Like Trek, Giant Will Begin Selling Directly to Consumers

While the local bike shops are being reassured they will still get a percentage of the sales that originate online, I wonder if this really is a change for the better?

Will consumers be able to try bikes before testing to ensure they have the right size? It doesn't sound like it if LBS will no longer stock the bikes. 

Are local bike shops getting stuck with bikes that consumers don't want once they are ordered and shipped? This would not be good for the LBS that will have to keep inventory that may be hard to move.

It worries me that the overall buying experience could be impacted. I love online and eCommerce for many purchases but I am not entirely convinced buying a $2-3k bike online would be ideal for me. 

I also worry about the impact on the LBS - we have lots of great shops in our area and I'd hate to see any of them close because the model changed in such a way it is no longer possible to sustain their business. If I had a choice between a bike of a smaller brand that I can test ride at my local bike shop vs. one I'd buy online without testing, I'd lean towards the smaller brand. 

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/news/giant-to-sell-directly-to-...

What do you think? Do you like this new model?

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on February 19, 2016 at 3:24am

Not at all, however i once worked in a shop whose owner buried us with stock in the theory that we needed one bike each of every size and colour  so a customer could ride out the door immediately after purchase with the bike of his choosing.

 Needless to say, the shop didn't survive many years, largely because we couldn't give away the last year's models. A very poor business model that was the downfall of so many shops during the Bike Boom.

  i don't envy the shop owner who has to balance his inventory, especially with the industry's pressure of coming up with the very latest fad in bikes and componentry every six weeks (Shimano comes to mind,) and the murderous competition from e-commerce.

 Today's LBS lives and dies by its service and mechanics' skills. It's nearly impossible for a brick & mortar business to keep up a reasonable inventory of bikes and parts without either choking on it or starving for it. 

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on February 19, 2016 at 4:38am

Thanks Mike, lots of good insight. I think this goes back to why I do my best to frequent the local bike shops that do good business. I have my tune-ups, buy tires, tubes, and gear locally. The last bike I bought is a Focus Cx bike that I fell in love with when I saw it in the window at Turin. I do think there's something to be said about the emotional attachment we have to our bikes. I wasn't really in the market for a cx bike but i managed to find a way to make it happen and after having bought gear and services from Turin, I felt really comfortable buying a bike from them. 

Permalink Reply by mike w. on February 19, 2016 at 11:05am

Bought my first decent road bike from Turin Evanston in '72. Learnt many of my mechanic's skills just hanging out there whilst waiting for the shipment to come in . Good times.

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