new products and services, as well equally upcoming sales.

How to proceed customers coming dorsum

Purchasing used bikes from local community members is a expert way to build a local reputation, establish customer loyalty, and lower your inventory costs. People who sell older bicycles that their children may take outgrown are apt to apply the coin to buy a new one.

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Still unsure most what kind of business organization you want to start? Bank check out the latest Modest Concern Trends to assistance inspire you.

Footstep 9: Create your business website

Later defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it'due south out of their achieve because they don't have any website-building feel. While this may have been a reasonable fearfulness back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of pocket-size business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn't delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites - total stop. The size or manufacture of your business concern does non matter when it comes to getting your business concern online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business organization website that you ain.
  • Website builder tools similar the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. Y'all don't need to rent a web developer or designer to create a website that you lot can be proud of.

Using our website building guides, the procedure will be uncomplicated and painless and shouldn't take you lot whatsoever longer than two-three hours to complete.

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Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP x: Fix your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is 1 of the best ways to aid keep your personal life and business life split up and private. That'due south not the only do good; it also helps you make your business more automatic, gives your business legitimacy, and makes information technology easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

In that location are many services bachelor to entrepreneurs who want to ready a business phone system. We've reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Concern Phone Systems 2022 to discover the best telephone service for your pocket-sized business.

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Recommended Concern Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for pocket-sized business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and information technology's fair pricing.

Outset a Bike Shop in your State

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Commune of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Bailiwick of jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • N Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming