While Interbike strictly prohibits retail sales at the show, SmartEtailing will operate kiosks with tablets allowing consumers to buy items from participating vendors, for pickup at the shop of their choice.
"Interbike by Invitation was designed to allow cycling enthusiasts onto the show floor as guests of bicycle retailers, to get closer to the brands they love – and ultimately drive sales through the IBD channel,” said Pat Hus, Interbike’s managing director. “Buy Local Now allows the entire retail process to take place under one roof, with manufacturers helping to generate sales of new product, guests making purchases, and retailers delivering the product back home. It’s simply fantastic.”
The kiosks will be promoted as "Buy Local Now Kiosks, Presented by Interbike."
Park Tool, one of the first companies to adopt the Buy Local Now technology, welcomes the Interbike plan, Bill Armas, Park’s director of marketing, said in a release.
"Online orders from Buy Local Now referrals currently average $62 apiece, and retailers tell me that even more of those referrals result in orders fulfilled in-store," Armas said. "We are all pleased with the customer traffic we’re driving to their business, and think the decision to utilize Buy Local Now technology at Interbike is a smart one.”
There is no charge for specialty bike retailers to be listed in the Buy Local Now database. Currently 13 suppliers participate in Buy Local Now. SmartEtailing's Rick Vosper said all Buy Local Now vendors who exhibit at Interbike will be invited to list a limited number of products in a special portal that will accessible from the kiosk tablets.
More information: SmartEtailing.
