Helmet brand Steelbird plans to open a chain of around 200 concept stores called “Riderz Shop” in the next 1 year across India offering motorcycle riding gears and accessories like helmets, bikers suits, jackets, gloves, and sun glasses. Spread over 250-550 sq.ft., the stores will be opened in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata.
The brand has opened its first outlet in Delhi at Karol Bagh. A “carbon fiber” helmet priced at Rs 13,000 was also unveiled at the store launch. Steelbird plans to open 8-10 stores in Delhi in the next couple of months.
Commenting on the initiative, Rajeev Kapur, Managing Director, Steelbird Helmets, said: “By launching Riderz Shop in India, our objective is to provide quality riding gears with huge products range at the door steps of the people. To begin with, we are selling Steelbird‘s exclusive range of helmets, pannier boxes, biker gloves, shoes, jackets, goggles and other allied products. We shall keep introducing new and hi-tech biking gears in due course of time in these shops. Our target markets are all metro and A class cities where biking is a passion, more than commuting.”
Kapur further added that although Steelbird is already present in multi-brand stores, the company decided to enter the direct marketing retail model as the retailers in multi-brand stores are “quick sellers” who cannot spend qualitative time, giving the desired information about the products. “These products are not just commodities. Our idea is to put an array of products in the store and let the consumers have the experience and know about the new innovative range of biking gears to make their biking experience safe and stylish,” he said.
He also said that the Indian helmet industry is flooded with spurious and cheap products which are playing with the life of innocent people as they are not aware about safe products which are adequately tested to survive an accident.
Shailendra Jain, Head, Sales and Marketing, Steelbird Helmets, stated that Indian two-wheeler industry has maximum share of motorcycles, creating a huge market for biking gears. The riders, however, hardly have any choice when it comes to buying branded and international quality riding gears. He said through Riderz Shop the company plans to bridge the gap and educate people to go for qualitative products.
