You’re one order away from Travel Specialty

If you’re in Outdoor Specialty, you’re only one order away from being in the Travel Specialty market.  Here’s how to do it:

Cross merchandise an area of your store with a travel focus.  It doesn’t have to be big, because for the most part you carry these products in other parts of your store, it just needs to be thoughtful.  The display serves to remind your customer of their “commuter” travel needs, not just their backpacking or kayaking trip list.

Create the display around an order of Osprey Travel Luggage and Cascade Design’s Hummingbird Travel Bags.   These two brands offer the best of travel options.  Osprey’s Shuttle series comes in three sizes for wheeled suitcase lovers, and we recommend the Porter and Transporter Series for more basic needs.  An Airporter LZ is a definite must-have for those shipping their backpack as well.  The Airporter is your insurance policy against damaging conveyor belts.

Hummingbird Travel Bags focus on a less-is-more philosophy of rugged, waterproof protection.  Survive anything from jetway jostling, sudden rainstorms, or the rising beach tide with the submersible Carry-On Zip, versatile Travel Pak, and electronics-saving Ecases.  These two brands of travel gear should form the core of your merchandising display.

Reinforce the above luggage offerings and enhance your travel image with additional travel friendly product, such as:

• Lightweight or Microweight SmartWool Tees.  Odor free and variable temp friendly, SmartWool shirts are your go-to travel attire for a day, or a week.
• Comfortable all day shoes.  Display a pair of Vasque Juxt or Jule shoes to remind customer’s of the all day comfort of a good pair of shoes, rugged enough for the trail and nice enough for your dinner reservation.
• Compression socks for airplane safety.  SmartWool’s compression socks keep the blood moving in stiff, confined legs while traveling.
• Compressible pillows for airplane satisfaction.  Hummingbird’s (or Thermarest’s) compressible pillows help you get the sleep you need before (or after) your journey.
• Quick drying, wrinkle resistant shorts or pants.  The Stretch Zion short from prAna offers everything you need in travel wear.
• A stylish shirt or top.  A lightweight button down from prAna dresses you up for that special occasion, and keeps you cool for your next activity.
• Platy Soft Bottles provide compact hydration, easily stored in overstuffed carry-ons.
• PackTowl personal towel… because sweat, spills, and swimming holes happen.

Displaying these items in a fun, cross merchandised area of your store will spark that travel bug in you, your staff, and your customers.

Lastly, get in the travel frame of mind.  Customers who spend their weekends backpacking, mountain biking, and kayaking also spend their time traveling for work and leisure.  As an Outdoor Specialty store, you have the brands that represent their active lifestyle on the road.  You have the gear that provides better travel experiences.  The same gear that adds value to your customers, and sales to your bottom line.

But…

Have you ordered it yet?

Happy selling, Travel Specialty.