BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Whether they are hard core endurance riders that spend hours on the road or fair weather cyclists who enjoy a biking jaunt at the weekend, the perfect fitting saddle is a rider holy grail. Plenty of saddle brands will, of course, say they offer a perfect fit, but linking customers with a saddle that truly suits them is harder than it sounds: You may have a diverse range of saddles, but how are you going make sure a customer gets one that is right for them? Selle Royal is one of the labels to offer a retail solution.
Selle Royal launched its Scientia ‘perfect fit’ saddles at Eurobike 2015 and they have been available to dealers since 2015 via exclusive distributor Raleigh. So how exactly does retail slot into the perfect fit saddle equation? BikeBiz asked Selle Royal’s marketing coordinator Monica Savio…
POS is key to getting the right fit for a customer. Can you take us through how it works?
The main POS kit comprises of a self-standing display with all nine available saddle variants and a measuring stool. The Measuring Tool is also available standalone, either to supplement Flex Kits in smaller store or to add a second tool in larger stores.
The stool is key as it enables the customers to accurately establish their specific variation. This is done via a gel pad on the stool surface making contact with the seated customer and recording the position of their sit bones. A measurement is then calculated using the distance between the sit bones on the gel pad. This is known as the ischial variation measure. The readings then translate to three saddle widths: <11cm= Small, 11-13=Medium, >13cm=Large.
PICTURED: Selle Royal’s Scientia POS
Do shops need to have the POS if they are going to be stocking the range?
Yes, it’s vital for each shop to have the measuring stool and display as it’s fundamental for sales. It ensures customers have the best possible service and walk away with a product tailored to them.
The POS unit comes in two options to cater for a variety of dealership sizes. The ‘Advanced’ option comes with the Scientia Measuring tool as standard with the display box fully assembled and stocked with product right out of the box – the huge benefit being no construction time involved and no tools are required. All nine Scientia models are included and clearly displayed.
The slightly smaller ‘Flexi’ option means dealers can choose two of three sections of the full Scientia range that best reflect their typical customers’ requirements. These are delivered fully assembled and can slot right onto their existing walls.
Bernardo Fiorini, Selle Royal retail specialist says: “Having the best products is great, and having a strong understanding of them is very valuable – but having the best thought-through Point Of Purchase material to present choices and benefits to customers quickly and easily, is best for everyone.”
How has the reaction been to the range?
Across Europe, the reaction was excellent. We have now placed the Scientia POS in over 2,000 shops globally. As the season is building, lots of dealers have made pre-orders for the entire display unit.
We would like the full POS unit and saddles to be available in over 5,000 shops globally within the next year. As customers become more familiar with the Scientia range, we would like to see it expanded to additional disciplines.
www.selleroyal.com/en/scientia
MAIN PIC: The Scientia POS in-situ in Nertherlands bike shop Sander Tweewielers.
