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The coronavirus crisis is hitting the bicycle industry with full force. Above all Bike shops and retailers are suffering from the government's sales restrictions, as they are currently only allowed to offer their workshop service to customers.offer. But that is only one side of the coin. Because while small bike shops and local bike shops are losing sales, online retailers are benefiting. Amazon is a prime example. The US giant's business is booming like never before. Amazon would probably have continued its global triumph even without the coronavirus crisis, but now Amazon is growing at breakneck speed. But are the major bike direct mail order companies and online retailers also benefiting from the coronavirus crisis? Yes, at least to some extent. This is because the lockdown has meant that many people are ordering everything except food - and in some cases even toilet paper - almost exclusively online. This means that online retailers have never been as important as they are today. The bricks-and-mortar specialist retailers will suffer the most. We think so: All the more reason to buy a new bike or spare parts from your local dealer rather than ordering online. However, in these difficult times, retailers are also trying to make their own websites (if they have them), Facebook or via Digital marketplaces such as BikeExchange The BikeExchange team are now able to sell new bikes and bikes that they have in the shop and can currently only sell to customers over the phone. Ryan McMillan, Managing Director of BikeExchange, says: "We've seen a significant increase in sellers and brands contacting us over the last few days and weeks. We have also seen a significant increase in online sales. We are currently working closely with our dealers to ensure that they can quickly meet the increased demand."
Take your bike to the workshop now without long waiting times
No one in Germany serves the two sales worlds of online shop and bricks-and-mortar specialist retailer as successfully and comprehensively as Zweirad Stadler. There are 20 large Stadler branches in Germany alone in metropolises such as Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt. Stadler also plays a key role in the mail order business for bikes and bike parts with its Online shop right at the forefront. We asked Zweirad Stadler boss Bärbel Stadler how the bike business is going in times of the coronavirus crisis.
BIKE: Workshop service is allowed, personal sales are not. What is the current situation at Zweirad Stadler?
We currently offer a repair service in all stores between 10 am and 3 pm, and you can also make an appointment by phone. During this time, customers can also call the shops for advice on buying bikes, e-bikes and children's bikes. Customers can have their bikes delivered or collect them - by appointment.
How is the workshop service being received?
We continue to offer workshop services for our customers to keep everyone mobile and are happy to provide support wherever we can. Unfortunately, this cannot even begin to make up for the extremely seasonal nature of our business. However, we are still there for our customers on site, as are many of our colleagues.
Easter is approaching. This is traditionally a good time to buy a new bike. How does this currently work so that my child doesn't end up without a bike at Easter?
As always, Easter is the time for little bikers. As a result, the demand for children's bikes is also high now. These can be ordered either by phone on site, by e-mail or around the clock in the online shop.
The Corona bestsellers from Bike Components, Fahrrad.de and Rose
If you walk through a supermarket these days, the shelves normally stacked with toilet paper and pasta are usually empty. In pedestrian zones, city centres and shopping centres, on the other hand, it is eerily empty. In contrast, online retailers such as Amazon are shipping at full speed. We wanted to find out whether online bike shops such as Bike Components, Fahrrad.de and Rose are also benefiting from the coronavirus-related wave of purchases and which products mountain bikers and cyclists are currently hoarding or buying more often than average.
Rosebikes shop
The top seller in the Rose webshop - as with many others, by the way - were Roller traineralthough the month of March is not usually a good time to equip yourself for indoor training. In figures, this means: 1500% (!) more sales than last year. The most popular models are now out of stock, and in the worst case you have to reckon with a delivery time of 4-6 weeks. A second buying trend at Rose is Tools and Cleaning and care products. Whether torque spanners, toolboxes or assembly stands, there was increased demand for all of these items and workshop articles recorded growth of 80 per cent. In times of lockdowns and working from home, bikers have plenty of time to work on their bikes. Bicycle carrier for cars, on the other hand, were 50% worse than in the previous year, although experience shows that demand increases in March. But is the growth solely due to the coronavirus crisis? No, because even without these special circumstances, Rose had expected an increase in sales for 2020.
Fahrrad.de and Brügelmann
Two other European online bike giants are Fahrrad.de and Brügelmann. They are part of the Internetstores empire from Stuttgart. Here, too, we hear that Home trainers, especially roller trainershave been in extremely high demand over the past two weeks. However, a second buying trend is much more surprising, namely the High demand for bicycles. The surprise here is that more conventional bikes are being requested than e-bikes. E-bike growth is also lower than in the previous year compared to normal bikes. In addition, products such as Wheels, pedals, brakes and repair and care products significantly more popular than at the same time last year. If you have to stay at home, you have more time to get your bike ready for the summer. But is the increase solely due to the coronavirus? Probably not, because the weather in March 2019 was also significantly worse than in 2020, the "winter without winter" as Wetteronline writes.
Bike Components
The web shop of Aachen-based mail-order specialist Bike Components lists around 70,000 items. We also asked them what impact the coronavirus crisis is having on customer purchasing behaviour. Christoph Schmitt, Head of Product Management, replied:
"Although it's not really the typical season for roller trainers, they are experiencing their second spring after the winter. In other accessory and parts categories, it is clear that the bike season is approaching: customers who work on their bikes themselves are now using the time at home to get their bikes in shape, as they do every year. This always happens at this time of year and there is at most a marginal connection with the coronavirus crisis. Certainly, this year there will be a few more people who are getting their bikes ready themselves. But it's not the masses. We can say that with certainty based on our figures."
