Wheelwright improves e-Commerce Calibre

Kent-based wheel distributor Wheelwright launched its Calibre Couture range onto the UK market and made substantial upgrades to its website, including an improved e-Commerce platform, in the first quarter of 2012. Tyrepress.com spoke to Wheelwright managing director, Kevin Greer, who presented details on why the Calibre range has been “a real success story” following its introduction. Since its launch the distributor has introduced retro, utility and the Couture prestige ranges to its private wheel range, making Calibre its “umbrella brand”. Greer also talked Tyrepress.com through the upgraded website, which aims to serve modern shopping habits, without treading on the toes of the retail businesses it supplies.

Wheelwright was formed in Essex in 1980, becoming one of the largest established UK wheel distributors, dealing brands such as AEZ, Dotz and Dezent, before moving to Kent in 1997. It was owned by Alcar, before returning to independence while retaining trading links with the manufacturer of many alloy wheel brands. Greer told T&A of the current period of transition in the wheel market, especially over the past three-four years, and how Wheelwright is tackling this, with online shopping providing a wider customer base. He also explained that the company was taking a “different approach to the export market”, selling into Europe without appointing distributors thanks to quick, affordable transportation methods. Greer says the company ships products to key markets in central Europe in 48 hours, and at a cost below £15 for a set of four wheels.

While the new version of the website is important – as are the search engine optimisation campaigns that Wheelwright has completed over the past 18 months – Greer says the company does not believe that the future is entirely online; the company “wants to support both online and the high street”. Shopatron, while taking payment as a customer-facing site, will allow the company to achieve this through local collection and fitment of products, in a similar manner to that utilised by online tyre shopping sites.

Another important step for Wheelwright was the launch of its private Calibre brand, which has grown rapidly “from a standing start two years ago”, according to Greer. The company said the collection of diverse designs would sit above the firm’s private Calibre brand portfolio; the Couture range is aimed at the upper end of the vehicle parc, with several distinguished designs and fitments.

Originally filling holes in the Wheelwright product range, the company has benefited from “long-standing relationships with the factories in Asia” that manufacture Calibre products according to Greer, allowing it to provide fitments for the growing retro market, as well as the light commercial and prestige segments. Wheelwright has benefitted by a “crossover into the mainstream” of “old school” wheel designs, Greer told T&A, while legal issues with replica wheels have led to a shift towards the OEM-quality aftermarket products supplied by Wheelwright.

Couture range details

Wheelwright has grown the Calibre Couture range for 2012 with a series of new designs; in order of increasing size, the new Altus sets the tone with a classic ‘Y’ spoke design with a concave face. It is available in five stud patterns, three different finishes and five different sizes, ranging from 8×19” to 10×22”.

The Volante’s aggressive, angular appearance and concave face is designed to offer additional flair, with an undercut polished detail. It has fitments for most core cars in staggered 19” and 20” sizes.

The Potentia is designed for the premium SUV market – cars like Range Rover’s new Evoque and BMW’s X5. It is available in the 22” diameter and in most popular fitments with satin-finished spokes contrasting with the highly polished deep dish.

Commenting on the new Couture Collection, marketing manager James Gray said: “The Calibre Couture range offers a premium product for retailers seeking an OEM-quality solution. As well as being carefully selected to tick all of the visual boxes, these wheels use the very latest casting and finishing technology – and we will be supporting them heavily across a range of digital and print platforms to ensure that they are firmly on the radar of our end-users.”

In all, the 2012 Calibre Couture Collection comprises eight different designs, offering something for almost every sector of the prestige, executive and tuning market. Wheelwright says it will use social media campaigns, e-shots and online dealer tools to market the new lines.

e-Commerce website

Wheelwright’s website reboot offers “direct from manufacturer” purchasing for the end-user. Transactions made through the site will be fulfilled by Wheelwright dealers, either via post, or in person at the dealer’s premises. The Kent-based firm has spent the last 12 months developing a digital sales solution in conjunction with Shopatron, the US-based software company, making Wheelwright one of the first e-Tailers to use the company’s services. The new system went live on 1 March.

Wheelwright states its research shows that “over a third” of online consumers would like to buy directly from the manufacturer, but have their order delivered locally. Shopatron users shop online as with any e-Commerce store, choosing their items and checking out via the fully secure payment system. The system automatically allocates the order to the appropriate dealer, based on a combination of stockholding and geography.

Commenting on the development of its e-Commerce activities, Kevin Greer said: “After a lot of development we are now ready to launch this system to enhance the sales process for our dealers. Shopatron solves the conundrum that every brand has; namely, how do you provide a clear, centralised e-commerce resource for your customers, whilst maintaining the profit and engagement element at dealer level?

“With this system, we can provide the very best information, images and warranty credentials in one convenient site, whilst creating capturing new sales for our dealer network. We know from our trial data that this system not only increases the satisfaction of customers they would have had anyway, but more importantly, generates new leads that they might not have seen. This is the perfect solution to enhance our brand image at the same time as improving our dealer’s bottom lines.”

Wheelwright also says that further research, based on actual sales data, shows that over 25 per cent of customers that collect their purchase at the dealers also go on to purchase additional accessories or ‘sell-on’ items.