Specialized Germany is taking a further step in its omnichannel concept. Until now, you could only have Specialized accessories delivered in Germany. Other specialist retail brands are doing the same with their Click and collect options, such as Trek, Giant or Scott. But Specialized is going one step further. From Monday, 7 February 2022, it will now be possible to order the bikes online and they will then be delivered directly to your home.
From 7 February, mountain bikers and road cyclists will have two options for obtaining a new Specialized bike.
- The first variant is "Ship to Home". Here, customers are provided with the bike "pre-assembled and ready for use in just a few steps". If you do need help, you can contact the "Rider Care Team" or your local Specialized dealer. This option is not available for e-bikes.
- Furthermore, the US-Americans have a Second option presented: "Specialised Delivery". Here, the new bike is also delivered directly to your home. However, you don't have to assemble it yourself; instead, professional bike mechanics assemble it and customise the bike to your personal preferences. This assembly service should not incur any extra costs.
What do Specialized dealers say about direct shipping?
In order to get a more precise overview, we have worked with German Specialised-dealers on the phone and asked them for their opinion. Both shop owners insisted that we do not mention the names of their bike shops in the article.
Specialized dealer Martin I. explained the problem as follows: "The Specialized cake is now being redivided. The dealers are only getting small pieces of it". As a result, fewer bikes are now flowing into the specialised trade, although demand is still high, Martin I. suspects.
Another dealer from northern Swabia says behind closed doors: "He thinks it's a shame that Specialized has deviated from its core values and is now also selling online and no longer only through stationary dealers."
The two shipping methods for Specialized bikes presented here will first be available in selected test regions and will be expanded over time. BIKE will stay tuned and report back.
