Around the Workstand

We saw a wide variety of results for the stores we talked to and met with during 2025. The usual factors were in play - weather, geography, brands, staffing, etc - so we’re not sure how helpful the industry-wide, in-store sales data are as a reference point, so we’ll just say we heard it all. It felt like our stores had solid results in-store overall based on our conversations. There were certainly exceptions, but I heard a lot of folks saying they were up relative to 2024.

2025 vs 2024 on the Workstand platform - the number of stores with significant online sales was strong in 2025.
Dollars: +7.4% over 2024
Orders: +3.7% over 2024
Units: +3.7% over 2024

Perhaps the most surprising trend is that sales of electronics across the Workstand platform, once considered almost guaranteed to be fraudulent, are not only legit, but up 28% over 2024. Wild!

• What worked, what helped strong online and in-store sales?
• Focus on aged inventory - that's where margin goes to die, keep it lean and keep it moving
• Testing shipping options - for many shoppers, shipping costs matter more than the price of the item they are buying
• Ad spend - Returns were high for stores willing to invest
• Buying for online - there were deals to be had with many brands and suppliers, so buying the dips worked well
• Intentional content and marketing - good content matters, and intentional investment in the message paid off

We have upcoming events:

David will be leading an NBDA Superwebinar on January 26th, entitled, Making Your Data Work for Your Business, Episode 1 of the 2026 Workstand NBDA Webinar Series. It’s the first in a series of webinars we’re doing with NBDA this year. 

We’ll have a presence at CABDA Midwest in February. Workstand will have a booth and be speaking.
We'll have a team at Frostbike at the end of February.

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

For a bulk of the country, winter brings a sharp drop in temperatures, and predictably, a dip in bike sales. It’s easy to slip into "Winter Mode": reduced staff, decreased hours, and a collective deep breath until spring.

But here’s the reality check: You don't have to endure the off-season; you get to conquer it.

This slower period is not a negative to survive—it’s a powerful, dedicated block of time to invest in your business's future. It's time to stop waiting for spring and start turning your off-season into your post-season.

Here are seven ways to win your post-season! Dig into all the details on David's blog post.

1. Master Your Inventory

The Power Move: Schedule a full, one-day store inventory. Yes, you may need to close, but you will uncover far more than you would with piecemeal efforts—from misplaced tools to completely lost product.

2. Plan Your Product Assortment (and Displays)

Action Step: Use your historical data (see #4 below!) to create a detailed plan for your product mix. Get your staff involved. Plan out floor space and fixture needs.

3. Cash In, Clear Out: Strategic Markdowns

The Focus: Identify products that are six months old or older. Mark them down aggressively.

4. Unlock Data Power: POS Management

The Fix: I can almost guarantee that a quick peek into your POS will reveal dozens, if not hundreds, of items that are uncategorized or mislabeled. Dedicate staff time to correcting this.

5. Elevate Your Team: Unified Sales Training

Implementation: Select a training guide or framework that is easy for your entire team to learn, regardless of their position. Every single staff member should be on the same page.

6. Get Ahead: Build Your Marketing Calendar

The Blueprint: Create a simple calendar (digital or print) mapping out all major holidays, local bike races, shop events, and school breaks.

7. Deep Clean and Reset: Refresh Your Environment

The Task: Throw away that three-year-old expired POP. Get rid of broken fixtures. Pull workbenches away from the walls and scrub down the service area. Invest in new service mats.

Here at Workstand, we can literally help you with every single one of these areas—from running that critical inventory audit and cleaning up your POS data, to structuring your team's sales training.

Don't just survive the winter; prepare to dominate next season.

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Think about the last time you bought something important. Chances are, you didn't just walk into a store blind. You probably did some online research first. In fact, 83% of consumers now conduct research online before ever setting foot in a physical retail location. This means your website isn't just a digital brochure—it is, more often than not, the first impression a customer has of your entire business.

