For some years now, we have been buying more and more ebikes and digging deeper into our pockets for them. This trend was lately confirmed by the figures for 2021 published by the Zweirad-Industrie-Verband ZIV (German bicycle industry association). A recently published survey by the market research company GfK is correspondingly interesting. It sheds more light on how we make this purchase.
In the E-Bike Monitor 2021, Gfk looks into the question of which sources of information potential buyers consult in the run-up to such a decision and through which stations their buying process, the so-called customer journey, leads them. To find out, Gfk surveyed people in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
In fact, buying an ebike can become a bit of a science unto itself. No wonder, since it is quite a complex product. For example, we want to know:
- Which drive is installed?
- What is it capable of?
- What battery capacity is recommended for me?
- Does the battery necessarily have to be removable or can it also be recharged on the bike?
- Which type of ebike should I choose at all?
- A model with a mid-mounted motor or one with a motor in the rear hub?
- Which kind of gearing do I prefer?
- What experiences have other people had with this ebike?
- Can I find trustworthy test reviews?
- and, and, and
Many different sources
Given the abundance of aspects that play into the purchase, it seems only logical that respondents inform themselves extremely comprehensively. People living in Germany attach great importance to the opinions of people they know well. According to Gfk, they ask friends, relatives and acquaintances for their opinion. With a share of 40 percent, this channel is the most frequently mentioned source of information. The second most frequently mentioned source of information is the specialised trade with 35 percent and the internet with 34 percent.
According to the E-Bike Monitor 2021, the situation in Belgium is very similar. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, the specialised trade with the local shop is in the lead.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating
After a certain assessment, the second core element during the buying process comes into play – the test ride. The actual riding experience is of immense importance. In Germany as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands, it is the main reason why people flock to bicycle shops. Around 90 percent of the people who make this journey then also try out one or more ebikes. In the Netherlands, there is almost no way around a test ride. According to Gfk, more than 90 percent of our neighbours only buy an ebike afterwards. In Germany, the share is 57 percent.
People in the Netherlands mostly want to use their future ebike for recreation in their free time. The second most important purpose is the way to work. Going to school and actually doing sports follow at a great distance in third place.
Remarkably, the importance of a test ride seems to be a question of age. In relation to all three participating countries, 82 percent of buyers between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to take a test ride. With increasing age, the percentage drops to figures around 50 per cent. Unfortunately, the survey does not reveal whether this is possibly related to the fact that older people may already have more experience riding ebikes.
On the other hand, the E-Bike Monitor 2021 reveals country-specific differences. For example, 27 percent of potential buyers in the Netherlands are already riding an ebike. In Germany and Belgium, this is much less the case, at 19 percent and 15 percent respectively.
The share of those who buy an ebike and already own one is highest in the Netherlands with 27 percent.
Buying is becoming more expensive
In addition, the study underlines the price development mentioned at the beginning. The average purchase price rose in all three countries from 2020 to 2021. In the Netherlands, the increase was most recently around four percent, with the purchase price settling at 2,283 euros. In Belgium, an increase of around eight percent led to a price of 2,197 euros. At twelve percent, the increase in the purchase price was greatest in Germany. However, we are not quite at the price level of our neighbours yet, reaching 2,140 euros.
Similar to the Netherlands, the purchase prices for ebikes are increasing in Belgium and Germany as well.
People in the Netherlands invest the most money in a new ebike. The amount they spend on it on average rose from 1,987 euros to 2,283 euros between 2019 and 2021. That is almost 300 euros more. Reasons for this include the rising prices for ebikes as well as the growing interest in higher-quality products.
What is the Gfk E-Bike Monitor?
Every year Gfk surveys current and potential ebike buyers. The opinion researchers want to know, for example, for what purpose people buy an ebike, i.e. which routes they primarily want to cover with it in the future. It is also about the money they spend when buying. For the Gfk E-Bike Monitor 2021, a sample was surveyed in October 2021. It included 2,000 respondents in the Netherlands and around 1,000 respondents in Germany and Belgium.
Pictures: Gfk SE; 41 Publishing & Marketing UG
