BIG INTERVIEW
Meeting expectations Although cheaper than competitors in the high-end space, Van Rysel’s RCR Pro Replica is still £9,000. That’s not chump change. Moving down the revamped line-up will still see consumers parting with their hard-earned money to the tune of multiple thousands of pounds. To meet these expectations, Decathlon has opened its first
Van Rysel concept store at its Surrey Quays site. “When you spend this money, you have some expectations,” says Mazillier.
“Each time we develop a product or service we try to have a global customer journey, a vision. It’s not the same for a tennis racquet, a mountain bike or a road bike, because it’s not the same customer. “But it’s important to have a global overview to detect what is compulsory for the customer.” By engaging with its customer-base, Decathlon has learned that the workshop and aftersales is non-negotiable for the high-end road market, hence a renewed focus on these elements of its business.
Then there are considerations for things which are
“nice to have”. For example, having stock everywhere is appreciated, but there is a cost. “We have a shop-in-shop concept here [at Surrey Quays], but we have sold two RCR Pro models in Chingford this week,” says Mazillier.
“In the UK consumers are smart. They’re not afraid to buy
a top-of-the range bicycle online, even if they don’t test it. “If they can save money or there is another added value, people are not afraid to even buy an expensive car completely online to the value of 30, 40, 50, 60 thousand pounds.
“That’s why it is so important to detect what is compulsory for the customer and of course you have to be able to adapt.”
Investing in cycling The post-covid era has seen many large corporations reducing investment into the cycling space. Decathlon appears to be going the opposite way and investing more than ever. Why? “First, it’s a solid market, we are talking billions globally,” explains Mazillier. “Also, it’s a non-mature market. I was riding in a group of 10 last week and two were complete beginners. “When I commute every day to work, I see the number of people who still use a car or the tube and I think ‘those people can convert to bikes’ so the market can still grow.” Mazillier acknowledges that it’s still a complex period for the industry as the ripples from the lockdown spike continue to impact the trade. “We were all dreaming it would continue, but it fell away which is completely logical,” he says. “Lots of businesses faced a decision over stock. It was a decision to commit to stock of spare parts two years in advance and also commit to production capacity. It was easy at this moment to say yes and secure the business.” As well as a seeing drop in demand, Mazillier believes the
Complementing the bikes are a range of clothing and accessories
market pivoted during this period. “People didn’t want to buy the same bicycles,” he says. “Electric bikes were a clear trend after covid. People had different expectations. They wanted a more technical product. “People also wanted to be more responsible with their buying habits. It’s our responsibility when you manage a company to try and anticipate this change, but it is a massive challenge.” Despite these challenges,
Decathlon is well-positioned to capitalise once the market fully recovers.
With a focus on performance products at affordable prices, and all decisions driven by consumer behaviour, it is set to challenge the status quo for many years to come.
Mazillier adds: “It’s a complex
market in a complex period, but in five years it will not be the same as it was two years ago, and that is exciting.”
24 | July 2024
www.bikebiz.com
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