Imagine the busiest day your store has ever had. Now, imagine multiplying the traffic by 20x or even 100x. Our Top 100 dealers in revenue consistently attract an average of 20,000 unique visitors to their website every single month. Imagine 20,000 potential customers walking through your physical front door. That's a massive opportunity! Even with a modest 1% conversion rate, that foot traffic translates directly into 200 sales.

David's blog post

Is Your Digital Storefront Ready for Business?

Here are some essential tips to ensure you have a high-converting website:

1. Master Your Homepage Hero
The "above the fold" section—what customers see immediately without scrolling—is your digital elevator pitch.

2. Broadcast Brand Authority
Within seconds, a visitor needs to know who you partner with. This builds immediate trust and lets them know if you carry the products they're searching for.

3. Clearly Showcase Available Services
The products you sell are only half the story. Your services differentiate you from big-box retailers and online-only stores.

4. Highlight Key Categories (and Seasonal Items)
Guide your customers deeper into your site immediately.

5. Engage with Third-Party Integrations
Don't miss a chance to connect with your customers where they live online.

6. Grow Your List with a Pop-Up Page
The email list is a powerhouse marketing tool. An offer is the best way to grow it quickly.

7. Make Shipping and Policies Crystal Clear
Nothing kills a sale faster than confusing shipping costs or buried return policies.

8. Be Strategic About Product Pricing
Price is king, even in a specialty market. Your inventory is an asset—unless it’s priced incorrectly.

These eight steps will transform your website from a passive brochure into an active, high-performing revenue generator that treats your visitors with the attention they deserve.

Reach out to the Workstand team today, and let's put these conversion-boosting principles into action for you!

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Workstand provides many tools and resources to help your website stand out and to help it be a great resource for shoppers and other cyclists researching their local cycling community. In this episode, we talk about 4 ways to improve the look and feel of your site, from DIY with the help of our Client Success team, all the way to full custom design projects.

Help Center - Theme Editor and Page Editor - sample homepage from our library

Help Center - Best Practices

Homepage Makeover - $500 US

Premium Themes - Semi-Custom designs for $975 US

Custom Design Projects - starting around $3,000 US - Examples:

https://www.wheatridgecyclery.com/

https://www.redbike.ca/

https://www.angrycatfishbicycle.com/

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Two of the more common questions, especially from stores that are new to the Workstand platform, are ‘what are the keys to selling more?’ and ‘what are the really successful stores doing to grow?’. Generally speaking, a shop needs to have four elements to generate revenue.  These four elements work together, and missing just one can kill growth.

1. Products that are in demand - Shops need to have products that customers are searching for.  That can be 'the next cool gadget', the hot color way of a bike or helmet, or simply the right size.  Supplier Sync items are great, but having products in stock will lead to more sales. I would encourage stores to have a strong representation of a brand instead of 4 headlights from 4 different brands. 
   1. Watch our recent inventory tips episode for more details on stocking and merchandising strategies and tactics
2. Competitive pricing -  To have competitive pricing doesn't necessarily mean to have to beat the lowest price on the market, but at least match the lowest price.  Online shoppers are inherently looking for deals, so by not being competitive, you are removing your shop from a sales opportunity. 
   1. Understand when/where you have pricing power and when you don’t 
3. Competitive shipping - Nobody wants to pay for shipping.  If your shipping rates are not competitive, especially for an item that can be generally purchased from 20 other shops, then you will most likely lose that opportunity. Shipping rates and rules can easily be changed, so take some risk and get a good feel of what works.
   1. Leverage Supplier Fulfillment
   2. Listen to the recent episode where we discuss shipping as a marketing tool
4. Google Ads - You can have the above 3 elements covered, but without ads, your products are less likely to be seen.  However, without all 3 elements mentioned above, your ads can be ineffective.  
5. Bonus - have all of the payment options for customers, Stripe/CCs, PayPal, Financing

Finally, don’t forget the basics. Merchandising matters in the store and on the website. Keep it updated, keep it fresh, keep it seasonally relevant. Most of all, keep it accurate. Provide clear calls to action, focus on providing value and actionable information to your customers/the customers you want.

