Ribble claims a bike industry first with live video sales

Consumer direct bike label Ribble will pioneer live video sales within its retail locations for customers wishing to ask questions remotely.

The digital experience allows the customer to review the range alongside a salesperson in store, all from the comfort of their home. The service is something that the firm told CI.N is particularly relevant to the e-Bike age, where its customers very often have greater curiosities and lower levels of general knowledge.

Staff at the firm’s Preston store will be the first to work with the technology, with a further roll out across the store portfolio in the near future.

“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,” said Andy Smallwood, CEO Ribble Cycles.

The live video sales tech advance will be delivered in tandem with Go Instore, an award-winning customer engagement platform.

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.

Andre Hordagoda, Go Instore Co-founder offers: “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. This is a strong tool to increase our omni-channel 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.” adds Matt Lawson – Ribble CDO.

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