The Aftermarket

Mark Tearle

The Aftermarket, a new and innovative internet marketplace, opens its doors for cycling industry entrepreneurs

As regular Cycletechreview.com readers will know, cycling’s popularity is booming and, as a result, a huge number of creatives and engineering-focused entrepreneurs are following their passion for bikes into the bicycle business; but how do small retailers connect with potential customers, and how do consumers find these new, exciting products? Enter The Aftermarket…

VeloCulture TdF purse

The Aftermarket is a new retail platform dedicated to the independent and bespoke corners of the bike industry. By grouping small brands together in one place, vendors are able to extend their reach into new markets and new consumer groups, whilst still connecting directly with their customers.
 

The site is the brainchild of London-based David Warren and Newcastle-based Paul Errington; having watched sites like Esty and notonthehighstreet.com develop, the duo realised that a similar platform would be of huge benefit to the cycling businesses they love. “Both Paul and I have a real love for bespoke, purposefully engineered and crafted products”, says Warren. “We always buy the unusual bits, one: because we like to support smaller brands, and two: because a lot of them have some really cool, innovative stuff.”
 

The site launched in the spring of 2014 with founding vendors including Velo Culture from the UK, Ari Cycles from Israel and Ahrberg from Germany.
 

Ahrberg Shirt CO

With a simple, cost-effective offering, Warren and Errington are currently looking to bring new brands and retailers on board and further strengthen Aftermarket’s portfolio . “We’re continuously looking for unusual brands from across the globe, and from any area of cycling”, says Warren. “It’s not about location – we don’t care where you are, if you have a product to sell, we have a platform for you. We’ll be taking each vendor on their merits, so even if you are quite big, if you fit into the Aftermarket system and compliment the other brands, we’ll definitely consider you.”
 

The Aftermarket is simply a facilitator in the retail relationship – vendors take the money, take care of shipping and take all responsibility for the product. “We try and keep it as simple as possible”, says Warren.
 

Ari Cycles Ebb29er

For retailers, it’s a great way of reaching an audience, and for consumers too, it’s a positive step – with hundreds of unusual and hard-to-find products on one site, the days of scouring the web looking for interesting and innovative upgrades are a thing of the past.
 

To find out more visit theaftermarket.cc.