Evans pedals to success by tailoring Pinnacle brand to UK consumers

Evans Cycles, operating in a highly competitive market in which rivals jostle fiercely for the spend of bike enthusiasts, scooped this award for an initiative that brought clear results.

The development of the Pinnacle own-brand bike range followed intense homework from the retailer behind the scenes before the product hit the shops – and when it did arrive in stores, that effort paid off.

The judges were impressed by the attention to detail Evans displayed.

Armed with plenty of research into the habits of the UK cyclist and the fine details of the cycle market, Evans was able to ensure the Pinnacle range ticked the important boxes from the customer’s perspective.

“They realised that what works in California wouldn’t work in the UK and they have worked those changes in well”

Awards judge

From its extensive research the retailer discovered, for example, that many people had complained about the weight of women’s town bikes – so it produced a lighter model, the Pinnacle Californium. The retailer was able to show in its entry that the initiative delivered clear commercial results.

Tailoring the range so that it was just right for the UK consumer required many similarly subtle changes to the types of bike that are popular internationally but may not reflect the particularities of Britain.

That was obvious in tweaks such as adaptations for cycling on the left-hand side of the road, and ease of fitting mudguards.

Customer knowledge

The judges thought the depth of thinking had resulted in an own-brand that suited customer needs and preferences well. One judge said: “They realised that what works in California wouldn’t work in the UK and they have worked those changes in well.”

Another observed: “They really know their customer. They knew what they wanted to achieve and who they wanted to achieve it for. They went for a clear market and they have managed to make it a very differentiated product.”

“They’ve really looked at the detail. They did what they said they were going to do and they have really listened to the consumer”

Awards judge

And focus on the customer was not all that made an impression. Evans was able to demonstrate benefits from a margin and earnings perspective.

Retail can be very complicated or, sometimes, perfectly simple.

In the case of Evans’ work on Pinnacle it was the retailer’s successful delivery of a good-quality product that scooped it the coveted award.

As one judge said: “It’s just a really top-quality product. They’ve really looked at the detail. They did what they said they were going to do and they have really listened to the consumer.”

The innovations wrought through the Pinnacle range epitomised what a great own brand should be.