Our mission is to enable Competitive UK based Skaters to be able to access and afford the best custom fitted equipment for them.
The Manchester Skate Shop will offer long term rentals on new and used equipment for roller derby, roller hockey and inline hockey
We're active Roller Derby Skaters, and the story of our journey through our roller skating lives has been echoed time and time again, up and down the country.
We joined an established team in 2012 and fell in love.
Buying your first set of skates can be really daunting when you feel like Bambi, want to be better but scared you might always be just that little bit shit. Renos were recommended by our coach. We compared them with some Riedells borrowed from another skater. However when we tried the Renos, they felt better after a few laps so we bought them.
Time passed, we skated more, we tried on more skates as and when someone came along with the same sized foot and a new exotic magical setup. As skills started to feel better in others skates we began tweaking.
Nowadays we have a completely custom setup, one that we have painstakingly tweaked and modified as we've learnt more about our own skating and what we need from equipment based on our sizes, weights, strengths and weaknesses. Our current setups have an RRP of around £500, but has easily cost us over £5000 in the past 5 years in terms of what we have tried and dismissed.
UK Roller Derby Recyclables has been the best resource ever, we've changed out wheels, we've changed plates, cushions, boots, bearings, not even the bolts remain now from our original setups. We've bought, we've sold, we've traded, we've swapped - all blindly on the internet and all in the hope that the next leap would be the leap home
Oh Boy!
The Manchester Skate Shop is a Quantum Leap in the way skaters access new and used equipment for competitive skating. We want to put an end to the feelings of dissatisfaction with your skate setup, and allow you to find the right skate setup for you, without constantly having to find lump sums for your next guess of a purchase.
How it Works
The Manchester Skate Shop will offer long term rentals on new and used equipment for roller derby, roller hockey and inline hockey. Our dedicated premises in Manchester will be home to all of our stock of new and used equipment.
Not based in or live anywhere near Manchester?
Fear not our travelling store can visit your training sessions, events and games to allow skaters immediate access to our stock.
Want to try new wheels before buying?
Cool, rent them for a few months and see if you like them.
Want to try a different boot or plate?
Sure thing, we can rent one to you for as long as you need/want it.
Want to buy something you've tried?
Great! you can either buy a brand new version, or buy the one you've been renting at a discounted rate.
Instead of buying then trying, lets change the way this works, to trying then buying!
How Much Will This Cost?
We want to provide this unique service in the simplest and most affordable way that we can. We will stock all major brands, models and sizes.
Our rental rate on all equipment is 10% of RRP monthly, charged monthly.
Yes just 10%
With our rentals, you can treat them as your own, you can train with them, you can bout with them, you can wrap them up safely at the end of the day and give them a special nook in your skate bag. We will not limit your testing of our rental stock.
What We Need
For the initial phase of the project to get off the ground, we need to raise £10,000 in funding.
We have identified and began talking with a number of suppliers. The feedback so far, from the big name brands, has been really positive and they are behind the project. The one hurdle we have to overcome is locating a physical premises from which to operate.
We have identified a standalone B8 Warehouse unit, 5 minutes outside of the city centre with 24/7 direct access, which we will be using to store our stock.
From knowing our sport and the nature of our sport, we have chosen to launch as a travelling pop-up shop. You will see by the perks, we are looking to COME TO YOU and let you try out our stock.
- 40% of the funding raised will go towards leasing a VW Transporter Van
- 50% of the funding raised will be invested in initial stock
- 10% of the funding raised will cover the associated acquisition costs of the premises
An injection of £10k will allow us to begin supplying Wheel Rentals by 1st September 2017.
We will have availability every day throughout September to be able to turn up at your training session, bout or event; fully loaded with a wide variety of wheel stock and ready for you to try immediately. Whilst we are at your event, you can try one set of wheels or 10 sets of wheels, all for set low price, you can then decide if you want to rent the wheels, buy the wheels, or just stick with what you already have.
Check out our perks to see how you can be one of the first to get us at your event.
By January 2018, we will have rented out over 300 sets of wheels and then be able to supply full custom boot setups, both new and used, and be able to offer the ultimate in affordable customisation services.
Where We are Going
Achieving £10k in startup funding would be a dream come true, but will not take us anywhere near where we want to be. This round of funding is the first building block in truly revolutionising the way that Competitive Skaters access equipment.
Following a successful first round, we will be equipped to offer wheel rental services to 200 Skaters in the UK. The current estimate size of the UK Roller Derby Community alone is 14,000 active skaters, growing at a rate of 10%/year.
The revenue from the first 100 rentals, will be reinvested to fund increasing stock levels of wheels and building the wheel rental service. Thereafter 25% of revenue will be reinvested in wheel stock.
Overheads will be kept deliberately low to aid growth into offering boot, plate and equipment rentals. With the next area of investment being decided by Targeted Market Research conducted throughout September and October 2017.
From the conversations we have had with other skaters, leagues and interested parties, a market share of 10% looks to be achievable within 3 years, translating to a turnover of £450k and an expected profit of £100k/a. With only 4 main competitors in the market, and no service offering this level of flexibility and freedom, we will only be limited by our own resources.
The Manchester Skate Shop is an independent Ltd company based out of Ardwick Sports Hall in Manchester. We are part of the larger community project- Manchester Roller Sports. Manchester Roller Sports is an exciting not for profit project, which in the next 3 years will see the existing sports hall demolished and replaced with a Roller Sports Centre of excellence. The new building will host a WFTDA/International Hockey sized floor, a dedicated skaters gym, seating for upto 500 spectators and your very own Manchester Skate Shop main store offering rentals, sales and maintenance.
From that central location, The Manchester Skate Shop will then look to franchise out its model to allow immediate access to rentals, in stores around the country. Within 5 years, we estimate a UK Market share of at least 20% to be achievable, translating to a turnover of £1.1m with a profit of around £220k.
We currently benefit from:
- 10+ years high volume high turnover retail experience
- 10+ years high pressure customer service experience
- 2 x dedicated full time actively skating staff
- Free Website Design, Build, Maintenance & Support
- Free Digital and Offline Marketing advice and guidance
- Discounted Accounting and Legals
- Support from the best suppliers in the market
and are always looking to make more connections and find the best and most straightforward way to reach our goals.
We have big plans, a solid model and a clear route to Market.
If you are considering our 1% equity perk, our expected ROI in 5 years, for an investment of £2k, would be: £3800 =13.7%
How You Can Help
We need support from the Roller Derby Community to get this project up and running and meeting your needs.
Please share this campaign, donate whatever you can, take advantage of one of our perks and spread the word.
Helping us helps you, your team mates, your league and your community.