Rather than sell via the world’s most popular online retailer, Pacific Northwest Components is pulling their mountain bike products from Amazon and putting them in local bike shops, many of which are facing limited stock due to continuing supply chain issues. At least for the time being.
In a statement released Thursday, PNW said they expect to still have a limited supply and an overloaded supply chain for the foreseeable future and need to put their products in places that will best benefit their customers, and the click-through nature of Amazon can’t replicate what a bike shop can offer.
“We’ve learned the best way to support our customers is to ensure they have the information and resources needed when making a purchase. Not only is this best for our customers, but it is good for business, too, as it minimizes returns that result from confusion on which spec to choose at the point of purchase,” said Aaron Kerson, Co-Founder and CEO of PNW.
“Moreover, in a time when inventory is tight, the best way we can support our business partners is to empower them with product and make decisions that keep dollars inside the industry, especially important for small, independently owned businesses.”
PNW is coordinating with their network of retailers to pull all of their products from Amazon across the site. To make the transition as seamless as possible for consumers, PNW has lowered their threshold for free expedited shipping for free 2-day shipping to $40 or more.
While this is a pretty fresh topic for the bike industry, many brands across the US like Nike and Ikea and others have pulled their products from Amazon in recent years, which according to CNBC, controls 38% of the e-commerce market. These brands cite products and competition from counterfeiters and unauthorized sellers or even Amazon’s own private label which can undercut the profits of reputable companies.
While Amazon Basics probably won’t produce a dropper post lever or grips anytime soon, there are quite a few shoddy-looking options on the platform and local bike shops will likely be happy to have a few more products on their shelves.
