Looking to find that perfect Trek bicycle? You know, the one that’s not on the local showroom floor but stares you down every time you boot up that browser? Like this team edition of the all new 2016 Madone?
Well, now you can order it up and have it drop shipped directly to your local Trek dealer. There, it’ll be professionally built, tuned and checked over, then you can pick it up. Same with any parts and accessories, except you’ll have the option of having those small bits shipped directly to your own address. Either way, the Trek dealer will get a commission on the sale.
The benefits to the customer are obvious. The benefits to the retailer may seem less so, but we can think of a couple. Namely, less concern about having to stock the higher end (and thus capital intensive) models, less need to stock a huge size and color range, and possibly having to stock less inventory overall. All without losing a cut of the sales.
Full press release about the new program below…
Before we get to the official PR, we spoke with our local Trek Store owner and he was excited about the program. Here’s why:
First off, more people are shopping online, which is an audience that largely escapes our local brick and mortar shop. This new program allows us to capture a much larger chunk of that, especially if someone breaks something on a ride and is doing their product search at midnight and the shop’s closed.
There’ll be a rebooted Dealer Locator system on Trek’s website that’ll not only help riders find a local shop, but help them find ones nearby with the parts they want in stock. It won’t go so far as to show exact inventory levels, but it will at least show if they have that part (and a quick phone call to verify is never a bad idea). So, when that midnight search may just yield a result within driving distance and get you back on your bike quicker.
Trek is also working a certified mechanics program and more programs to improve the customer experience when they do go into the shop. And those dealers that are best certified will likely see better opportunities for integrating into future sales and service programs, online or otherwise.
So, how quickly will you get your new bike or part?
“We’re working on a Wisconsin new distribution center to speed that up,” said Trek’s PR guy Eric Bjorling. “Bikes will ship via standard UPS. We’ll have three distribution centers in the U.S., one in CA, WI and NJ. Probably looking at a week at the most for it to arrive at the shop.”
According to the shop owner, the benefit of having the parts shipped to their shop rather than your house is that you won’t have to pay shipping (we’re verifying that with Trek and will update), and they’ll be able to professionally install it for you as soon as you bring your bike in. And as we all know, building a good relationship with your local shop often results in better service when you do need them to install or repair something. So, them getting a cut of any online sale you make means they won’t be so upset about you bringing your online order in for them to service.
That said, we waiting on confirmation as to whether the customer’s visit to TrekBikes.com store needs to originate through the local shop’s website (basically via an affiliate link) in order to earn a cut, or if it’ll be geographically based and require absolutely nothing of the retailer in order for them to earn a portion of each sale. We’ll update when we hear back.
UPDATES:
- All orders will generate a commission to the retailer regardless of where they originate.
- “Click and Pick” orders (those ordered online for pickup at a local retailer) will ship for free, no shipping cost to either the dealer or the customer. Shipping to a customer’s own address will be charged shipping.
Here’s the PR:
FROM TREK BICYCLE – Trek has unveiled a new e-commerce platform designed to make its brick-and-mortar retailers more competitive in an increasingly digital marketplace. Trek Connect E-commerce, unveiled to US retailers at the keynote address of the company’s annual retailer show, Trek World, will enable retailers to instantly have an online retail presence at no added cost to them. Beginning in September in the US, consumers will be able to shop Trek and Trek retailers whenever they wish with every single online sale made on trekbikes.com benefitting a Trek retailer. Every online sale made on trekbikes.com will result in a service commission, a percentage of the overall sale, paid to the retailer of the consumer’s choosing. The company is supporting its retailers’ new omni-channel strategy with Trek Connect Retail Marketing—a suite of digital, direct mail, and seasonal POP assets available exclusively to Trek’s committed retailers.
“This is a massive investment in the long-term success of our brand and our retailers,” Trek President John Burke said. “We believe the most successful companies in the future will all be omni-channel enabled and we are doing everything we can to make sure that future for our retailers is bright.”
Trek Connect E-commerce, available to Trek retailers at no cost, will be supported by Trek Connect Retail Marketing’s programs of seasonal brand campaigns, in-store merchandising, direct mail catalogs, search engine campaigns, automated email, and social media available at a nominal monthly fee. Retailers that participate in Trek Connect Retail Marketing will also have exclusive access to Trek’s design team for assistance with the creation of visual marketing assets. The product of a two-year long pilot program that included over 30 Trek retailers, Trek Connect was built from the direct feedback, experience, and needs of Trek retailers.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what Trek Connect means to our customers and David’s World Cycle and it’s really pretty simple: Customers not only have more choices than ever but also have less time. Trek Connect addresses both,” said David Sanborn of David’s World Cycle. “We ask three questions at David’s World Cycle whenever we ask ourselves what to do: Is it good for our customers, is it good for our partners, and is it good for David’s World Cycle? Trek Connect is a yes on all three.”
Consumers will have the option to ship their online accessories purchases to their home address or to a retailer for pickup, a process referred to as “click and collect.” All bikes ordered through trekbikes.com will be shipped to the retailer of the consumer’s choosing for build and delivery or pickup. Trek retailers will receive a service commission regardless of the consumer’s chosen delivery method.
Trek Connect will launch in the United States in September. As a test market, the US will serve as a development program and enable the company to evaluate the potential for expansion to other markets globally.
