BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Madison and Sportline have lined up not just product launches and exclusives for iceBike*, but also a star-studded line-up of seminars taking place across the three days of the show at Arena:MK running at the end of February.
Dealers can expect industry insights and retail advice from independent experts from the likes of Pearl Izumi, Park Tool, Shimano, Science in Sport and Stealth nutrition – they will all be offering short seminars on useful industry hot topics.
Here’s the timetable:
There are even more exciting and useful seminars to be confirmed before the show kicks off, we hear. Spaces are said to be filling up rapidly, so dealers are urged to register their place as soon as possible at www.icebike.co.uk/register.
Here’s more detail on the seminars to whet your appetite:
"Boy Oudenampsen from Shimano will be hosting a daily seminar looking at the e-bikes market, it’s projected growth and what makes Shimano STEPS a true force to be reckoned with in 2016. He will look at what Shimano is doing differently when creating e-bike systems and how that can translate into more sales for dealers as consumer demand increases.
"Madison brand manager, and apparel expert, Clemence Copie will be hosting an invaluable session on profitably ranging, managing and selling cycling-specific clothing. Apparel is a fiercely competitive and often difficult market, so Clemence will be educating visitors on the potential pitfalls for shops and what they can do to ensure they are always making money from the clothing they range.
"One of the most recognised bike mechanics in the world is Calvin Jones from Park Tool. Known for his entertaining tutorial videos and incredible product knowledge, Calvin will be hosting a seminar on best practice of bike assembly in a retail business. This will then be followed by a question and answer session, to give dealers a chance to learn from Calvin’s vast industry knowledge. In 2015 this was a particularly popular seminar, so make sure you get there early.
"Two heavyweights of the sports nutrition industry will be hosting a seminar each looking at the do’s and do not’s of nutrition retail at this year’s iceBike*. Stealth Nutrition founder Tim Lawson who has over twenty years’ experience of developing the best sports nutrition products on the market, will be offering up his extensive knowledge at Arena:MK.
"Gareth Mill, Head of UK Retail at Science in Sport (SiS) will also be taking a session on what retailers can do to make more of sports nutrition in their business. Given the massive growth of nutrition products in cycling, both sessions will offer some practical advice on what dealers can do to stay ahead of the curve in a very dynamic market.
"Aside from insightful seminars from the brands themselves, Madison and Sportline have also invited some external experts to offer some practical advice for visitors to the show. Retail expert Mark O’Dolan is returning to iceBike* to present best practice in how to merchandise shops effectively and how to activate promotions and sales to enhance retail offerings. Retail finance is also the fastest growing sales tool in the UK in the cycling and angling industries, so Kevin Hughes of V12 Retail Finance will be hosting a seminar on how dealers can make better use of it in their businesses.
"Social Media expert Adam Tranter will also host a workshop on how to make Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other online platforms work for retailers. It is a vital resource to utilise in today’s market and with Adam’s practical advice, dealers can learn how to build an online community and increase interest in stores.
This year’s iceBike* show and will take place at the Arena:MK between Tuesday 23 February and Thursday 25 February.