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Taking a moment to reframe some thinking that evolved negatively from brick and mortar processes, and that should be thought of as growth opportunities these days. Shipping costs aren't just a dead expense. They can be a tool for strategic growth and customer satisfaction.

Read more in this blog post

• Shipping Best Practices
  • Your shipping out expense should be considered a marketing expense, and not just a margin killer 
    • Similar to your in-store sales, which have a rent, utility, wages, and expenses, online sales will have their own expenses.
  • Utilize services such as Supplier Fulfillment
    • For a low, very reasonable cost, items can be picked, packaged, and shipped on your behalf directly to your customers’ doorsteps using Workstand's Supplier Fulfillment feature.
  • The mechanics of shipping
    • Bike Flights (save 5% from QBP’s Bike Flights Top Shop program) / Kitzuma 
    • Shippo
    • Recycle Packaging
    • Labeling

You can reach David at [email protected]!

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Julie Walsh, Account Manager and Marketing Strategist from the Workstand Marketing Agency Team, joins the podcast to talk about successful strategies for sales success during the 2025 holiday season. Julie has also published a new blog post with even more details and additional resources to help you grow sales in a challenging and competitive market.

The high-level tips are:
1. Look through the eyes of your customers
If your homepage feels a little out of season, revamp your website for the holidays with a homepage takeover.

2. Make shopping easy
Shoppers prioritize convenience when purchasing online.

Simplify things by bundling content and scheduling it through the end of the year with pre-built content like Cyber Week, Holiday Sale, and Last-Minute Gifts.

3. Win local search campaigns
Corner your local cycling market with Google Ads. Shoppers often look to Google first for desirable products—get your inventory at the top of search results so it’s always top of mind.

4. Stay top of mind on all channels
Staying connected with your customers is key to keeping them engaged through the holidays and into the new year.

Don’t forget the power of traditional mail, too. Sending a physical holiday postcard or flyer to your customer list adds a personal, memorable touch that stands out in a digital-heavy season.

5. "Set and forget” customer communication
When you don’t have time to plan out email campaigns, you can still keep in touch with customers by sending out automated emails after they’ve made a purchase with Workstand IQ Loyalty.

6. Leave it to us
There are plenty of ways you can take the pressure off, we have everything you need to get your site ready for the busy season.

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Key Accounts Advisor, David Martinez, works with Workstand merchants to improve many aspects of in-store and online sales execution to grow sales while increasing margin. Inventory management is an important part of David's work with bike shops.

As we’ve brought on more dealers to the Digital Advisor Services program, some trends have emerged, offering useful tips for other stores. Obvious, you say? If they are obvious to you, that’s great, but they come up often enough that we think they are worth covering. What may not be obvious is that we’re talking about both in-store and online sales. 

• Curating your product assortment
  • Listen and learn from  your customers, staff, and community
    • What are customers asking for that you don’t have?
      • Bonus tip: Supplier Sync as an indicator of interest
    • Products your staff actually use - Your staff will enjoy selling items they actually use
    • Consider ancillary products - Are you in a beach town and do lots of rentals?  Offer beverages, towels, sunscreen, etc.
  • Curate around your brand/focused categories (MTB, road, e-bike, family) - it’s easy to be a roadie store that also sells MTB and not take the extra step for what isn’t your primary focus, but it matters
    • MTB’ers need gloves, helmets, tires, sealant, and colored pedals
    • Roadies love nutrition, sunglasses, and computers
    • E-bikes: mirrors, bells, baskets, battery chargers, phone mounts
    • Family: fun helmets, bells, horns, burley trailers, 
  • Buying is important, but sell-through is what matters most
    • Monitor your aged inventory and strategize a plan for markdowns
    • Take notes on what is working and what’s not working.  Don’t make the same mistakes season after season.  
      • How many different brands of black shorts/bibs do you need?
    • Does your assortment/levels align with your floorspace
      • Maintain as little backstock 
        • Minimizes shrinkage, theft, and aged inventory
      • How many of ‘X’ fit on a hook on your floor

Bonus Topic

• 2nd tier e-bike brands
  • The market is FLOODED with these brands.  
  • Margins can look attractive, but brand recognition is low, so you and your staff really need to believe in the product
    • Online sales can be difficult because of low brand awareness
  • Service parts can be difficult to get, causing a bad customer experience

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

It's time again to review the data and metrics from the Workstand platform and talk about what we can learn from sales across our platform. 

