疫情期間美國人瘋搶自行車 供應商庫存告急

新冠肺炎疫情暴發之後，美國人不但囤口罩、囤衛生紙、囤槍，而且還搶購自行車。隨着美國各地陸續開工，不敢乘坐公共交通的美國人只能騎車通勤，而且騎車也是健身人士目前最好的選擇。結果就是，美國的自行車商店供不應求，低價位自行車都被搶購一空。

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.

騎自行車似乎已經成爲疫情封鎖期間許多美國人選擇的戶外活動，近幾個月自行車銷量大漲就是證明。自行車生產商報告稱產品銷量大增，因爲人們都在尋找出門的方法和安全的通勤方式，結果導致廠商供不應求，庫存告急。

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.

根據NPD集團的研究，基本款成人自行車（業內稱爲休閒自行車）實現了兩位數甚至三位數的銷量增長。數據顯示，三月份成人休閒自行車的銷量上漲了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集團的體育行業分析師德克·索倫森稱：“消費者正在尋找適合孩子的戶外活動，能夠更好地承受居家令帶來的挑戰，而自行車則剛好符合要求。”

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.

美國佛羅里達州維洛海灘一家名叫Bicycle Sport的自行車商店合夥人貝文·卡羅爾說，大約在八週前，顧客們開始蜂擁而至，買走了大部分庫存。

scoop up: 搶購一空

"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."

他告訴CBS新聞網說：“我們發現搶購的都是低價位的自行車，價格在400美元（約合人民幣2847元）左右。不斷有人進店買這個入門價的任何自行車。”

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

卡羅爾補充道，庫存所剩的都是“挑剩下的”，基本上都是高價位產品。

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.

可網上訂購、易維護的自行車品牌Priority的創始人戴夫·韋納說，這星期他每天都要在公司的紐約店面接單到凌晨一點。他們公司的網絡銷售模式被證實在這個疫情時期非常吃香。

"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.

韋納說：“需求量巨大，不只是因爲更多人在尋找保持社交距離的活動和其他交通方式，還因爲人們不想去商店，而我們在網上銷售。”

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集團的體育行業高級顧問馬特·鮑威爾說，自行車銷量突然大增要感謝在家上課、辦公大樓和健身館關閉。“騎車是一種很好的休閒活動，人們在尋找可以在社交隔離條件下進行的運動方式，這種情況正好對自行車行業非常有利。”

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

當然，堆積如山的新訂單也有不利的一面。

"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自行車公司的韋納說：“我們賣掉了所有庫存，這聽上去很棒，但並沒有聽上去那麼棒，因爲接下來我們沒有任何可賣的東西了。”