On a spec sheet, a power wheelchair and a mobility scooter can look like two versions of the same product. On a sales floor they are nothing alike — different patients, different reimbursement paths, different margins, and different re-order velocity. Deciding which to stock starts with knowing who each one actually serves.
Power wheelchairs serve users who cannot self-propel and need all-day positioning support — programmable seating, tilt, and a tight turning radius for indoor living. Scooters serve active users with good trunk control who mainly need distance and can transfer independently. A buyer who stocks one expecting it to cover both will field returns from the patients it was never built for.
Margin and service complexity diverge too. Power chairs carry higher ticket prices and richer margin but demand a real parts-and-service network behind them; scooters are simpler, lighter on the budget, and easier to support. Stock the category that matches the service capability you can actually stand behind.
For the full spec checklist — weight capacity, turning radius, battery range, and the reimbursement coding that decides whether either device sells — see our mobility solutions buying guide. The honest answer for most DME catalogs is to carry both, clearly differentiated, and counsel each buyer to the right one.
Match the device to the patient first and the margin follows. Stocking both, well-differentiated, beats stocking one and forcing it to fit.