September ecommerce metrics show consumers shopping but the typical bike shop not seeing the results online.

• Site traffic remains strong at +7%
• Google search volume for “bike shop” comparable to last year
• Total ecommerce sales +7%
• Typical dealer ecommerce sales -11% (leading indicator for industry)
• 1,800 fewer click & collect orders than August = less retail traffic

PeopleForBikes Webinar

• Nerd Collective
• Stock to Sales ratio (retail and supplier)
• Discounting

The Pro’s Closet will close in October

Employees and clients impacted by Hurricane Helene - buy DeFeet socks

• 3 employees

How to Thrive this Holiday Season - webinar with NBDA 

• Thursday 11 am MTN 
• Focus on ways to create more selling opportunities this season
• Marketing is a numbers game - the more you get in front of potential shoppers, the more selling opportunities you’ll have
• Digital marketing + Google 
• Efficiency and effectiveness will be a priority

Keep up with website and POS features new releases

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

Gearing up for our season

• Fall is when shops start working “on” the business, not “in” the business
• For 25 years, without fail, our phone rings off the hook in the fall
• Gonna have a lot to talk about this year
• Always talking about websites, ecommerce, and Google search
• Point of sale is the center of a lot of our conversations
• BRAIN: 35% of shops are considering a change in POS in the next 12 months

We delivered for shops this summer

• Early adopters used all season
• Reviews have been great
  • Simple. Modern. Easy to use.
• Has the exact features most shops use
• Clients have great ideas that will make it even better
• Advantage of working with a smaller company like us
• We listen to our customers

Why we are the best choice

• Everything you need to streamline your bike shop
• 25 years of experience helping bike shops modernize
• Trusted by the entire bike industry
• Friendly and knowledgeable service by people that know the business of bikes
• No debate. We have the best data.
• Feature to feature we are very competitive
• Easy for everyone in the shop to use

What we have

• Everything you need to help a customer at the register
• Work orders to help you run a professional service department
• Better inventory management that companies like Square or Clover
• SMS text messaging built in
• Hands down the best supplier data integrated throughout the software
• Customer service you can count on

What to do if you want to learn more 

• Keep it simple
• Call us or request a demo
• No pressure. Want you to be informed.
• If you choose to sign up
  • Get you up and running fast with easy onboarding
  • A member of our team will be with you at every step

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

Ryan has a cool trip planned with friends on the Aquarius Trail hut to hut next week. 6 days in Southwest Utah with Nebraska friends and no logistics work required.

June retail sales PeopleforBikes

• Bright spot is inventory stabilizing across the channel
  • I’m joining a PeopleForBikes webinar later this month to discuss
• June is typically the high point for sales, but this year the month was very soft. 
• Bike shops were -11% in total sales dollars for the month
  • Bicycle sales -13% and unit sales were -17%
  • Higher unit prices and shift toward more expensive electric bikes
• Bike prices are still falling, but not at the same rate as unit sales. 
  • 29” wheel mountain and most road categories are showing some of the best price stability - likely a reflection of returning category health and new product releases. 
• Bicycle repairs are an essential revenue source for shops. June saw the highest YOY increase in bike shop service/repair dollars since 2020, but that’s paired with the lowest number of service orders in eight years. 
• While service departments are bringing in increased revenue, there’s a bit of caution mixed in as fewer bikes are likely being worked on. 
• Chart in the email tells a clear story on long term trends. Dealers need to join PeopleForBikes and start getting these monthly market reports.

August ecommerce results from Workstand

• Very good August for some (+11% compared to -2% in July)
• Better than July for most (-9% compared to -17% in July)
• Site traffic up all year, August best at +13%
• Trend continues - Order volume down and average order up
• Store pickup May-August 32,000 orders (lot of store traffic)

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

We often get wrapped up in the day-to-day, putting out fires type activities, and we don’t want this to sound preachy but, cycling competes with other consumer goods for attention and dollars so bike shops that don’t stay top of mind with the shoppers who have already done business with them are at a disadvantage but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Sometimes I’m sure we all wish it weren’t this way, there is a lot of communication but people who make meaningful purchases receive communication from the stores they shop with. So today’s question is, are you communicating with your key customers in the way Home Depot, Best Buy, and Nordstroms are?

Importance of regular outreach - not just during major promotional periods. 

Busy season or not, consistent outreach yields better results than only communicating when you want to sell something.

How?

Social - use an 80/20 or 90/10 rule - 90% engaging, interesting, community info - 10% promotional

Physical events - be at the places your customers are just to be there

Transactional emails - reach out based on the products and services your customers purchased from you - want to try our WorkstandIQ Loyalty program? Mention this episode and get 6 months free! 

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

Suzie is under the weather this week so Ryan and Mark take on recent issues affecting the retail bicycle landscape. We hope you feel better soon, Suzie!

Law firm focused on electric bike injuries

Electric Bike Library Content - included in all Workstand website subscriptions

Premium Electric Bike Content - included in our Marketing Subscription, available to all Workstand website clients for $400 per campaign.

Learn about People for Bikes

https://www.peopleforbikes.org/

NBDA Retailer & Supplier Best Practices panel discussions are worth checking out!

We are gathering data on bike shops to understand the market. We want to know for sure how many bike shops are operating.

Greed - why have some suppliers and retailers characterized themselves as greedy during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Ryan’s LinkedIn post of a BBC report from 1997

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

Tips for making your website your own. The closer your website aligns with your in-store presentation, the better. Shoppers generally meet your website before they visit the store so take an honest look at your site and answer the following question - is your website what you want to present to potential customers? Is it what you wouldn’t say to them if they were in your store? 

