Why did Schwinn not ship bikes to Canada?

[62typhoon]

I have always wondered why there has always been a shortage of Schwinn's in Canada....?....I don't recall ever seeing one as a kid and never had the opportunity to buy one until traveling to South Dakota a few years ago where I found my 62 Typhoon.
Why would such a large bike company not ship everywhere?...I don't believe they were more expensive then the CCM or Sears, Eaton's bikes I remember everyone riding as a kid.

 

[GTs58]

Were there any Schwinn Dealers anywhere in Canada? Or BFG tire stores? I would assume if there weren't, then no Schwinns were exported to Canada for retail sales. May have been some type of Canadian regulations preventing the chance or Schwinn didn't want to deal with exporting?

 

[62typhoon]

No we never had specific Schwinn dealerships...We bought our bikes from Macleod's and Sears hardware store...later on we did get a bike shop but it sold Japanese bike names like Sekini...I recall them having the 'Swing Bikes"...always wanted one of those!

Was it expensive to buy into a dealership back then?

 

[GTs58]

I believe one had to be Schwinn Approved and you had to have an approved location that was paid for by the person wanting to be a Dealer. I have not come across anything that says Schwinn collected any funds from someone wanting to be in the "Franchise". You buy the store and everything in it but it had to be approved.

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[Jeff54]

No we never had specific Schwinn dealerships...We bought our bikes from Macleod's and Sears hardware store...later on we did get a bike shop but it sold Japanese bike names like Sekini...I recall them having the 'Swing Bikes"...always wanted one of those!

Was it expensive to buy into a dealership back then?

"Schwinn: The World" I am inclined to think, you did not and don't see much because of price and favored eastern Canadian French politics. Especially, Schwinn stink-ray, really got the attention of the world. IDK where you're at but, just across the border, in Vancouver Canada, there was probably plenty, either from Washington state or imported into the general Vancouver area. I mean, I doubt that Schwinn would not take advantage of sales potential, just B/C there wasn't a franchise to sell them in. Never heard of Franchises in Mexico, but, plenty down there. I seriously doubt, "the World" company would limit all sales to franchise sales in USA only. Yet moreover, everybody else pawned their bikes across the globe.

 

[GTs58]

"Schwinn: The World" I am inclined to think, you did not and don't see much because of price and favored eastern Canadian French politics. Especially, Schwinn stink-ray, really got the attention of the world. IDK where you're at but, just across the border, in Vancouver Canada, there was probably plenty, either from Washington state or imported into the general Vancouver area. I mean, I doubt that Schwinn would not take advantage of sales potential, just B/C there wasn't a franchise to sell them in.

No Dealership, no Schwinns. Schwinn gave up on BFG in 1960.

 

[Jeff54]

No Dealership, no Schwinns. Schwinn gave up on BFG in 1960.

No offence but, the idea that 'Schwinn's factory sales were only availed inside the USA franchises' is just nonsensical.

 

[GTs58]

No offence but, the idea that 'Schwinn's were only availed inside the USA franchises' is just nonsensical. ,

I guess you assumed I said there were no Schwinn franchises outside of the US. I did not say that, and I don't know if there were or weren't.

 

[Jeff54]

I guess you assumed I said there were no Schwinn franchises outside of the US. I did not say that, and I don't know if there were or weren't.

Apparently you guessed wrongly, an tried to make out an Ass of U an Me as well. LOL "
GTs58 said:
No Dealership, no Schwinns. Schwinn gave up on BFG in 1960.
"

Admittedly, I do not know of any fact or proof that Schwinn had any franchises, or dealers out side of the US. Yet, it's just plain business sense that Schwinn knew no boundaries it would not try and sell into. However, if you're game, check for world patents, copy and trade mark rights. I am sure they are protected across the globe. If for no other reasons than the obvious and it goes without saying; territorial "Schwinn Quality TM" sales anywhere in the universe bikes can be sold. The only obstacle that makes any sense, for where and how sold, is price point.

 

[FICHT 150]

GM, Ford, and Chrysler corporations had to build a car in Canada to sell a car in Canada. I don’t believe this rule applied to English car makers, but, I have seen Raleigh bikes that wear a “Made in Canada” decal, so, who knows?
I don’t know if this rule applied across other types of manufacturing, but, I would bet it did. Canadiens were too smart to just have products dumped in their substantial market without getting some security and manufacturing capabilities out of the deal.

Ted