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Peloton is now offering customers the option to assemble their bikes on their own. There are a couple of caveats, though. The option is only available for folks who buy the original Peloton Bike on Amazon, and it doesn’t come with any discounts.
We first heard rumors about self-assembly in August. Peloton confirmed it a few weeks later when it announced its partnership with Amazon. Previously, you had to set up a date and time for a white-glove delivery and allow people into your home for installation. According to a Peloton blog, the company decided to explore self-assembly after members said they wanted to be “involved in the set-up process.”
Customers who laugh in the face of Allen wrenches can find an 11-minute instructional video on YouTube. There are also written instructions for folks who prefer reading to videos. Peloton says it took six months and three rounds of field testing to ensure that the assembly process would be easy for customers. That said, Amazon users can still get free delivery and expert assembly if they’d prefer.
Right now, self-assembly is limited to US Amazon customers. Earlier this month, Peloton expanded its Amazon store to the UK, and the company says it plans to include Germany in the coming weeks, but when The Verge asked Peloton when it might offer self-assembly overseas, we didn’t immediately receive a response.
We’ll have to see whether self-assembly boosts Peloton’s efforts to revive its business. While it’s unlikely that self-assembly alone will prompt users into buying the Peloton Bike — especially since there’s no discount — it may reduce shipping costs on Peloton’s end. Since taking over, CEO Barry McCarthy has tried a number of strategies to improve Peloton’s financial fortunes. This particular move dovetails with comments McCarthy made in May about redesigning Peloton hardware for easier delivery. He’s also rehauled Peloton’s supply chain strategy, ending domestic production and cutting over 500 jobs related to last-mile delivery and product distribution. Whether these strategies have succeeded is still up in the air. McCarthy recently argued in Q1 2023 earnings that the “ship is turning,” but investors don’t seem convinced after the company fell short of expectations.
wazup.