Invacare: Self-service stores for mobility aids

Commentary: The structure of this offering is a strategically important step by Invacare in the wake of a vertical diversification. Here, a downstream economic level is provided (service from the dealer) by a manufacturer. The reasoning for this positioning is firstly a strategic approach to problems in product sales, whilst it can also be assumed that there are dealers out there who have a similar offer, which might be taken if there was a long waiting time for preferred supplier.

kon.med evaluates this approach as a potentially difficult tightrope walk. In addition to retailers that use such an offer in the field of rehabilitation technology, there are perfectly positioned utilities in the market already, which have built up great know-how in the field of services over a number of years. A manufacturer who now attempts tp recreate an identical core competence of the specialised trade is not just going to gain recognition in the specialist field.