Would have been nice if the OP put a link to the article:
https://www.bicycleretailer.com/indu...1#.Yi5j-S2ZPUI
Starting next week consumers who want to buy a Specialized bike will have many options:
1. They can walk into a brick-and-mortar Specialized dealer, including independent and company-owned stores.
2. They can find the bike they want on Specialized’s website and then use the site’s dealer locator to find a nearby dealer who has the bike in stock, and then contact that store about a purchase. Specialized told dealers that the dealer locator will be positioned prominently on the website.
3. They can buy directly from the Specialized website and have the bike delivered to a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Specialized dealer closest to them. The dealer will assemble the bike and the customer will come pick it up. The dealer would get 50% of the normal margin on the sale.
4. They can buy directly from the Specialized website and opt to have the bike delivered to their home in a mostly assembled state, similar to what consumer-direct brands like Canyon offer. Specialized will use facilities in Salt Lake City and Ohio to pre-assemble bikes for this delivery option, and then ship them in larger boxes to the consumer. The packaging will include tools and QR codes that direct consumers to assembly videos.
5. They can buy directly from the Specialized website and opt to have an assembled bike delivered to their door by a Specialized dealer. The dealers will provide “white glove” delivery and fitting, and the dealer will receive 75% of the standard margin for providing this service. This is the same margin now offered to dealers fulfilling click-and-collect purchases.
So not quite the gloom and doom most of you are making it out to be, but adding another option for customers to choose from.
It also seems to be in response to Trek and other companies trying to squeeze them out of distribution areas:
Specialized has been the most challenged by the trend of Trek — and now Pon — acquiring retail stores at a rapid pace. In several markets, Trek or Pon has acquired some of Specialized’s largest dealers, leaving the brand without distribution in those areas. Specialized has responded by buying up some stores of its own, and by opening company-owned fulfillment centers.