Yamaha Motor Europe has had an online store for some time, but now it is expanding with an outlet, obviously always via the web. Through this, it is possible to order Yamaha products directly from the European headquarters. What the “news” is, behind a logical move such as opening an online outlet, is as simple as it is, in many ways, incredible: this web sales model is actually a revolution, because for the first time motorcycle dealers are being kept out of the physical sales process.
In fact, motorcycle dealers have always been the only ones to sell directly to consumers, while the importer sells exclusively to dealers and resellers. However, due to the explosive growth of online shopping, this model can no longer be sustained. The point is, retailers don’t have the opportunity to build and maintain a full online store. Also, resellers they must also have each item in stock and must manage returns and shipping. Which is impossible, given the actual turnover, which therefore may not be worth the effort in even very small countries.
Yamaha changes the rules with the online outlet
Yamaha, therefore, changes the unwritten rules, and takes its first steps in this direction. For some time it has been providing – without much fanfare, accessories and merchandising, casual wear and biker clothing through its webshop. These are the only items available, and in order not to “step on the toes” of retailers, in fact it does not offer (at least for now) any components subject to wear or standard parts via the web: to get a new oil filter, a new fairing or a set of chains you will still have to go to your dealer or authorized reseller, or buy them online but from the reseller himself.
The range of products available in the online outlet therefore concerns only the “older” and less “desired” items that must be removed from European warehouses and are therefore offered online at a discount. Indeed, this fact confirms the split into the existing sales model: with such an offer, dealers are likely to have fewer problems than if Yamaha Motor Europe put the full range of products (including new motorcycles) online.
Yamaha specifies that items purchased online can be delivered directly to the customer’s address for a small shipping fee or delivered and collected free of charge from an authorized Yamaha dealer.
The Outlet Online Store is currently available in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Finland. The Store will subsequently be available in the rest of Europe.