Early Rider × STOQ: how preorders recovered 10% of sales

From one balance bike to a movement

Early Rider has been building bikes for nearly 20 years. Founded by Andy Loveland in the UK, the brand started with a simple mission: to change the way kids experience an active and adventurous life.

The first product, the Classic balance bike, reimagined what children’s bikes could look like. Instead of plain wooden frames, it was inspired by counterculture icons like Easy Rider. It had fat rear tires, a smaller front wheel, and flame detailing – a bike that looked as cool as it was functional.

From there, Early Rider grew into a full range: balance bikes for toddlers, adventure bikes for bigger kids, and performance models for young riders ready to hit trails and roads. The philosophy has stayed the same: no compromise. Build the best possible bike for kids, designed to give them confidence, independence, and a lifelong love of riding.

The challenge: demand forecasting and overselling

Managing a wide range of SKUs from frame colors to new model years was becoming increasingly complex.
Without clear signals on what customers wanted, Early Rider risked:
- Overselling popular variants
- Confusing customers during out-of-stock moments
- Losing sales when demand was high but inventory was not yet available

James highlighted how tricky it was to handle variant and model-year changes, like moving from 2024 to 2025 models, while still keeping customers informed. STOQ gave them the tools to make that communication clear.

“Our setup has a lot of SKUs. STOQ helps us understand what people actually want before we even have stock.”

Why Early Rider chose STOQ

When James joined the business, STOQ (then Restock Rocket) was already installed. But it quickly proved itself indispensable. Customers could register interest or preorder upcoming bikes, and the team could use that data to plan manufacturing and deliveries more accurately.

“As soon as you start using it, you know it’s a good and useful app.”

STOQ also gave them peace of mind that they wouldn’t oversell across variants and model years. Equally important was the human support.

“The support has been fantastic. Always responsive, always focused on actually getting us the answer.”

Results: preorders turned into shipments

Before each delivery, 10% of sales come in as preorders – revenue that would otherwise be lost. For example, one preorder cycle allowed Early Rider to ship 20 units on Monday morning, the day the bikes arrived, because customers had already secured them weeks earlier.

Back-in-stock data has also become a forecasting tool. If a certain bike color or variant shows dozens of Notify Me signups, the team knows it’s worth increasing the next order. If no one signs up, they can adjust plans accordingly. They also use date filters in reports to avoid notifying old signups, keeping communication fresh and relevant.

Pull-Quote: “We use stock data in every planning conversation. It shows us what’s popular and what to build more of.”

What stood out most: reliability and support

No app is perfect. STOQ gets the essentials right. It functions the way Early Rider needs it to, and whenever there’s a question, the support team is there to help.

Sometimes the problem is user error, sometimes it’s configuration. Either way, the team resolves it quickly. That reliability has kept Early Rider confident through high-demand launches.

“I don’t recall a time where we haven’t been able to get a resolution. That level of engagement has been very helpful.”

Why STOQ pays for itself

Reliability and time saved beat any spreadsheet math.

In the weeks before deliveries, preorders recover sales Early Rider would otherwise lose. The data also tells the team what to build next. That’s the real return.

Advice for other merchants

James keeps it simple:

“If you’re not using it, just put this app in.”

But he also points out that STOQ isn’t just about recovering sales in the moment. It helps merchants:

• Serve customers better: give buyers a clear way to reserve what they want or get notified when it’s back.
• Plan smarter: use demand signals (like Notify Me signups) to decide what to build or reorder.
• Save time: reduce manual work by letting the system handle preorders and notifications.
• Rely on support: know that if something comes up, there’s a real person to help.

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What it meant for James and the team

For a brand like Early Rider, which prides itself on designing uncompromising bikes for kids, reliability in its tools matters just as much. With STOQ, the team gained a system that not only recovered revenue but also gave them visibility into demand, helping them plan and serve customers better.