疫情期间美国人疯抢自行车 供应商库存告急

A vicious cycle: Bike sales soar, causing shortages and "panic buying"

Cycling appears to have become the outdoors activity of choice for many Americans amid nationwide shutdowns from the coronavirus pandemic, as evidenced by the surge in bike sales in recent months. Indeed, bicycle makers report spikes in sales so dramatic as people look for ways to get outside and to safely commute that they are struggling to keep up with demand and are now grappling with inventory shortages.

骑自行车似乎已经成为疫情封锁期间许多美国人选择的户外活动，近几个月自行车销量大涨就是证明。自行车生产商报告称产品销量大增，因为人们都在寻找出门的方法和安全的通勤方式，结果导致厂商供不应求，库存告急。

Basic adult bicycles, known in the industry as "leisure" bicycles, have seen double- and triple-digit sales increases, according to research from NPD Group. Sales of adult leisure bikes were up 121% in March, according to its data.

根据NPD集团的研究，基本款成人自行车（业内称为休闲自行车）实现了两位数甚至三位数的销量增长。数据显示，三月份成人休闲自行车的销量上涨了121%。

"Consumers are looking for outdoor- and kid-friendly activities to better tolerate the challenges associated with stay-at-home orders, and cycling fits the bill well," NPD sports industry analyst Dirk Sorenson said.

NPD集团的体育行业分析师德克·索伦森称：“消费者正在寻找适合孩子的户外活动，能够更好地承受居家令带来的挑战，而自行车则刚好符合要求。”

Bevin Carroll, a partner in Bicycle Sport, a bike shop in Vero Beach, Florida, said customers started flocking to the spot about eight weeks ago and scooped up much of its inventory.

美国佛罗里达州维洛海滩一家名叫Bicycle Sport的自行车商店合伙人贝文·卡罗尔说，大约在八周前，顾客们开始蜂拥而至，买走了大部分库存。

scoop up 抢购一空

"We saw panic buying on bikes in the lower price range, around $400," he told CBS News. "People were just coming in and were going to buy anything we had on the floor at that entry price level."

他告诉CBS新闻网说：“我们发现抢购的都是低价位的自行车，价格在400美元（约合人民币2847元）左右。不断有人进店买这个入门价的任何自行车。”

What inventory remains is "really picked over" and mostly in the higher-end range, Carroll added.

卡罗尔补充道，库存所剩的都是“挑剩下的”，基本上都是高价位产品。

Dave Weiner, who founded Priority Bicycles, which makes low-maintenance bikes that can be ordered online, said he's worked at the company's New York City showroom until 1 am every morning this week fulfilling customers' orders. The online sales setup of his business has proved to be a model that works well in the coronavirus era.

可网上订购、易维护的自行车品牌Priority的创始人戴夫·韦纳说，这星期他每天都要在公司的纽约店面接单到凌晨一点。他们公司的网络销售模式被证实在这个疫情时期非常吃香。

"Demand has been tremendous, not only because more people are looking for a good social distancing activity and alternative modes of transportation, but also because people don't want to go into stores and we sell bikes online," Weiner said.

韦纳说：“需求量巨大，不只是因为更多人在寻找保持社交距离的活动和其他交通方式，还因为人们不想去商店，而我们在网上销售。”

Thank home-schooling, the closure of big office buildings and shuttered gyms for the sudden surge, NPD Group senior sports industry advisor Matt Powell said. "It's a good recess activity and people are looking for exercise they can do and still social distance and that falls right into the bike business for sure."

NPD集团的体育行业高级顾问马特·鲍威尔说，自行车销量突然大增要感谢在家上课、办公大楼和健身馆关闭。“骑车是一种很好的休闲活动，人们在寻找可以在社交隔离条件下进行的运动方式，这种情况正好对自行车行业非常有利。”

Still, there's a downside to the crush of new orders.

当然，堆积如山的新订单也有不利的一面。

"We are selling out of everything we have, which sounds amazing, but is not as good as it sounds because then you don't really have anything to sell," Weiner of Priority Bicycles said.

Priority自行车公司的韦纳说：“我们卖掉了所有库存，这听上去很棒，但并没有听上去那么棒，因为接下来我们没有任何可卖的东西了。”