October 3, 2011

Our Stand At Cycle Show 2011 Was A Hive Of Activity

We have just completed 4 busy days at the Cycle Show. This was the show's first year at the NEC in Birmingham, after relocating from London, and the move seems to have been a great success with more floor space, more exhibitors and more visitors at the new location. The Action Leisure Gear stand was located in the Cycle Store area of the show, and visitors were able to purchase a selection of items from our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage, as well as examine a few new products that are in the pipeline. As expected, the stand received plenty of attention, and at times we were swamped by visitors eager to pick up a new bag or two for their bikes.

September 14, 2011

Gearing Up For Cycle Show 2011

With preparations in full swing for this year's Cycle Show at the NEC in Birmingham, we have set up our "virtual stall" on the Cycle Show website. You can check the Action Leisure Gear page for the an overview of our stand, along with our latest show news.

September 3, 2011

Action Leisure Gear Was At Eurobike 2011

Action Leisure Gear visited Friedrichshafen, Germany for Eurobike 2011. With almost 1200 exhibitors spread over 13 halls, the show is the largest event of its kind in the world.

As well as checking out some of the latest product developments, we took the chance to meet some old business friends, including Shine-Ho, our affiliate company and manufacturer of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

Action Leisure Gear director Mike Stanley with Julio Ho, CEO of Shine-Ho Knapsack & Bag Manufacturing Co. Ltd., at Eurobike 2011 in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

August 15, 2011

A Great Day At The Southampton Sky Ride

Fine weather and a large turnout made for a great day out in Southampton on Sunday 14th August. The Sky Ride Route took cyclists through traffic-free streets in the city centre and included a rare opportunity to cycle through a section of the docks.

A diverse assortment of stalls and exhibitions gave participants plenty to do and see, and the Action Leisure Gear stand received a large number of visitors interested in checking out our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage. Our stand was located next to the start of the Sky Ride route, right in front of the Guildhall.

August 8, 2011

A Successful Day At The Manchester Sky Ride Despite The Weather

The Action Leisure Gear stand received a large number of visitors during the Manchester Sky Ride on Sunday 7th August. Thousands of cyclists braved the changeable weather to turn out for the event, cycling along the traffic-free city centre route in a mixture of sunny spells and heavy rain showers.

Our stand was located in the Castlefield Arena, just off Liverpool Road in the Deansgate area of the city. As with previous similar events, our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage attracted a good deal of interest, and visitors were able to purchase the products at special event prices.

We will be in Southampton next for the Sky Ride event taking place on Sunday 14th August.

August 3, 2011

See Us At The Sky Rides In Manchester and Southampton

Following our recent attendance at the Birmingham Sky Ride, we are pleased to announce that we will be at the Sky Ride events in Manchester on Sunday August 7th and Southampton on Sunday August 14th.

Each event will run from 10am to 4pm, when participants will have the chance to ride through traffic-free streets in the heart of the city. The routes have been planned by Sky and British Cycling in partnership with Manchester City Council and Southampton City Council.

Our stand will be located in the Market Place area of each event. Visitors will have an opportunity to examine and purchase products from our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

July 18, 2011

TACTUFF Cycle Luggage Is Now Available On Amazon

Walk and Cycle, one of our approved online dealers has joined up with internet retailing giant Amazon to sell TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

The Amazon distribution channel increases Walk and Cycle's internet presence, complimenting the already established Walk and Cycle Shop and its recently opened eBay Shop.

July 15, 2011

Action Leisure Gear Joins GS1

We have joined the global standards organisation GS1, which will allow us to adopt the most globally-used supply chain standards. A major benefit of joining GS1 is that we will now be able to apply an internationally-recognised GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) to each of our products.

The use of GTIN identifiers and related barcodes has become widespread in recent years and is a basic requirement of many major high street and internet retailers. We will be posting a list of EAN-13 barcodes in the Dealer Resources area of our website and notifying all our dealers of the changeover.

Our new product EAN-13 barcodes will be instantly recognised on any barcode lookup system.

July 4, 2011

TACTUFF Is A Hit At The Birmingham Sky Ride

The Birmingham Sky Ride took place in glorious sunshine on Sunday July 3rd. More than 15,000 cyclists took to the streets for the event, and Action Leisure Gear was there to display its range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

Our stand was located in the Market Place area of the event, right beside the lake in Cannon Hill Park. Visitors had the chance to check out our display and purchase products at special event prices. The stand attracted a good deal of interest, with some cyclists even opting to view the display without leaving the saddle!

This was the first Sky Ride event we have attended, and we are encouraged by the response our products generated. Watch this space, as we will be posting details of further events that we plan to visit over the summer.

June 29, 2011

Come And See Us At The Birmingham Sky Ride

Action Leisure Gear will be in Birmingham on Sunday July 3rd for the Sky Ride. Our stand will be located in Cannon Hill Park for the duration of the event, which will run from 10am to 4pm. Visitors will have an opportunity to examine and purchase products from our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

The decision to hold the Sky Ride in Birmingham follows an extremely successful event in 2010 that saw around 15,000 people take to the streets on their bikes. Organisers are expecting even greater numbers to participate this year.

