Covid’s far-reaching effect on sales

Covid-19 has not only changed our lives but has had a far-reaching effect on the way we sell motorbikes.

Sales manager Mark Trench said: “When we’ve been in lockdown, people have not been able to view motorbikes in person. So more people are having to buy online as it is the only way to do so. And that’s opened up the market more.”

People who would not travel long distances to view a used bike are now more likely to buy one online and have it delivered. It means businesses have to be able to market their used bikes digitally.

“Now, even if you’re only 10 miles down the road, you can’t actually see the bike in the metal so you have to rely on video or images.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re 10 or 500 miles away – Covid-19 has really opened up a new market for used bikes online.”

We’re delivering used motorbikes throughout the UK and have even sent them to Malta and Portugal. It means we’ve been working with UK shipping companies and having to adapt to restrictions such as disconnecting the bike’s battery and draining fuel.

“In years gone by it would be rare for one of our used motorbikes to be sold outside East Anglia. In lockdown about half of our used bikes have been going UK wide.

“And we’re also doing far more deliveries. Most weeks we’ll be delivering used motorbikes around the UK,” he said.

“We do have national delivery companies but we try to do it ourselves to continue our high level of service.”

You can see our used motorbike stock at orwell.co.uk/used-bikes-ipswich