BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Ribble Cycles has launched Ribble Live In-Store – an ‘all-new’ digital experience.
It will allow consumers across the globe to interact and view products directly with an expert team member in-store from the comfort of their own home, place of work or on the go, bringing in-store shopping experiences online via the website.
Andy Smallwood, CEO Ribble Cycles, said: “As a leading direct-to-consumer, digital-first business, Ribble is the first in our sector to offer an authentic retail experience in an online format.
“Ribble Live In-Store offers the consumer the opportunity to gain access to a physical store, a dedicated expert Ribble brand champion and the complete product range via their own phone, tablet or laptop.”
By partnering with Go Instore, the multi-award-winning customer engagement platform, Ribble Live In-Store will allow customers to interact with highly trained, knowledgeable staff, to discover more about its range of bikes and have the confidence to make the right purchase decision.
Andre Hordagoda, Go Instore co-founder, added: “As a keen cyclist and having been through the consultative process of buying road bikes over the years, I fully appreciate the need for professional support in getting sizing and configuration just right.
“From the early conceptual days of Go Instore we always felt we would work well with a leader in this category – so it’s great to be partnering with an award-winning brand such as Ribble and we are excited to deliver their excellent customer service to consumers worldwide.”
“Building on our strong online presence with the introduction of Live In-Store, we have enhanced our customer service capabilities and can now interact even more directly with our customers,” said Matt Lawson, Ribble CDO.
“This is a strong tool to increase our omnichannel offering and to further build relationships with our customers – both new and existing. The immersive live video calls help to bring our brand story to life. The early response has been very positive in terms of customer uptake and sales.”
Live in Store will initially be provided by the retail team at Ribble’s Preston store, with the potential to roll out across its portfolio of stores in the near future.
It will allow customers to interact with the experts, to see the products and ask questions via live video. There is two-way audio, with one-way video only for the customer – the experts will not be able to see the customers.
Ribble will also be offering extended ‘opening hours’ with Live In-store being available into the evening and on Sundays, more details online.
