"Young people are the consumers of our future, yet many bicycle retailers are paying too little – if any – attention to the kids’ bike segment. They are doing themselves a disservice, because the sale of children’s bicycles can be a very lucrative business," says Edwin Boelsz. And he should know, since he is managing director and owner of Kubbinga BV in the Dutch town of Purmerend and manufacturer of Volare kids’ bikes. Although he doesn’t reveal the actual sales figures, he explains that the company is one of the major players in this category.
10 golden rules
Boelsz:"Kids bikes have disappeared from shops, but not from the market". He gives 10 golden rules for selling kids’ bikes successfully.
- Present a wide choice in the store.
- Display multiple models in all sizes.
- Present the most popular models in the store and the rest online.
- Create the right experience around the bikes (colourful, famous characters, etc.)
- Ensure customer satisfaction, provide good advice and professional service.
- Interact with the children who come into the store, ask them questions and take an interest in their preferences.
- Think up appealing offers and capitalise on seasonal peaks.
- Do lots of promotion on social media, especially Facebook and Instagram.
- Advertise on online platforms such as Marktplaats, because consumers often look there first.
- Turn the purchase of a new bike into a special occasion and generate good PR by word of mouth.
- Text written by Kubbinga / Volare -