The traffic-free route has been planned by Sky and British Cycling in partnership with Birmingham City Council, and will take in many of the city's landmarks, with riders free to join at any point along the way.

This is the first time that Action Leisure Gear has participated in a Sky Ride event and we welcome the opportunity to exhibit our products to the cycling public.

June 27, 2011

A Busy Weekend At The York Cycle Show

Our stand at the York Cycle Show was a hive of activity once again. This was our second visit to the show, and just like last year's event, we got to meet a large number of visitors.

Interest in our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage was extremely high and we did a brisk trade with visitors looking to snap up show bargains.

Visitors to our stand were also able to pick up a flyer, enabling them to make a special post-show purchase on our website. Click on the link below or on the YORK CYCLE SHOW button in the left margin to login to the show page. The page will be up for just 2 weeks, so you had better hurry if you want to take advantage of this opportunity!

May 18, 2011

Action Leisure Gear Will be At This Year's York Cycle Show

We can confirm that, following our success at last year's show, we will be returning to the York Cycle Show for the 2011 event, which will be held at The Racecourse on June 25th & 26th.

According to CTC, the show organisers, "there will something for all cyclists at this great weekend cycling festival, and grand finale to Bike Week."

Attractions include: •Trade Show & Exhibition •Arena Events •Extensive Catering & Bar •Camping and caravan pitches •Saturday Organised Rides from 25 Km to 150Km •Stunt Show •Cyclists' Service at the Minster and Grand Parade through the city •Childrens' entertainments •Cycle Club displays •Veteran Cycles •Saturday Night on-site musical entertainment & more.

Entry to the 2011 Cycle Show site and trade area is £3 for adults, £2 for children aged 5-16yrs. Under 5's are free . Family discount tickets will also be available on site. Parking is free.

Opening times: 10:30 - 18:30 Saturday, 10:30 -16:30 Sunday

April 27, 2011

Action Leisure Gear Was In Taiwan For TaiSPO 2011

Action Leisure Gear visited the Taipei International Sporting Goods Show 2011. Exhibitors at the show displayed a wide range of sporting and fitness products, and our attendance gave us an opportunity to check out the latest innovative ideas for outdoor activities. The information and business contacts taken from the show will help to drive the company's future product development.

April 6, 2011

See Us in the Cycle Store at this year's NEC Cycle Show

We have finalised our arrangements for the Cycle Show 2011, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham from September 29th to October 2nd, and can announce that we will be on Stand CSD30, located in the new-look Cycle Store area of the show.

The Cycle Store has been enlarged and improved for this year's show. It is located right in front of the main exit, ensuring that it will not be missed, as all visitors will pass through the store before they leave.

Being in the Cycle Store affords us the opportunity to display to trade visitors and consumers, with the added benefit that we can sell products on our stand. Selling is not permitted on the main floor of the show, and our choice of the Cycle Store location is a response to the many frustrated visitors to our stand at last year's show, who liked what they saw and expressed a desire to make an on-the-spot purchase.

The retail area at previous shows was in a special segregated section, and exhibitors wishing to sell their products usually took a display stand on the main floor in addition to the retail stand. However, the new show layout, combined with a change in policy by the show's organisers, has presented us with an exciting opportunity to have a dual function stand that should meet the needs of both business visitors and members of the public.

See the previous Cycle Show 2011 news story.

March 12, 2011

See Us At The Taipei International Cycle Show 2011

Action Leisure Gear will be in Taiwan for the Taipei International Cycle Show 2011, which is being held at the Taipei World Trade Center's, Nankang Exhibition Hall from Wednesday March 16 to Saturday March 19.

Come and meet us with our affiliate company, Shine-Ho Knapsack & Bag Mfg. Co., on stand I0911a, where you will be able to see current and forthcoming products and discuss business opportunities for the European market.

By working with Action Leisure Gear, Europe-based distributors and retailers benefit from a simple, locally-based purchasing process. You can order your stock from our distribution centre in The UK in quantities that suit your business needs, and there is no need to get involved in the complexities and logistics of importing goods from outside of Europe.

January 17, 2011

Walk and Cycle is the Latest Approved Online Retailer

Walk and Cycle is the latest approved online retailer of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

The shop is the latest addition to the Walk and Cycle website, which provides thousands of pages of information to walkers and cyclists free of charge.

The inclusion of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage enables Walk and Cycle to offer relevant products directly to its users, and will help finance the development of its services.

January 4, 2011

2011 Price Review Completed

Action Leisure Gear has completed its price review for the TACTUFF Cycle Luggage products in its 2011 catalogue. The review was prompted by the British government's decision to raise the standard rate of VAT from 17.5% to 20%.

