We just wanted to remind all of you that our OPEN HOUSE is coming up. It is June 25th, 2011 from noon to 4pm. So come on out. There will be tons of food, some of the hand crafted motorcycles we have built over the years, many of our clients, specials on parts, service and more. So mark your calendar. See you there !!!
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Live from Internet Retailer 2011: Consumers research online but prefer to buy local
Publish date: Jun 16, 2011
By: Cynthia Furey SAN DIEGO — Judging by the sheer number of attendees and exhibitors at the Internet Retailer Convention & Exhibition this year, it would seem as if the end of the brick-and-mortar store is frighteningly near. Each half hour seminar we’ve been to says e-commerce is a behemoth to be reckoned with, growing in Big Bang Theory-like proportions. We’ve overheard exhibitors telling retailers to invest most of their marketing dollars online.Of course, this is the Internet Retailer show, so one would expect e-commerce to be the preferred subject of conversation.
But oneexhibitor revealed to Dealernews that even though e-commerce is growing exponentially, he thinks consumers always will desire the comfort of a brick-and-mortar store. “Basically, people want to feel connected to a community,” says Ed Stevens, CEO of Shopatron. “The brick and mortar store will always be important.” Brick-and-mortar has an edge over e-commerce in one main area; people want to “buy local.” In fact, 75 percent of consumers polled by Forrester Research said they actually prefer to purchase goods locally. “In powersports, manufacturers and consumers need dealers,” Stevens says. “I’m a motorcycle rider, and I need my dealer.” Though there’s a large group of people who are turning to the Internet to shop, there are still shoppers who will do all of their product research online, then make their purchases in person, in a store. “So there’s a new type of commerce that we’re seeing,” says Ed Stevens. “It’s not online stealing from offline, but it’s an online-offline hybrid. We’re seeing more growth in that area. It’s growing faster than just pure online commerce.” To bridge this online/store gap, Shopatron acts as a middleman between manufacturers and retailers. Consumers can research and purchase products directly from manufacturers (Arctic Cat and Kendon are just two of the growing number of manufacturers employing Shopatron). In turn, the manufacturers funnel the orders to the dealers closest in proximity to the person who placed the order. The orders are fulfilled by the retailers in the manufacturer’s network, not the manufacturers themselves Stevens says that Shopatron has been busy rolling out what it calls the “Five Point Customer Experience,” an upgrade, of sorts, to services already in place. These initiatives include better shopping and customer service experiences, more product information and delivery options, and a stronger community connection. Stevens emphasizes this last part. “There’s a certain value a customer gets when they get to interact with a member of their own community in a transaction,” Stevens says. “We’d rather interact with people in our community than with a faceless computer.” |
Here’s the deal… Creative Cycles will be hosting an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday June 25th, 2011 from noon to 4 PM… and you and all of your riding friends have been invited.
Yep… YOU AND ALL OF YOUR RIDING BUDDIES ARE INVITED!!! No tricks… just come on out. It’s that simple… FREE FOOD and SODA to all. All you need to do is bring your bike and your appetite… oh yeah… and if you bring a few friends it would help make it more fun.
We will have loads of food and soda… discounts and specials on ‘in stock’ items… ‘special pricing’ on ‘special order’ items… discounts on ‘quality routine servicing’… and loads more. So what are you waiting for, get on the phone and call all your riding friends! After all; you owe it to them!
So take a ride, come on over, check out some awesome bikes, meet some great people, check out a real ‘family owned and operated quality orientented shop’ and get some free food at the very same time.
YES… we have a rain date… It is Saturday July 9th, 2011… Let’s hope we do not need to use it.
SEE YOU THERE!!!
Motorcycle sales among major brands rose 7.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same period last year, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council’s (MIC) Retail Sales Report. The report tracks sales among 18 leading brands being sold in the U.S.
The popular scooter segment saw the biggest gain, up nearly 50 percent. Sales of dual-purpose bikes, built for on- and off-highway use and generally among the most fuel-efficient motorcycles, increased by almost 25 percent. Tire sales, a strong indicator of motorcycle use, were up as well during the first three months.
“Nothing compares to a motorcycle for combining fun with saving money,” said Tim Buche, MIC president and chief executive officer. “There’s no more enjoyable way to get to work and get around, and rising fuel prices have given our customers yet another great reason to ride.”
Motorcycle and scooter tire sales increased 29.4 percent in the first quarter, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council’s Quarterly U.S. Motorcycle Tire Sales Report, which tracks nine major tire brands. Total on-highway tire sales rose 27.5 percent, while scooter tires jumped 48.6 percent.
