Coming - Triumph Online Store

[CarlS]

Triumph Motorcycles North America is opening an online store on Black Friday, 23 November. This is the day after Thanksgiving. For our non US members, Black Friday is a huge shopping day that kicks off the Christmas season shopping. For the time being, the online shopping will only be available in the US with plans to extend it to all of North America.

http://rideatriumph.com/the-moment-weve-all-been-waiting-for/

 

[DaveM]

This is very COOL wonder how the dealers are taking this as it will be a source of income taken away from them

 

[CarlS]

That is the first thing that crossed my mind.

 

[BludyL]

My local dealer told me that Triumph is starting a program whereby dealers will be able to stock a wide range of Triumph accessories and only pay Triumph for them as they sell them. Furthermore, if they stuff doesn't move after some predetermined time, the merchandise can be returned to Triumph, again at no cost to the dealer other than perhaps shipping. Perhaps the two promotions are going to happen together.
I interpret this to mean that Triumph is having trouble getting dealers to take on a lot of inventory. That's based in part on the holdings of the two closest Triumph dealers to my home. Either way, it's good for customers who want to purchase Triumph gear, either at the dealer or online.

 

[donroger1]

Could easily become "The New Candy Store" of online shopping.

 

[keystiger]

Sounds very cool.

 

[CarlS]

My local dealer told me that Triumph is starting a program whereby dealers will be able to stock a wide range of Triumph accessories and only pay Triumph for them as they sell them. Furthermore, if they stuff doesn't move after some predetermined time, the merchandise can be returned to Triumph, again at no cost to the dealer other than perhaps shipping. Perhaps the two promotions are going to happen together.
I interpret this to mean that Triumph is having trouble getting dealers to take on a lot of inventory. That's based in part on the holdings of the two closest Triumph dealers to my home. Either way, it's good for customers who want to purchase Triumph gear, either at the dealer or online.

I think that dealers have been reluctant to tie up a lot of cash in inventory that may or may not sell. It looks like Triumph is solving that problem. No cash outlay for inventory and it can be returned if it does not sell. It is a win/win situation for Triumph, the dealerships, and us consumers.

 

[DaveM]

That would be a good move by Triumph as most Triumph dealers don't carry much on that side because of the cost.

 

[Gromit]

Sale on a contingency basis is a great idea!

 

[otherwise]

Bottom of web page,
"At this time, the Triumph Online Store is only available to U.S. customers."

 

[CarlS]

Bottom of web page,
"At this time, the Triumph Online Store is only available to U.S. customers."

Yes. I would assume the US is Triumph's test market for online shopping. The online site is being initiated by Triumph Motorcycles North America. I understand they do have plans to extend it to all of North America.

 

[Rocky]

Well, I dunno. There are already lots of dealers selling genuine Triumph parts, accessories and clothing online, and most will ship internationally. I've made such purchases myself.
Unless there is a fairly big price difference (cheaper) I don't see this as having all that much impact.

 

[CarlS]

I don't see it as being any cheaper. It will be more accessible. I have seen items in the Triumph catalog that I would have considering purchasing; but the dealerships did not have them. The dealer could have ordered them for me; but that would have meant a 160 mile round trip to Jacksonville and back to pick it up.

 

[Rocky]

I don't see it as being any cheaper. It will be more accessible. I have seen items in the Triumph catalog that I would have considering purchasing; but the dealerships did not have them. The dealer could have ordered them for me; but that would have meant a 160 mile round trip to Jacksonville and back to pick it up.

I can certainly understand a sometimes low inventory at dealerships. The dealer here is quite small, but has a big inventory of bikes and all that goes with it.
I sometimes wonder how he can afford to carry such overhead.
But then, Triumph motorcycles aren't the only product he sells. He also sells a line of ATV's and Stihl products.

 

[otherwise]

I suspect the reason to only sell within the US is two fold,
firstly just like other brands such as Levi clothing they have international licensing arrangements to sell cheaply into large markets and price gouge the smaller markets such as Australia.
secondly, it's all too hard to arrange international posting for small numbers of sales and being pain in international currencies.

 

[CarlS]

I certainly agree that the different currencies would be a pain. But I understand they do plain to expand it to Canada.

 

[BludyL]

I can certainly understand a sometimes low inventory at dealerships. The dealer here is quite small, but has a big inventory of bikes and all that goes with it.
I sometimes wonder how he can afford to carry such overhead.
But then, Triumph motorcycles aren't the only product he sells. He also sells a line of ATV's and Stihl products.

My "local" dealer told me last week that Triumph is going to have a program that will allow dealers to stock a complete line of Triumph gear and accessories, and that the dealer will only have to pay for them as they are sold. Also after a while, if not sold merchandise can be returned to Triumph. So no cost for the dealers. It will get the merchandise out there for us to see with little or no dealer risk. This is a big deal if you want Triumph branded gear. I've been wanting one of their leather jackets, but I won't get one until I try one on. I seems that this dealer program coincides with the online promotion. THey must be related some how.

 

[DaveM]

For the international sales you would think they would have the stocks already at the importer of that country and just dispatch them from that point so you would not have small items being sent each time to international destination. I cannot see the currency being an issue as you would just have a country locater as in their main web sites and it would be calculated on cost to the country. I think maybe they are also just testing the water here before they go global

 

[CarlS]

For the international sales you would think they would have the stocks already at the importer of that country and just dispatch them from that point so you would not have small items being sent each time to international destination. I cannot see the currency being an issue as you would just have a country locater as in their main web sites and it would be calculated on cost to the country. I think maybe they are also just testing the water here before they go global

The online store is being set up and operated by Triumph Motorcycles North America. They are the importer and distributor for North America. Although the online store has the approval of and probably the financing of the parent company, Triumph Motorcycles, the North American subsidiary has the show and the responsibility.

I agree with Dave that this is a test with an eye toward future international sales.

 

[donroger1]

In regard to purchases made at a retailer in a foreign country.

When I ordered the BlueFlame exhaust for my Tiger, the checkout process switched to US Dollars but stated that the charges would be in GBPs.

The website's conversion was not the same as XE-Universal Currency Converter but when I received my confirmation and actual charges, it was very close. It was not off enough to have caused me not to make the purchase.

The biggest difference in US websites and foreign shopping is the shipping charges. The advantage I had in shopping in Britain was not having to pay the VAT. It did not completely offset the shipping charges but it did help a great deal.

The tax issue is a completely different problem. (or the main problem depending on your perspective)