German 2-Wheeler Vehicle segment is a very attractive market with Report Ocean predicting the two-wheeler market in Germany will grow from USD 1,866 million in 2021 to USD 2,311 million by 2028, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1 percent with currently the major players operating in the Germany two-wheeler market are BMW Motorrad, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., KTM, Harley Davidson and Piaggio & C. S.p.A., among others. While companies are investing on new product launches and fuel-efficient vehicles to meet the regulations introduced by government towards carbon emission. In this blog we will look at the various distribution channels via which companies entering the German market can reach out to their prospective customers with their product offerings. Here are 7 channels of distribution prevalent in the German 2-Wheeler Market:
Dealerships and Showrooms
2-Wheeler motorcycle manufacturers have a network of exclusive dealerships across Germany where customers can visit, view the vehicles and other related accessories before making a purchase. These EBOs (Exclusive Brand Outlets) offer a unique exposure to the customer to create a fulfilling buying experience. Major brands of 2-wheelers in Germany with exclusive showrooms include BMW Motorrad, KTM Motohall etc
Online Retail
E-Commerce platforms & manufacturer websites provide an online channel for people to browse, select, purchase 2-wheelers according to their preferences. Germany has two major online sellers for 2-wheelers, mobile.de and autoscout.de, both of whom sell first hand as well as second hand motorcycles on their websites.
Speciality Retailers
These offline retailers carry a range of brands and models to provide personalized assistance and expertise to customers. The retailers may not offer a unique customer experience but they cater to every product need of a customer in buying a motorcycle from a range of different brands across price levels. Some examples of this type of distribution channel in Germany are Motorrad-Ecke and Zweirad-Center Stadler.
Supermarkets and Hypermarkets
Some supermarkets and hypermarkets in Germany have dedicated sections for 2-wheelers, especially bicycles and e-bikes. Stores like Decathlon sell e-bikes in Germany, this channel is not adopted by the motorcycle/scooter segment of 2-wheelers but only bicycles where users can buy sports related goods in addition to these bikes. Other examples of stores selling bikes in Germany are Aldi, Lidl, Kaufland etc
Online Marketplaces
Online marketplaces, such as Facebook Marketplace, or eBay, can also serve as distribution channels for used 2-wheelers. People can post their vehicles with pictures and specifications on these channels for the wider public to see and further they can negotiate to buy the vehicles so these websites act as a mediator between the buyer and seller.
Rental and Sharing Services
Rental/sharing services are popular in urban areas, providing short-term access for commuting or recreational purposes. In popular urban locations of high footfall, these rental services enable users to unlock and use e-bikes/scooters for a per hour rate after picking them up at certain locations and then after use leave the bikes/scooters at another designated point. Some examples of these services in Germany are Nextbike, Coup, Lime etc.
Direct Sales
Some manufacturers or niche brands may sell their 2-wheelers directly to customers through their own sales channels on either their own websites or showrooms without involvement of any middle-men dealers/showroom franchises.
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