“Tire sales add to new-bike sales figures as a measure of motorcycle interest since there are still a lot of great used bikes putting on the miles, and older bikes that owners are reviving and enjoying once again,” Buche said. “We see Americans leaving their cars at home more, enjoying the convenience and exhilaration of motorcycling, and getting into a different way of being green.”
The MIC Owner Survey estimates that 11 million motorcycles were in use in 2009, a 5 percent increase over the 2008 motorcycle population of 10.4 million. Motorcycle miles traveled also increased 5 percent from 2008 to 2009 with a total of 27.6 billion miles. The percentage of U.S. households with at least one bike rose from 5.4 percent in 2003 to 6.8 percent in 2009.
For more information about the Motorcycle Industry Council, visit www.mic.org.
Good service experiences carry more weight than bad ones when Americans make future spending decisions, according to the survey. Consumers are likely to give a company repeat business after a good service experience (81 percent of respondents) than they are to sever ties with a company after having a poor experience (52 percent of respondents).
Alas, only about a third of Americans believe that companies have increased their efforts to provide quality customer service; 27 percent feel businesses have not changed their attitude toward customer service, and 28 percent say companies are actually paying less attention to good service than they were before.
“Many consumers say companies haven’t done enough to improve their approach to service in this economy, and yet it’s clear they’re willing to spend more with those that deliver excellent service,” says Jim Bush, executive vice president, World Service. This suggests “substantial growth opportunities” for businesses that get customer service right, he notes.
The findings were released today in the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, a survey conducted in the United States and 11 other countries exploring attitudes and preferences toward customer service.
Even though nine in 10 Americans consider customer service important when deciding to do business with a company, not many of them trust businesses to acknowledge it. More than 75 percent of consumers don’t believe companies value their business enough to go the proverbial extra mile for it, according to the survey.
That’s too bad, because according to the study, customers are now more inclined to talk about a positive experience than complain about a negative one. That goes against popular thought that bad reviews travel faster than good ones. Three-quarters of the survey respondents said they are “very likely” to speak positively about a company after a good service experience, while 59 percent said they would probably speak negatively about a company after experiencing poor service.
Consumers indicated that they’re more forgiving of a bad experience if a company has earned their trust over time. Eighty-six percent said they’re willing to give a company a second chance if they’ve historically experienced great customer service with that business.
But companies who get it wrong will pay: Consumers expect something in return after a poor customer service experience beyond merely resolving the problem, according to the survey. Seventy percent of respondents say they want an apology or some form of reimbursement.
Information courtesy American Express and BusinessWire. Posted by Mary Slepicka
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill that would now allow the sale of motorcycles on Sunday. This will remove year old “blue laws” that had forbidden these sales in the past. To see the full story, click here…
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/gov_christie_signs_law_allowin.html
Then please be sure to come back and check out the rest of our site.
If you have any comments on this post, and others found here on our blog, please feel free to post your comments.
In an effort to continue to supply better and better customer support and service to our clients, Creative Cycles, Inc. has purchased C’s Motorcycle Transport Group. This purchase will enable Creative Cycles to provide hands on towing and support for our cleints. If you should ever find yourself in a position where you need to have your motorcycle transported, be it for a flat tire or break down, please give us a call. Our towing number is now 732-751-1404. We can also be reached via email at info@creativecycles.com .
Attention all motorcyclists! This years National Ride to Work day is coming up really soon. So get that bike of yours serviced and ready to roll. Lets make a real statement this year.
Please see the link below for dates and further information. Be sure to come back to our site after your done!
The IMBBA (International Master Bike Builders Association) has announced the names of the top 6 builders for its world cup event. Please see the link for the full story… http://www.motorcycleproductnews.com/Item/83581/imbba_announces_top_six_builders_for_world_cup_competition.aspx
Please visit the IMBBA web site as well. Get to know the names, faces and the builders that have shaped the industry in the past and will continue to do so well into the future.
Our local clients have asked that we come up with a way to assist them with emergency towing needs as well as transport needs when the weather is either rainy or cold. So… Creative Cycles has formed an alliance with C’s Motorcycle Transport. This is not some guy with an old open trailer or some car carrier. This is a real professional motorcycle transport company with years of experience. They only use enclosed trailers fitted with high quality wheel chocks and tie downs. These people will gladly transport your motorcycle to our shop, back to your home or anywhere else you may desire. C’s Motorcycle Transport can be reached directly by calling 732-272-4953. PUT THIS NUMBER IN YOUR WALLET… YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED IT!
