WHERE TO BUY E-SCOOTERS IN LONDON
Written by Ed Wiles, Scootered Founder
Key Points
What is an e-scooter?
E-scooters, such as those in new Xiaomi range, are personal transporters suitable for teenagers and adults. They came to prominence in North America and then Europe when scooter hire companies Bird and Lime put thousands of them on the streets of cities across those two continents. They remain controversial in the UK (as of March 2020) due to not being legal to ride on public roads, despite London police forces taking limited (but much publicised) action against them.
Where to buy e-scooters in London?
There are two main choices if you want to buy an e-scooter in London. You can either buy from a bricks and mortar shop, such as the Mi Store in Westfield Shopping Centre, or a local e-tailer, such as Scootered (based just outside London). How should you choose? It really depends on whether you like to be able to physically see and touch your e-scooter before you buy it: you can of course do this in some bricks-and-mortar stores, but not an online e-scooter retailer. However, you can now test riding e-scooters in various London boroughs. Visit electricscooters.london for more information on this.
Why Buy From Scootered?
Scootered was founded in 2019 with the aim of offering the best e-scooters at the best prices with a reassuring two-year, UK-based warranty. We are based just north of London and consider London residents and commuters to be central to our business. Being local also helps when it comes to delivery: we have been known to deliver an electric scooter to north London within just a few hours of purchase. Of course, if you are buying online you could argue that it does not matter where the company is based and this is true to a certain extent: the most important things to bear in mind are where the stock is held (the longer the journey the greater the chance of something going wrong), the warranty offered with the e-scooter and that the company is UK registered.
The Xiaomi 1S
Conclusion
High Streets are changing across the country, including in London, as consumers increasingly purchase goods online. The cost of renting a shop means that bricks and mortar retailers are forced to sell at a higher price to cover their costs, which is why so many High Street retailers have struggled against e-tailers. However, even if you are buying from an e-tailer, there are benefits from buying from one locally. We believe you will struggle to find a better deal in London for well-regarded e-scooters, such as the Xiaomi 1S or Pro 2. Added to this, you have the peace of mind of dealing with a local company who can offer you the personal touch.