If you ship your bike, what are the odds that it will be damaged?
Last year, according to Dutch manufacturer Van Moof, some 25 percent of their bikes were damaged before they reached their destination. The problem was particularly bad when the bikes were shipped to the US.
So what did the folks at VanMoof do? They made their bikes go stealth. Well, sort of. They thought about what Americans "really love," according to VanMoof co-founder Taco Carlier. "What would prompt couriers to be delicate with a parcel?"
The answer: a television. Turns out, a big flat-screen TV in its box is about the same size and weight as a high-end commuter bike in its box. So, the company started imprinting their boxes with images of televisions. The boxes still have logos identifying them as bicycles, but at first glance, they look like they're bearing TV's.
So far, it's worked--even after a Wall Street reporter "outed" the contents of the boxes.
Last year, according to Dutch manufacturer Van Moof, some 25 percent of their bikes were damaged before they reached their destination. The problem was particularly bad when the bikes were shipped to the US.
So what did the folks at VanMoof do? They made their bikes go stealth. Well, sort of. They thought about what Americans "really love," according to VanMoof co-founder Taco Carlier. "What would prompt couriers to be delicate with a parcel?"
The answer: a television. Turns out, a big flat-screen TV in its box is about the same size and weight as a high-end commuter bike in its box. So, the company started imprinting their boxes with images of televisions. The boxes still have logos identifying them as bicycles, but at first glance, they look like they're bearing TV's.
So far, it's worked--even after a Wall Street reporter "outed" the contents of the boxes.
I can vouch for the box working twice. Sadly the contents did not match up to expectations after my first seeing them as a set of for hire bikes at my Amsterdam hotel. First they sent the wrong bike! The second failed to be suitable as a go out in the rain bike just for shopping, uselessly geared once out of Amsterdam...
ReplyDeleteIf you bought enough, like a hotel, you could have a marvellous range of colours. Their standard range is dull and more dull, they also told me that welds like squeezed toothpaste was the look they were going for...
Coline--Interesting.
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