How important is merchandise to H-D’s ethos or business model in India? Because it seems that people who buy an H-D also tend to buy the brand’s gear and accessories, and sometimes even people who don’t own an H-D bike still tend to sport the merchandise.
VP:
Yes, people who even don’t own a Harley-Davidson love to wear the brand and show it on their sleeve, so to say. So, yeah, that is normally our first connection with any customer. We feel that’s how people get associated with the brand. They might buy a T-shirt or a cap and then they start working towards their aspiration to own a HarleyDavidson bike. So it is an integral part of our business; it is not what we call a separate vertical. A lot of companies do talk about these businesses as separate verticals. We always say that we are not here to sell a product; we are here to sell lifetime experiences. And when you’re talking about lifetime experiences, it doesn’t just end with