IRVINE, Calif. (BRAIN) — The National Bicycle Dealers Association has overhauled its retailer award program, formerly called America's Best Bike Shops. The new program is called the Bicycle Retailer Excellence Awards. It continues the ABBS program's use of the application program as a learning tool for retailers. But it eliminates the payment required to participate in ABBS. And retailers do not need to be NBDA members to participate.
Registration for the program opened Thursday; the awards will be presented at the Big Gear Show in Park City, Utah, in August.
"With a focus on inclusivity, the program unites retailers, suppliers, industry organizations, advocates, and consumers in identifying and highlighting exceptional bicycle retailers across North America," said NBDA's president, Heather Mason. "Recipients will be acknowledged and awarded not only for their excellence in retail but their integrity, inclusiveness, spirit, and commitment to grow ridership."
The application includes sections for retailers to explain what makes them truly unique in retail operations. The program was built to be more than the application, Mason said. The NBDA will deliver corresponding retailer education via a BREA Excellence webinar being held in May.
"Going through the application and educational materials will be insightful to your business practices, and those retailers awarded the BREA title can be proud to promote the award via their website and in store," the organization said.
The BREA program also will allow consumers to vote for their preferred retailer of excellence to win the additional "People's Choice Award." Participating retailers will also have an opportunity to receive scholarships from SmartEtailing and the NBDA.
Program sponsors include Specialized, PeopleForBikes Ride Spot, QBP, SmartEtailing, Marsh & McLennan Insurance and Outdoor Industry Jobs.
"The focus of the program is to unite and identify excellent retailers in several categories," said NBDA Development Director Rachelle Schouten. "We see such diversity in bicycle retailers; those with cafes, fit studios, an e-bike focus, or specialty retailers in underserved communities and tourist destinations. The revisions to the program were made to encourage participation across the board so that we can award and highlight hundreds of retailers for their commitment to excellence."
The BREA application is now on the NBDA website at nbda.com/brea. The application period is open from Thursday, April 15 until May 31.
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News is the official media partner of the 2021 Bicycle Retailer Excellence Awards.