• August Workstand platform metrics
  • Ecommerce sales saw another month of double-digit growth on Workstand. 
  • Online order volume was the strongest it’s been all year, with a YOY increase of 8%, with 20,459 orders being the highest volume of any month this year. 
  • Sessions saw another month of decline at -11% (assumed from AI search adoption), but revenue per session remains strong at +24%. 
  • For the first time since February, the typical dealer did not show growth. Instead, platform growth was driven by high-volume sellers. 
  • We don’t like to see that number because our typical dealer tends to be predictive of the overall market numbers we’ll see from PFB within the coming weeks. 
  • We don’t see any changes in category sales trends that I’ve commented on over the last several months.
• Google search data
  • Online research for “best bike” at 2022 levels
  • By that measure, demand might be stabilizing, even if unit and dollar sales volume overall, as measured by People For Bikes, is still down, a promising sign
  • Searches containing “bike shop” continue multi-year decline
  • We’re talking 2005 levels!
  • That doesn’t mean bike shops can’t thrive, but you need to connect with customers in a more modern way
  • You have to win Google searches for products! You NEED ecommerce. 
  • There will be no “return to normal” in this metric. Retail has changed.
  • This is an alarm bell metric that bike shops need to adapt to if they want to meet the consumer demand that’s recovering

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].

Matt Lolli came to Workstand after a long career working in successful bike shops. Matt works with brands and suppliers who want to use Workstand technology and services to support local bike shops in growing sales and better serve their customers.

Here’s a high-level overview of Brand & Supplier services that we’ll be discussing in detail later in the episode. 

• Why do brands and suppliers choose to engage with us? 
• What is in it for merchants? 

Catalog Enrichment

• Cornerstone of our service - adds products to the Workstand library
• Reduces work for dealers - allows them to devote more time to what they’re good at
• Free for brands & suppliers

Price Integrity

• Updates your pricing (MAP + MSRP) across our ecosystem with a single file upload to correct accidental pricing violations 

Supplier Sync

• Allows dealers to display an expanded inventory assortment they don’t have room to stock, or are sold out of, that is available in a supplier’s warehouse. 

Supplier Fulfillment

• Allows dealers to capture sales transactions online and pass the fulfillment process to their suppliers.
• Suppliers get more sales activity out of their existing network of dealers, and by leveraging their logistical excellence, get products into the hands of customers faster & more efficiently.

Buy Local Now

• Product location integration that connects ready-to-buy consumers on a brand’s consumer-facing website with stocking dealers nearby.
• Retailers need not be a subscribing hosted dealer to be included in the search results (Free BLN Accounts) 

Buy Local Now PRO

• We offer brands a twice daily report that shares dealer’s stocking levels down to the SKU level (QOH).

 Partner Pages

• Workstand can build marketing campaigns using a brand’s assets to promote and amplify product launch, national campaign style sales, evergreen brand pages, and more.

Wrap up

• How can brands and suppliers get involved? Email [email protected]
• What should individual merchants do if they work with a brand that isn’t working with us yet but should be? Tell the brands to reach out to Matt!

Be sure to email your questions to [email protected]. We read all emails sent, and we look forward to hearing from you.

If you're a Workstand client with questions about your subscription, email [email protected] or call 303-527-0676 x 1. If you are not currently a Workstand client with questions about how our programs work, email [email protected].

Find Us on LinkedIn
Mark Still, Senior Business Development
David Martinez, Key Accounts Advisor

We also publish Around the Workstand on our YouTube channel if you'd like to watch while you listen. Here is our Around the Workstand playlist.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed in this episode of Around the Workstand or if you have ideas for new topics we can cover, schedule a time to meet with Mark Still here or email [email protected].