Trek To Sell Direct To Customer

Let the hand wringing begin.

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/north-america/2015/08/03/trek-begin-online-bike-sales-%E2%80%94-dealers-will-assemble-bikes-and-get-service?utm_source=twitterfeed[HTML_REMOVED]utm_medium=twitter#.VcE7FeEYF2D

wow i dont see how LBS's will swallow that pill…

thats basicly like Trek asking LBSs to pay for the brick n mortar while Trek enjoys the profits…

It's just the first step in going fully online without the dealers margin to compete with Canyon.

In Europe Specialized, Trek, Giant etc are getting destroyed by Canyon, YT etc.

i think the writing has been on the wall for awhile that the whole support your local shop thing isn't working. I think this allows shops to concentrate on service, where they can make money and still be associated with a recognizable brand.

my 2cents

There will be a lot of brands following suit with this move. Bike shops still get 80% of their margins if the bike is delivered to the shop, so that was nice of Trek to include that. Shops will eventually become service only, unless there are circumstances that dictate otherwise.

The Fix in Whistler is service and small parts only and they seem to surviving. They also have a CNC machine in the shop where they make dérailleur hangers and stuff like that there. I suppose they might use that CNC machine for other non biking stuff too. Shops in Moab are pretty much clothing parts and service too as well as rentals, but that's a pretty unique situation. With factory selling like this though, shops won't have to carry as much inventory and will have easier access to all models. I think this type of buying is the wave of the future.

Anything has got to be better than the current generic LBS business model of having a store with a few hundred square feet while trying to sell (which means buying….) anything from run bikes through to $7000 plastic road and enduro bikes. It's Sods Law that they will never have the right size bike in stock for the person that walks through the door. And because they have all this money wrapped up in bike inventory, the parts selection is crap too.

It's just the first step in going fully online without the dealers margin to compete with Canyon.

In Europe Specialized, Trek, Giant etc are getting destroyed by Canyon, YT etc.

Cotic, On-One, Ragley, Stanton, Singular as well.

I believe one of our forum members in the UK works for one of the bike shop chains. And I believe he said in a previous thread how bike shops have evolved to tap the online market as well.

Grey market parts, all day long. Screw going through distributors as much as you can, especially when you're paying over twice as much.

I like what TBS in Kelowna does, although I'm not sure how they do it.

However this past weekend in Rossland, I was shocked to see a really well stocked shop (Revolution) being operated in such a tiny town. Very surprising to see all the p[HTML_REMOVED]a they had, as well as lots of bikes and 4-5 mechanics working at once. Of course, there are the NV shops like Steed Cycles, who are thriving. Sometimes it seems the brick and mortar store works quite well.

if one is buying factory direct maybe one could have the option of specing the bike more to their liking .

i have yet to buy a brand name bike and not end up changing half the parts out of the groupo , usually the little things 1st like grip,s , stem , etc.

be nice to have more options then here spend another $2K to get a brand name bars and 1 less sprocket up front and a different model tire .

Cotic, On-One, Ragley, Stanton, Singular as well.

I believe one of our forum members in the UK works for one of the bike shop chains. And I believe he said in a previous thread how bike shops have evolved to tap the online market as well.

Commencal as well.

if one is buying factory direct maybe one could have the option of specing the bike more to their liking .

i have yet to buy a brand name bike and not end up changing half the parts out of the groupo , usually the little things 1st like grip,s , stem , etc.

be nice to have more options then here spend another $2K to get a brand name bars and 1 less sprocket up front and a different model tire .

Would be like the old days when you bought a car, you went to the dealer took a test drive, went in picked your colour and interior and options, and then they shipped it to the dealer.

I was thinking if I ran a store, I would try to become a YT/Polygon/whatever dealer, have some demo bikes, then people order and have the bike shipped and assembled at the store-not everyone can build a bike nor wants to buy without a serious kick at the tires.

And it must be crazy expensive for stores to hold inventory in all sizes, colours, models etc. - think of all those 26inch bikes that were $5,000 two years ago, if they are still sitting in the shop taking up space….

Would be like the old days when you bought a car, you went to the dealer took a test drive, went in picked your colour and interior and options, and then they shipped it to the dealer.

I was thinking if I ran a store, I would try to become a YT/Polygon/whatever dealer, have some demo bikes, then people order and have the bike shipped and assembled at the store-not everyone can build a bike nor wants to buy without a serious kick at the tires.

And it must be crazy expensive for stores to hold inventory in all sizes, colours, models etc. - think of all those 26inch bikes that were $5,000 two years ago, if they are still sitting in the shop taking up space….

yup pretty much

as for inventory i doubt there are many stores that have 100% turn over on any product .

other issues i see right now are bikes are treated like new cars , hell i just got shipment of a brand new for 2015 model year bike , and less than 2 mths later they are starting to trickle 2016 crap into the mix . what ever happened to updating a design and calling it that not calling it a new model year .

yup pretty much

as for inventory i doubt there are many stores that have 100% turn over on any product .

other issues i see right now are bikes are treated like new cars , hell i just got shipment of a brand new for 2015 model year bike , and less than 2 mths later they are starting to trickle 2016 crap into the mix . what ever happened to updating a design and calling it that not calling it a new model year .

uhhhhh like Banshee?