We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of SmartEtailing by reflecting in this blog series on how the bike industry’s original tech startup came to be.
In the previous post we learned how the company staffed up for growth while keeping a modest profile that was relatable to most bike shop clients. In the final post of the series we’ll learn how innovation ramped up for the company.
The first iteration of SmartEtailing’s software focused on its product catalog, which launched with 50 products. Today that product library houses hundreds of thousands of items from hundreds of the industry’s premier brands.
Beyond developing and offering retailer websites, SmartEtailing has evolved its services to provide Buy Local Now product locator tools, integrations with local point of sales systems and supplier warehouses, MAP protection, retailer marketing service and a Supplier Fulfillment drop ship program.
More recently, SmartEtailing has evolved its platform to work on smartphones and adapt to current online retail standards. The incorporation of new marketing strategies into the company are helping retailers grow their local online sales to compete in a fast-changing cycling market.
As a technology company, change is constant and staying on top of the latest trends in web development is key. Wheel & Sprocket, a longtime client of SmartEtailing, left the platform and then returned once they saw the pace of innovation speed up in recent years. Noel Kegel, who now heads the multi store retailer with locations in Wisconsin and Illinois started by his father Chris, said having a mobile-friendly platform was the reason he signed back on.
“There have been a number of significant changes, but the most visible change is the site has a much more modern presentation, is mobile friendly and responsive,” Kegel said. “That was the single biggest pain point we experienced. A big percentage of our traffic is coming from mobile devices.”
Wheel & Sprocket also says SmartEtailing's platform has the best integration with partners in the industry including Trek, QBP, Shimano, and many others.