Around the Workstand

While in Bentonville, AR, at the People for Bikes Shift '26 conference, Mark Still took the opportunity to visit with former co-worker at Workstand, Liam Donoghue, now the Senior Research Manager at People for Bikes, to discuss his work developing data tools for the bicycle industry. Liam says the industry has historically had limited sales and inventory data, unlike sectors such as automotive, where vehicle registrations provide m...

Steph Allen, National Sales Manager for Giant Bicycle, sat down with Brian Rawlings, Senior Business Development Executive at Workstand, to describe her entry into the cycling industry. A bike-shop job led to three years as a demo driver, where she enjoyed helping people—particularly women—discover cycling and learn basic repairs. Giant later hired her in sales, and she advanced from account executive to regional and th...

We discuss marketing ideas for November, beginning with the end of daylight saving time on November 1. We recommend featuring bike lights and reflective gear, keeping the product range focused, training staff to explain light features and customer needs, and displaying helmet-mounted lights so customers can see how they work. Staff picks and sales contests can help employees showcase products they know and value.

We suggest ...

In this episode, we talk about October marketing ideas for bike shops as we move from summer into fall. We focus on how stores can use the seasonal shift to promote new arrivals, support in-store sales, and keep the website aligned with what customers see in the shop.

We start with fall apparel and merchandising. We suggest social posts, email updates, and simple in-store events to show new clothing, layering options, and se...

Summer is closing up, kids are headed back to school, and September can be the gateway to the holiday season if you're prepared. Here are our tips for marketing your store in September. What did we miss? What works for you?

• Back to School
  • Historically, K-12 schools start the day after Labor Day, but in some districts, schools can start as early as mid-July through August.  
    • A great time to sell locks, commuter...

Bike shop owners and managers are often diligent about merchandising in their stores. The same type of attention can make a positive difference on bike shop websites. Let's talk about homepage merchandising! It's exciting, right?

• “Above the fold” - what this means and why it’s important
• Banners:
  • Highlighting important topics (free shipping threshold, special events, special store hours, etc.)....Only text wit...

In our Monthly Marketing Series, we'll be taking a look at the upcoming month and discussing tips and tactics to plan for holidays, seasonal trends, and a general marketing calendar to help bike shops stay ahead of the game and ready to capture sales. This month, we plan for August 2026.

End of Summer Clearance Sale - The Tour de France is over, and summer is winding down.  For some retailers, invoices for big orders are due, a...

Prices for products displayed on websites are a topic we frequently discuss both internally and with Workstand website users. Rather than a deep dive into advanced troubleshooting methods, today, we will point out the main sources of the prices displayed and the easy solutions to explore. Beyond that, our Client Success Team is always ready to help.

• Point of Sale data
• Custom Prices tool
• Workstand product library
• Supplier data
• MAP Pr...

Mark Still and Alex Slocum, Workstand's Director of Product, discuss the current state of AI and its effect on consumer behavior, shopping, and the continued (growing even) advantage of local retail.

• Most people hear or even say ‘AI’ daily - what is AI now and what is it not?
  • LLMs defined
• LLMs as a business leveler
  • The opportunity for the bike industry 
  • Product discovery has always changed and evolved
  • Vi...

We're not saying it doesn't take a focused effort or real work. What we are saying is that many of the barriers that local, independent bike shops continue to believe rule them out of meaningful sales growth are no longer valid. Workstand has the tools and expertise to help every bike shop, from the local, owner-operated store to the multi-location, high-revenue operation, leverage online sales and technology to grow in a space all...

Google Local Product & Awareness Ads are some of the best levers we have to capture both high-intent shoppers who are ready to buy the products in stock on your floor now and people simply looking for a bike shop for service or answers to general sales questions.

Our four-person ads team, led by today's guest, Matt Viara, has decades of bicycle retail and Google ads experience. They can help you find and convert the shop...

We delve into the mission behind the livestream, which will offer clients an engaging medium to explore topics that impact their retail operations and learn how Workstand can help them facilitate growth. 

The first monthly session, on March 17th at 9:30am MDT, is set to focus on landing page content and the page editor, combining the "how-tos" with the reasons behind their importance in a retail context. This comprehens...

As we approach spring 2026, thinking about the product mix in-store and online can make a huge difference in a local bike shop's success as prime riding weather returns to many parts of North America.

What are your potential customers searching for online? What would they buy with that new bike if only you had it in stock and in front of them before all of the excitement of new bike day fades? When is it wise to hold a full ...

We saw a wide variety of results for the stores we talked to and met with during 2025. The usual factors were in play - weather, geography, brands, staffing, etc - so we’re not sure how helpful the industry-wide, in-store sales data are as a reference point, so we’ll just say we heard it all. It felt like our stores had solid results in-store overall based on our conversations. There were certainly exceptions, but I hea...

For a bulk of the country, winter brings a sharp drop in temperatures, and predictably, a dip in bike sales. It’s easy to slip into "Winter Mode": reduced staff, decreased hours, and a collective deep breath until spring.

But here’s the reality check: You don't have to endure the off-season; you get to conquer it.

This slower period is not a negative to survive—it’s a powerful, dedicated block of time to inves...

Think about the last time you bought something important. Chances are, you didn't just walk into a store blind. You probably did some online research first. In fact, 83% of consumers now conduct research online before ever setting foot in a physical retail location. This means your website isn't just a digital brochure—it is, more often than not, the first impression a customer has of your entire business.

Imagine the ...

Workstand provides many tools and resources to help your website stand out and to help it be a great resource for shoppers and other cyclists researching their local cycling community. In this episode, we talk about 4 ways to improve the look and feel of your site, from DIY with the help of our Client Success team, all the way to full custom design projects.

Help Center - Theme Editor and Page Editor - sample homepage from our libra...

Two of the more common questions, especially from stores that are new to the Workstand platform, are ‘what are the keys to selling more?’ and ‘what are the really successful stores doing to grow?’. Generally speaking, a shop needs to have four elements to generate revenue.  These four elements work together, and missing just one can kill growth.

1. Products that are in demand - Shops need to have produc...

Taking a moment to reframe some thinking that evolved negatively from brick and mortar processes, and that should be thought of as growth opportunities these days. Shipping costs aren't just a dead expense. They can be a tool for strategic growth and customer satisfaction.

Read more in this blog post

• Shipping Best Practices
  • Your shipping out expense should be considered a marketing expense, and not just a margin killer