• Working with the included templates and theme editor
  • There are 7 templates to start with
  • Add your logo and set your brand colors
  • Local photos - you do not need a professional photographer
  • Local content - where to ride, staff, history, unique value proposition
  • Our Help Center has great tips and instruction and our Client Success Team can guide and train you in making updates
• Premium Themes - here’s something new we’ve come up with
  • Based on our popular Premium Content Packages
  • Semi-custom themes for a reasonable investment of $1,499 and can be completed in a week or less
  • Many to choose from with additional designs added each quarter
• Full Custom Design - as unique as your business
  • Design and content planning
  • Let your imagination run wild - take inspiration from other industries, websites, print, nature, anything
  • Project costs start around $3,000 and generally land between $4,000 - $8,000 (can be higher) and typically take 6 -8 weeks to complete

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

Welcome Around the Workstand!

Summit - we met as a team recently

• Big characters. Great culture.
• Aligned behind our purpose
• Awesome leadership team

Industry talk

• Trek D2C announcement
  • Expected evolution
  • Seems to be a relatively well thought out program
  • Unknown impact
  • Playbook - Have a great digital strategy
    • More important than ever
    • We’ve got you covered on technology and marketing
• June online results
  • Platform flat overall
    • Driven by Google advertisers and bike sales
  • Typical dealer down 8%
  • Site visits see continued growth over 2023 but slowing
  • Order volume remains down 13%
  • Offset by - Average order value up 16% compared to 2023
  • As expected strongest click and collect performance
    • 41% of orders
    • Roughly at 2019 levels
    • Down from COVID highs of 60%
    • Sign that the typical dealers are getting store traffic from orders
• Collision conference in CO
  • AI was everywhere
  • Clearly going to be impactful on business
  • Zero click search one of first areas of impact

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

As a fully remote company, Workstand teams try to get together in person once or twice yearly. This week is one of those times and our Client Services Team - Client Success, Catalog, and Business Development - will be meeting in Boulder, CO. We may be a little slower to respond than usual but it's for a good cause. Weeks such as these are always full of learning moments and great information that we take back to the clients we serve so we thank you for being patient during any inconvenience while we work to improve the services we provide.

Here's what Suzie and Mark talk about in today's episode.

Data dive - we gave you these stats, but what does that mean for you? 
-Google search trends
-Strong electric bike sales
Some report sales down - some report sales up
What’s working?
-Good website management 
-Email Marketing
-Google Ads

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

In this engaging episode, we dive into various topics from celebrating Pride Month to insights from the NBDA Retailer Summit. The conversation starts with a lively discussion about attending a drag show during Pride Month and the experience of embracing gender expression. The focus then shifts to the NBDA Retailer Summit, highlighting the successful collaboration between suppliers and retailers, with a key emphasis on financial competency and the importance of selling online.

NBDA Retailer Summit
Great support from suppliers, almost half of the attendees
Retailers of all sizes
Longtime supporters, plenty of fresh faces
About half of the presentations were from retailers
Learning from each other
Themes; understanding finances and selling online (all in D2C business)
My presentation on how suppliers think about retailers in the digital space
Standing room only
Good questions
A couple of dealers want to sign up based on the information

May platform results
Order volume across the Workstand platform was -14% for the month, the slowest performance of an already soft spring selling season.
Online bike sales however drove up average order value, resulting in total platform sales being +2%.
Sessions and pageviews continue their strong performance, indicating that consumers are shopping. Our traffic data aligns with Google search volume which has been reliably high this spring and steadily rose during May. 
A bright spot for the month is the typical retailer having their best month of the year, being only -2% for the month compared to -7% in April. Still lagging behind the top performers. 

Electric bikes online
I mentioned online bike sales earlier. It’s worth calling attention to electric bikes. 
Year-over-year online unit sales growth for e-bikes in April/May 2024 is strong at 60% relative to 2023. Electric bike buyers seem to be very comfortable buying their bikes online. 
We have total industry sales results from PeopleForBikes from Q1. While only about 2% of e-bikes sold by bike shops in Q1 2024 were sold online, the annual growth rate of 45% indicates it is outpacing total IBD electric bike sales - reinforcing that same point about consumers buying these bikes online. 

Lauren on the NBDA podcast
Lauren did a great job speaking to why the work of helping bike shops means so much to her and how that informs the work her department does.

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...

During the episode where we tried to answer some common questions in a straightforward manner, one of those questions concerned the idea of what makes a good website homepage. We’ve been thinking about that since the episode and today, we want to help boil that answer down to a base level so that everyone can have the tools to identify good content.

This goes for websites, emails, and all sorts of marketing and communications really but the primary question to ask is ‘Am I answering a question or solving a problem?’

We often talk about how all shopping today starts with search. You want a thing or need a service so you search for that thing or service. SEO best practices suggest the content on your website will perform the best when/if it provides good results for those search queries - in other words, do you have those things on your website, do you offer those services? If the answer is yes, do those things exist in such a way as to be obvious and accessible to the searcher?

If someone walked into your store and did a quick scan or lap, would they see the same things on your homepage?
 
Your website is an extension of your brick-and-mortar business - it should look like it 

Make it easy for the searcher to find and consume the content and you make it easy for a search engine to recommend your website over and over again.

You might be asking yourself, does that mean that every single image or piece of content have to answer questions in this way? What about my blog? What about my Tuesday night worlds recap? What about the 1,000-word how-to article about rebuilding 8-speed Campy shifters? Just think about the utility of your content to the people you’d most likely hope to have in your store. Irrelevant content does nothing to help and can even hurt as a search engine will see that nobody uses it or worse, finds it and bounces away quickly.

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
Ryan Atkinson, President + Co-Owner
Suzie Livingston, Marketing + Communications
Mark Still, Business Development

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 mark.s@works...