November 02, 2021 - Broomfield, CO — HLC has connected their popular Doorstep Delivery program with SmartEtailing to offer drop ship capabilities through the largest network of bike shop websites in the US and Canada.
"This effort aligns with our company goal to make the path-to-purchase as effortless as possible for a consumer," stated HLC President Pat Mcginnis. "We view this as an extension of our work to grow ridership by making it easy to connect new riders with local bike shops."
Mcginnis added, "We understand that some retailers might be hesitant to invest in ecommerce. This integration removes a big barrier by allowing HLC to handle the responsibility of getting orders to consumers quickly and reliably directly from our warehouses."
SmartEtailing clients can drop ship orders from any of HLC's distribution centers, leveraging HLC's logistical excellence to capitalize on expanding ecommerce opportunities.
"Our job is to help bike shops stay competitive in a changing marketplace," says SmartEtailing President Ryan Atkinson. "This expanded partnership with HLC gives local shops an ecommerce experience rivaling the biggest specialty sports online sellers."
Ecommerce sales growth is outpacing in-store growth at a time when shops are facing staffing and resource challenges. This integration means that retailers can build ecommerce growth strategies without needing to scale up operations or inventory investments.
"It is clear that to help our retail partners stay relevant to the consumer, we have to make it easy for riders to buy however they want from the local bike shop," added Derrick Boatwright, HLC Director of Commercial Innovation.
"We believe that many consumers prefer to spend their dollars at their local shop when a convenient option is available," continued Boatwright. "Consumers expect to transact with a retailer outside of normal business hours with the option for home delivery - that's the standard for retail today."
The new SmartEtailing integration is available to all authorized HLC retailers today.
About SmartEtailing
Founded in 1999, SmartEtailing provides website, marketing and data solutions to help independent bicycle retailers, cycling suppliers and cycling brands sell more product in-store and online. With SmartEtailing, a bike shop's website is transformed from a passive advertisement to an interactive, content-rich marketing vehicle that informs and sells to customers. SmartEtailing is committed to the success of local specialty bicycle retailers by providing tools that help them effectively compete in an evolving retail environment.
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