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News on the ordering situation at SIMPLON

31.01.2022 |Insights

Every day, people in the SIMPLON community ask questions about the current stop on orders. Learn more in the statement by SIMPLON CEO Stefan Vollbach!

Update from Stefan Vollbach, SIMPLON CEO, on the ordering situation at SIMPLON

New year, new luck! In recent years, the bicycle industry has experienced an upswing, and the interest in SIMPLON bikes is steadily on the rise as well. In our last news update, SIMPLON CEO Stefan Vollbach explained the causes of our delivery problems and why a stop on orders was put in place directly at SIMPLON and at the dealers. Vollbach also intends to keep the SIMPLON community up to date on the current situation this year. In a statement, he answers the following frequently asked questions:

  • Why is it currently not possible to place an order?
  • When will it be possible to place orders with SIMPLON dealers again?

The stop on orders as a consequence of the current economic situation

Due to the extremely high demand and the numerous customer orders in this context, SIMPLON dealers have already placed an enormous number of orders in the summer of 2021. To be more precise, a volume equivalent to approximately 60 per cent of the planned annual quantity. By way of comparison: In previous years, around 30 per cent of the expected total annual orders were recorded at the same time. The other 70 per cent were received during the bike season between February and September. 

More orders require fresh planning

For decades, SIMPLON's business year has run in time with the bicycle industry, ending each year at the end of September. Such a sharp increase in demand at an unusual time is thus a new challenge for SIMPLON. In order to be able to process these unexpected orders, the following measures were taken:

  • ordering additional components
  • expansion of production capacities 
  • adjustment of quantity planning for the current year

Unfortunately, there were problems last year that affected the entire bicycle industry. These included lockdowns in production facilities, related delivery delays, and the energy crisis in China. All these events were ultimately the reasons why a temporary stop on orders had to be put in place. 

Tip: In the December news update, Stefan Vollbach explained how the current challenges came about.

"We plan the assembly of the bikes for a maximum of two weeks in advance, depending on availability and the actual arrival of the components. That’s why it makes little sense at the moment to accept orders for which we cannot give specific delivery dates."
-Stefan Vollbach, CEO-

The stop on orders ends with availability

As of now, we are not sure when orders at SIMPLON dealers will be possible again. The good news, however, is that as soon as a model is available to order, the ordering option will be reactivated. An improvement in the delivery situation is expected by the middle of the year. By then, the market should have calmed down. So the question "Will I still get a bike if I place my order in May?" can be answered with "Presumably, yes!”.

"SIMPLON customer first": The most important thing is that you and the SIMPLON dealers are notified immediately as soon as individual models can be configured and ordered again. This may be the case even before May.

Current advertising campaigns at SIMPLON

Another topic that is currently hotly debated in the SIMPLON community is advertising. "Why are models being advertised when they can't be ordered at the moment? Just as other bicycle manufacturers present their products, SIMPLON bikes continue to be advertised. There are multiple reasons for this.

Reason #1: Long-term planning
In order to be able to optimally meet the increasing demand in the future, the planned production volume exceeds that of the previous year by several thousand units.

Reason #2: Supporting our SIMPLON dealers
Bikes are gradually arriving in the warehouses of SIMPLON dealers – so there are models available for purchase at the specialist shops. Hence, it’s important to draw attention to these bikes – even if to a limited extent.

Reason #3: Bike features deserve a spot in the limelight
SIMPLON bikes continue to be tested against their competitors in important bike magazine comparisons. Especially the Pride II, the Cirex SL and the Rapcon have achieved outstanding results in recent weeks. It is important for SIMPLON to be part of the current testing cycle. Otherwise, it will automatically be postponed to the following year. The consequence of this is that no comparisons can be made between bike manufacturers in terms of quality and innovation. The fact that demand for a test winner and lower production quantities due to delivery problems clash is of course very bitter. However, it is something that SIMPLON doesn’t have control over.

"I hope I was able to give you some insights into what’s happening. In many cases, we can only ask for your continued patience at the moment. I promise we will do our best to produce as many bikes as possible and make them available to you as soon as we can! Thank you for your attention and understanding!"
-Stefan Vollbach, CEO-

At SIMPLON, we are working hard every day to make the best of the current situation. SIMPLON's bikes also regularly achieve top performances. At the beginning of the year, the Rapcon was named "Best Enduro Bike for 2022" and also received the coveted Design & Innovation Award.

Do you want to learn more about how our SIMPLON bikes fared in different comparison tests? In our test reports section, you will find reviews from a variety of specialist magazines.

Christin H.
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