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21 Aug 2023

A report in Cycling Industry News says that 60% of Fix Your Bike vouchers that were issued during the peak Covid lockdown period were redeemed at smaller bike shops and...

10 Aug 2023

One in five UK consumers (20%) prefer using mobile payment services such as Apple Pay over cash (17%) or chip & PIN card payments (10%) for in-store purchases, a new survey has reported.

9 Aug 2023

Fully funded training for school and college leavers is available for the Cycle Maintenance Apprenticeship for those under 19 years of age at the start of the apprenticeship.

9 Aug 2023

ACT Gold Member Luchos, which has pioneered a new energy block for cyclists and endurance athletes that acts as a natural alternative to energy drinks and gels ladened...

9 Aug 2023

VOLT e-bikes has announced the launch of a unique Cancel Anytime Subscription model in
conjunction with e-bike rental provider Blike.

8 Aug 2023

The CE mark, which is used in the EU to certify that a product meets certain safety standards is to be retained indefinitely, after the government announced an extension of CE mark recognition...

8 Aug 2023

ACT member and Cytech-accredited Bridgtown Cycles in Cannock has been named Premium Bike Shop of the Year in the Midlands Enterprise Awards. Now in its sixth year, the awards showcase the...

26 Jul 2023

“Red tape and barriers to trade” currently affecting businesses because of Brexit have been blamed by cycle distributor FLi Distribution after it ceased trading with immediate...

25 Jul 2023

Norwich has triumphed ahead of Newcastle and Belfast to be named the most cycle-friendly city in the UK, scoring  high marks for categories like cycle routes, bike sharing schemes and...

25 Jul 2023

ACT member BikeTown in Rutherglen is to hold a cycling festival in the lead-up to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

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ACT partner NearSt praised in Forbes for being the retail technology that could save the high street

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

ACTNearSt logo members can receive excellent benefits with NearSt, a powerful platform that encouragers more shoppers through the doors of specialist cycle shops.

NearSt was recently featured in Forbes for being an exciting new technology which could save bricks-and-mortar retail, with the article detailing information about a London-based trial.

 

Increasing footfall to London's biggest shopping streets

A world-first trial of the NearSt tech recently took place with the aim of driving more shoppers to some of London's best-known shopping streets in Mayfair and Belgravia. NearSt used Google Local Inventory Ads to promote real-time in-store inventory information from nearby shops including Creed, Pringle of Scotland and VICKISARGE to local shoppers. Not only is the shopping experience innovative for retailers, but it is deeply practical for shoppers, too. 

The goal was to draw online shoppers into 15 fashion, jewellery and health and beauty physical retailers, and was mainly focussed on the iconic Elizabeth Street and Mount Street shopping streets. 

As NearSt co-founder and CEO Nick Brackenbury explains, "We already knew that shoppers were going online to find products in their local stores, but we didn't realise just how impactful an entire street working together could be." 

The technology worked effectively to intercept customer journeys which started online - and drive them in-store.

 

High street success


The trial was a success, with 36% of shoppers visiting the targetted streets arriving after seeing one of the Local Inventory Ads in Google.

The footfall also translated into cash: An estimated 815 shoppers were driven to the targeted streets, spending an estimated £165,000 between them.

With NearSt's technology proven to increase high street footfall, we could see this implemented to other shopping districts in the country sooner rather than later.

NearSt's Nick Brackenbury says that we can expect this technology to become the norm, "Within two to three years, having a live view of what's on a shop's shelves visible in places like Google, Facebook, Instagram and other major platforms will be a basic expectation from customers - much like having opening hours and telephone numbers is in Google Maps today."

 

How ACT members can benefit

NearSt is leading the way in driving online shoppers' back to bricks and mortar retailers. 

NearSt's mission is to get people back onto UK high streets by making shopping from real shops easier and faster than buying online. Their powerful platform drives in-store footfall by automatically connecting the products currently hidden on shop shelves to Google's local inventory search through a simple integration with a business's Point of Sale system.

This enables customers to quickly and easily find what they are looking for in-store, supporting local businesses and curtailing the flow of business to online retail giants.
  • Boost in-store footfall
  • Better connectivity with your local community
  • Instant setup: get your stock online in less than 10 minutes
  • Automatic feed: Your shop's inventory displayed directly in Google search (no manual data entry required)
  • Insight: see which of your products are most popular with local shoppers searching near your store
  • Exclusive setup discount for ACT members (usually £299)
  • No ongoing costs
  • Free NearSt PLUS trial worth £100: run highly targeted Local Inventory Ads to shoppers searching nearby at the top of Google

Click the button below to find out more or email info@theact.org.uk.

Find out more

 

 

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