Giant has followed the likes of Trek in announcing that it too will sell direct to the consumer in the United States from August.
With a beta programme rolling out from March alongside Giant Retail Partner Stores, online bike sales will be shipped to that customer’s local dealership for collection and setup. Payment on transactions will be with the bike dealer within 48 hours.
Giant Gear, however, will be shipped direct to the consumer with the brand handling returns and warranty without dealer involvement. In this instance the local retailer will still receive 100 percent of the margin if they already stock the product and 80 percent if they don’t.
In an email to the firm’s dealerbase US general manager John Thompson said: “Once we’ve refined our tools and processes, by August we plan to implement our omnichannel strategy to the entire U.S. market”
In many European territories Giant already makes use of a Click and Collect e-commerce platform.
Ian Beasant, Giant’s UK managaing director, described his territory’s investment in its dealerbase as a great success.
He told CyclingIndustry.News: “We launched this program at the end of 2011 and we have now successfully been running an online store site on behalf of our dealers for three years. The exciting news was that, in 2015, we have started using the dealer’s stock in store online, as well as increasing traffic, sales and profitability for Giant retailers.
“Giant is a brand taking responsibility for helping the dealer to sell through their stock, a brand actively promoting its retailers at the top of all search engines, ensuring that they can compete with the growing strength of key on line retailers and a brand investing in its retail channel.”
Beasant further told of how Giant partners have helped sell through “a healthy seven figure sum” using Click and Collect services.
In the sign off of his email, Thompson added: “The way consumers buy bikes and gear is rapidly advancing and we want our retailers to win as the environment transforms here in the U.S. Our Giant Web Link is 100 percent committed to helping you grow your retail store’s revenue, profits and business relevance.”
A pdf detailing the changes is now available to download on the G-Store homepage.
