BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Last week, Specialized announced that it will launch direct-to-consumer sales in the UK on 1st February.
The latest development in the company’s business model will come with three major details – the Ship to Home option, Specialized Delivery, and Pedal The Planet forward.
The Ship to Home offer will let customers choose their bike and ship it to their desired location, pre-built with minimal assembly. A Rider Care Specialist will then be available to offer over-the-phone advice for assembly, while Specialized retailers can also help following delivery.
Specialized Delivery will let customers order their bike directly to their chosen destination, and a professional technician will then ensure the bike fits and is properly set up. They will then register the bike, go over basic maintenance, and stay with the customer while they go for a spin. Specialized said the new delivery options are part of a larger initiative to get bikes to as many people as possible, encouraging cycling as transportation and as a way of life.
But we want to hear from you, BikeBiz readers, on what you make of Specialized’s decision to launch direct-to-consumer sales.
How will it affect the industry, and your business? Do you think other brands might follow suit and make a similar decision in the near future?
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News emerged last week that Specialized would be offering direct online sales to customers in the US from tomorrow, 1st February. The UK wing of Specialized then confirmed that it too will be offering online sale and delivery services.
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Specialized UK had planned to unveil the new service as it launched, but decided to bring forward the announcement after the publication of details from the US market.
