What Is Happening With Peloton? And Other Pandemic Lessons

It’s quite surprising to see the mess Peloton has created for itself.

If any company was poised to succeed in the pandemic economy, it would be Peloton. As the first wave of closures started in March of 2020, the fitness company and exercise equipment manufacturer—whose claim to fame even pre-COVID was its subscription-based, virtual workout classes—reaped the windfall. Gyms were shuttered from coast to coast, and a stir-crazy America needed something to do. Peloton, alongside Nintendo, Netflix, and Amazon, was a primary beneficiary of this new state of affairs. Sales skyrocketed so much that Peloton could hardly keep up with demand. Months-long backlogs caused by disrupted supply chains helped make Peloton bikes even hotter items.