CKA Martial Arts Supplies Shop to Close

[C.K.A.Martial Arts]

With a heavy heart I post this

After four and half years we are going to be closing our Stockport based Shop Down as from the End of April.

The current economic climate has forced us to make massive changes to our current company set up.

We are still going to be running our website ( which will be getting up dated ) and still offering the cage warriors discount code.

We will be operating a small shop space so orders / stock can be collected in person but it will not be the size of our current set up.

The market is flooded with numerous sites and shops selling all the same kit so has made business very difficult to continue so we are making changes.

we are going to be clearing stock at the shop with discounts of upto 50% to help clear a lot of stock as it wont fit our new space and we want to be carrying more product over smaller quanties.

We have enjoyed all the nice comments and support of the last few years and look forward to still being able to help the community were possible.

[Razorstorm]

Stay safe bro, sorry to hear about this

[Dan7]

sad news, great sevice from your store always. other bigger companies should be taking notes!

best of luck

[Mac]

The market is flooded with numerous sites and shops selling all the same kit so has made business very difficult to continue so we are making changes.

Sorry to read your news ace. The above caught my attention being as I've been contemplating opening a bricks & mortar fight gear retailer in Liverpool city centre for some time. Developing the business plan as we speak.

Have you any advice before I go hang myself...?

[C.K.A.Martial Arts]

Hi Mac

Given the current market , I would watch were you open and what brands your carrying as the Market is slowing down.

I have took the decision to have a small pick up shop which is going to run along side my current website , so you will be able to collect your orders.

I do intend to drop a lot of the big names and stick to Quality Brands such as Caged Steel etc , this will allow us to keep a foot in the market but keep pur over heads down and allow me to refocus.

Given the choice of another main street shop ~ I would avoid it my friend

[Graz]

Sorry to hear that news. Always remember you and the likes of Caged Steel always being fisrt to help guys out on here.

Glad you keeping involved in a different capacity.

ALl the best.

[Burnzie]

I work for a company called drivebusiness & specialise in E-commerce solutions.
It's a tough time for opening stores, let me know if I can give any advice out to possible online retailers!

www.drivebusiness.co.uk

[Mac]

Hi Mac

Given the current market , I would watch were you open and what brands your carrying as the Market is slowing down.

I have took the decision to have a small pick up shop which is going to run along side my current website , so you will be able to collect your orders.

I do intend to drop a lot of the big names and stick to Quality Brands such as Caged Steel etc , this will allow us to keep a foot in the market but keep pur over heads down and allow me to refocus.

Given the choice of another main street shop ~ I would avoid it my friend

Cheers mate, sounds like a bad scenario and coming from an insider like yourself clearly warning to be heeded.

Here's me dreaming of leaving my pretty well paid 9-5 to pursue something to do with my passion. It's bjj, mma & boxing that ring my bell so what better to get you up in the morning than a venture relating to things you love, right? Maybe not!

When you say the market is slowing I assume you mean growth wise? I understand the growth of the sport and as such related industries cannot be infinite but is it the flooding of the internet with the same dross that made it difficult for yourselves to survive? Did you find much point having an actual retail premises or does the overheads versus passing trade equation simply not fall in your favour?

So many questions ace, sorry to be a pain. Be a real help to pick your brains for a while if at all possible?

[Mac]

I work for a company called drivebusiness & specialise in E-commerce solutions.
It's a tough time for opening stores, let me know if I can give any advice out to possible online retailers!

www.drivebusiness.co.uk

Had a quick read on your organisation's website mate and 'enrich' sounds too good to be true. With names such as All Saints and Reiss listed amongst the users I assume it'd be too cost prohibitive for a would-be small venture to even consider?

However, the more research I do the more it appears affiliate marketing, search engine optimisation, etc. have a major part to play in success. Do you offer special packages for start ups and/or small ventures?

[C.K.A.Martial Arts]

Hi Mac

sorry for the delay , been busy pulling the current shop apart.

The problem with the UK Market is simple ~ we are a small market with to many brands trying to sell here and when they cant, they simply kill the price and off load it.

When we opened over 4 years ago the market was just seeing MMA through UFC as Zuffa had just bought the rights and was showing it main stream.

Then we had a big push with clubs opening left, right and centre so guys and girls needed kit.

The problem is ~ once you have your kit you dont replace it for a very long time and like most Martial Arts the student numbers might start big but always drop off.

Then you add to that the fact when we opened you had to have a Well Known Website or Retail Shop to get a trade account , but most ( not all ) of the big import companies of MMA gear ) will now give you a Trade Account if you spend over £ 500 in your first order.

Which is fine because they want to sell the gear , but what happens is Joe Public Training at his Gym thinks " if I buy Product A i can sell it to the lads in the gym for X and make money " , But when no one wants it they then put it on Ebay to get their money back which then has a negative effect on that brand name.

A fine example has been Affliction , Opro and now Tapout ~ sports direct sell 2009 Tapout collections for £ 9.99 each so why would any one pay £ 23.99 for a current one.

Then you will run into the Traditional Instructors who only come to you when they need 1 Suit or a couple of belts and they want it at the trade price they pay from their main source, they seem to forget that they are making money so why cant you.

Having the shop for me was great for the past 4 and a 1/2 years but moving forward , fighters are not spending the same kind of money.

Punters are not joining the MMA Classes like they once did and parents are telling little Johnny its Football or Karate as we cant afford both and as we all know Little Johny is the next Beckham so Football always rules

The market is slowing down big time and will only get slower for retailers so I would delay opening a shop for at least the 2011 period and see what happens with the current market and the country my friend