Scott are now selling directly through their own online shop on scott-sports.com while continuing to supply retailers, giving customers the choice of free delivery through the site or picking up their order from a Scott stockist.
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Speaking to Cycling Industry news, Scott's MD in the UK Dave Rainsford said: “stores have been kept well informed and have been involved for the past six months in this transition. The way consumers are shopping is changing, but our platform remains considerate to the dealers and favourable to stores.”
Scott will afford customers the choice to either order kit, equipment and bikes for a home delivery or to have purchases sent to dealers, with the latter presumably useful for those who want their bikes set up or upgraded before they ride away. While critics will say sales are potentially being taken away from the retailer, Scott's head of e-commerce Norbu Chopathar says it's positive for their trader network: “Within the Scott Network Program, Scott dealers will be playing a central role in the successful deployment of this new channel. Numerous contact points and a business model covering all channels are the key to success and continued growth for everyone concerned in our industry. Together we want to provide new digital contact points for our dealers. In this way, we can offer our customers the possibility to combine the advantages of online purchasing with the strengths of a local outlet such as proximity, consultation and expert service”
One of the most prevalent names in the direct-to-consumer approach is Canyon, and while the increase in brands offering a direct option is on the rise, most offer an in-between solution so customers still have the option of getting some added expertise from a bike shop with their purchase - with Trek being one of the largest bike brands who offer this service in the UK. Giant, for example, offer a click and collect service whereby all bikes sold on the website are subjected to a full build and PDI from any Giant or Liv retailer they are collected from. Specialized are another who offer a click and collect service only through their Concept Store franchises, and brands such as Van Nicholas also offer home delivery or sales through retailers like Scott are now doing.
Is Scott's approach the way forward for the bike industry? Have your say in the comments
After cobbling together a few hundred quid during his student days off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story), Jack bought his first road bike at the age of 20 and has been hooked ever since. He joined road.cc in 2017, having previously worked for 220 Triathlon magazine. Jack's preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking (the latter being another long story), and on Sunday afternoons he can often be found on an M5 service station indulging in his favourite post-race meal of 20 chicken nuggets, a sausage roll, caramel shortbread and a large strawberry milkshake.