“Business as usual” for dealers as Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare agrees commercial arrangement with Livewell Today
Mobility equipment manufacturer Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare has agreed on a commercial arrangement to secure the online assets and associated intellectual property rights to online mobility retailer Livewell Today.
This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure, the manufacturer states, underpinned by the current owner’s desire to exit the market, alongside the collapse of one of Drive’s biggest retail customers, less than only 12 months ago.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare stated: “Our retail dealers remain to be our primary source of customer revenue and they will continue to be our centre point of focus for strategic growth, moving forward.
“Our renewed dealer strategy for 2024 will provide additional focus through exciting new product development, enhanced marketing support and point-of-sale, with best-in-class pricing to our bricks-and-mortar customers.
“Our vision for the future retail landscape will require time, patience, and investment whilst we look to undo some of the over-reliance placed on our online customers, which has been further heightened by the Covid pandemic, and this opportunity allows us the freedom to do this.
“We will work hard on realigning our strategy to become your retail partner of choice for 2024 and beyond.”
Livewell has been a customer of Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare since 2015 when it originally sold Restwell Riser Recliners and returned ‘seconds’ stock. Shortly after, Livewell made the decision to only sell Drive products exclusively as part of a wider plan to import Livewell’s own-brand products.
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare has stated that it intends to progress with a number of “high priority changes” immediately, and expects to complete the transfer of all assets before the end of March 2024.
The manufacturer is keen to point out to its existing retail customers that it is still “business as usual” with dealers continuing to remain its primary focus.
Livewell will continue to operate online, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare stated, that over the coming weeks and months, the make-up of the Livewell brand will devolve, providing less reliance on its range of Drive-branded retail lines online.
Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare states that it will not be opening its own stores under either Drive or Livewell.
The spokesperson added: “Bricks-and-mortar dealers will continue to remain our core business within our retail division.
“Our future strategy does not include any plans to open new stores. Our dealers are the experts, and we are here to support them.”
A review is expected to be made in the coming months, covering both commercial and operational areas, to reposition the Livewell business.
