December 20, 2018 - Boulder, CO
SmartEtailing has finalized the trial phase of Buy Local Now PRO and is now offering the service to any bike brand with a US or Canadian IBD network. This service allows bike brands to integrate local bike shop availability into a consumer website.
“89 percent of shoppers say that having access to real-time product availability information would influence their shopping choices,” explains SmartEtailing president Ryan Atkinson. “Buy Local Now can tell a shopper what local bike shop has the product they are looking for. We offer a neutral and secure data network that brings transparency to the shopping experience for cyclists.”
SmartEtailing works independently with bike shops to collect inventory data which is securely stored in the Buy Local Now database. Brands are able to integrate with the database to provide local availability data to consumers. Consumers are given the information they want on a brand or retailer website, not in a third party marketplace.
“We want more retailers to join this independent data network,” continues Atkinson. “It’s free for retailers and by reporting you are able to connect with consumers while remaining aligned with your fundamental business model. You control which brands have access to your data and you can make changes to your permissions at any time.”
Buy Local Now PRO started development in 2016 and was initially launched in conjunction with the Giant WebLink program. WebLink uses data from SmartEtailing’s Buy Local Now database to enhance the consumer shopping experience on Giant’s consumer website with stock status at nearby local retailers.
Brands such as Cannondale, Salsa, and NORCO have since subscribed to this service for use on their brand websites. Each installation of Buy Local Now PRO is unique, with some brands offering consumers local inventory insights and others selling product on the brand website directly from retailers’ on hand inventory.
Over 40 brands have a version of Buy Local Now installed, securely sharing inventory data from over 1,700 retail locations. The standard version of Buy Local Now that is free to brands while the PRO service has a monthly subscription cost.
“Retail is changing fast and consumers want more information faster. Most bike brands don’t have the resources or technology to collect inventory data,” concludes Atkinson. “Buy Local Now is the industry’s largest data network and we make it practical for any bike brand to provide local availability information online and drive more traffic to local retailers.”
Bike brands interested in learning about Buy Local Now options can contact Matt Lolli, Supplier Relationship Manager, at brandsandsuppliers@smartetailing.com or (303) 527-0676 x 115.
Retailers are encouraged to sign up for free ahead of the 2019 selling season. Retailers can opt in at smartetailing.com/buy-local-now-sign-up.
About SmartEtailing
Founded in 1999, SmartEtailing provides website, marketing, and data solutions to help independent bicycle retailers and suppliers sell more product in-store and online. With SmartEtailing, a bike shop’s website is transformed from a passive advertisement to an interactive, content-rich marketing vehicle that informs and sells to customers. SmartEtailing is committed to the success of local specialty bicycle retailers by providing tools that help them effectively compete in an evolving retail environment.
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