Wiggle is back up and running and has returned to its orange color and previous logo
The drama of Wiggle seems to have a happy ending. The online sales giant was saved at the last moment by the investment group Frasers Group. The new owner is starting to show his intentions and has so far relaunched the company with differences in the catalog and a corporate image that harks back to the past.
Wiggle wakes up in time: this is how they want to revive a fallen empire that was on the brink of disappearing
Negative news hit Wiggle in recent months. A thriller that dragged on and increasingly seemed to lead the company to the worst outcome. The merger of Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles -two giants on their own- spurred a conglomerate that was later affected by falling demand and excess inventory plaguing the market. Sigma Sports United, owner of WiggleCRC, suspended its stock market listing and halted its operations.
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The predictions came true and WiggleCRC entered into administration. The collapse of Sigma Sports United could also drag down other brands of a company that had in its portfolio Bikester, Fahrrad, Probike, Bikeshop, Nukeproof, Vitus Bikes, dhb, Prime, or Lifeline. The situation was complex and the sector then lived with the uncertainty of how this move would affect the industry in general.
However, a few weeks ago Frasers Group announced the purchase of Wiggle Chain Reaction for just over 11.5 million euros. This investment group acquired all the brands and intellectual property of the company, thus also becoming the owner of Vitus and Nukeproof -bike brands- and dhb, Prime, and Lifeline -component and equipment brands-.
Now, Frasers Group has revealed the first steps they have considered to revive the WiggleCRC giant. First, they have reactivated the websites and they seem to be operational again. The recovery strategy is based on two parts: changes in the catalog and 'renewed' image.
On one hand, the catalog features products from Evans Cycles and Sports Direct -both firms owned by Frasers Group-; meaning that Muddy Fox and Pinnacle bikes can be found.
On the other hand, Wiggle's corporate image has undergone a facelift that has brought back the orange color that once identified the brand. The company thus gets rid of the green it wore in recent times. With this unexpected twist in the plot, it seems that the new owners want to make a fresh start with a move that also aims to connect with years of prosperity, as they also bring back the old logo.
Although the websites are functioning, products from the own brands -such as dhb or Lifeline- still lack images and in most cases are only available from April 4th onwards.
Either way, it seems to be only a matter of time before they come back to life with all services operational. It is currently unknown whether Frasers Group has carried out the layoff of the 447 workers that was reported at the time.