The review started by examining the outlook for 2011 and considering the feedback we have received from our dealers. While there are a few signs of recovery from the recession of 2009-10, and many in the industry are cautiously optimistic, market conditions remain extremely challenging. Set against this background, the VAT increase threatens the economic recovery by raising selling prices and dampening consumer demand.

The recommended retail prices (RRP) of the majority of TACTUFF products remain unchanged. This allows retailers to continue offering a competitive price-quality mix in a market that is seeing increasing levels of price discounting. Following the advice of our dealers, the prices of a few small bags and packs have been adjusted slightly in order to reposition the products within the TACTUFF range and in the wider market.

To cushion our dealers against the effects of the higher sales tax, we have reduced our trade prices accordingly. This enables retailers to maintain their margins without increasing their selling prices.

December 22, 2010

ALG Confirms Its Attendance at the Cycle Show 2011

Action Leisure Gear has confirmed that it will be exhibiting at the Cycle Show 2011, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham from September 29th to October 2nd.

According to the show's organisers, the move from London to the more centrally-located NEC will enable more trade and consumer visitors to access the show, "creating a truly national event". The new location will offer improved facilities and more space, including a 1000-seat arena and an outdoor test track. Around 35,000 visitors are expected to attend over the four days.

We plan to follow our success at the Earls Court show last October by taking a larger stand in a prime location.

www.cycleshow.co.uk

December 16, 2010

British Cycling Members' Page Added

A new page has been added to the website for members of British Cycling. Users can visit the Members' Area by entering the TACTUFF code found on the British Cycling website.

British Cycling is the National Governing Body for cycling in the UK whose aim is to inspire participation in cycling as a sport, recreation and sustainable transport through achieving worldwide success.*

ALG first teamed up with British Cycling in early 2010 and continues to support the organisation's aims and activities.

* www.britishcycling.org.uk/about

December 10, 2010

New Dealer Resources Page Launched

The addition of the new Dealer Resources page has added greater functionality to the Action Leisure Gear website, allowing approved dealers to log in to a dedicated area where they can order stock and sales support materials online.

All dealers will be given their own username and password to enter the dealer area. Once inside, users have the option of ordering and paying for stock online, or placing an online order and receiving an invoice with the goods.

The new facility supplements, but does not replace, the traditional contact methods. Stock and sales support materials can still be ordered via the online contact form, email, phone, fax or post, as well verbally during a visit from one of our sales consultants.

November 3, 2010

Cycle Around Becomes the First Approved TACTUFF Online Retailer

Cycle Around has become the first approved online retailer of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage. The moves comes shortly after Cycle Around took delivery of a consignment of TACTUFF products at their shop in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, making the company the latest member of the TACTUFF dealer network.

Cycle Around is a specialist bicycle company that provides a full range of cycles, parts and accessories. The company has successfully positioned itself as the leading bicycle retailer in Trowbridge and the surrounding area, and has established a powerful internet presence with its website www.cyclearound.co.uk.

The inclusion of TACTUFF has allowed Cycle Around to increase its appeal by offering its customers a complete range of high quality cycle luggage at affordable prices.

November 1, 2010

ALG Changes Its Online Selling Strategy

Action Leisure Gear has begun directing all online shopping enquiries to the websites of its approved dealers. The move is a key component of its strategy to focus on the retail distribution channel as the main route to market, and effectively removes the possibility of the company being seen to compete with its dealers for online sales.

All TACTUFF dealers will be given full support in their efforts to develop their own online shopping systems. A sales support disk has been created that provides dealers with brand- and product-related materials, including images, text descriptions and marketing copy, as well as a range of printable materials for use in-store.

Approved dealer websites that provide secure online shopping facilities for purchasing TACTUFF products will be listed on the new Online Shopping page on the company's website.

The company owns several domains, and these are all currently redirected to the main www.actionleisuregear.co.uk domain. Development work is already underway that will lead to a two-pronged approach, with the main corporate website used to support dealers and the main brand website, www.tactuff.co.uk, used to present the brand and products to the public. Both websites will provide information and links directing potential customers to TACTUFF dealers.

The benefits of face-to-face selling are fully appreciated, and website visitors are still encouraged to visit retail stores to receive expert advice and product demonstrations. To support retail sales, a link has been placed on every product page that enables users to contact the company for information on their nearest TACTUFF dealer. In addition, the company is considering various options for presenting information on its dealers directly to website visitors.

October 11, 2010

Success at the London Cycle Show 2010

Action Leisure Gear had a busy few days at the Cycle Show 2010 in London's Earls Court Exhibition Centre. The show ran from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th October and saw large numbers of visitors, especially on the Saturday. Despite a few issues with the stand construction, requiring some frantic last-minute improvisation, we managed to create an attractive display and received many enquiries from the trade, press and public.

Visitors to the Action Leisure Gear stand were able to pick up a flyer that offered a special short-term show discount on a selection of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage products. This has resulted in a sharp rise in website hits and a flurry of post-show orders.

The show also generated a number of promising business leads which should enable us to increase our penetration of the cycle luggage market in the UK and neighbouring countries.

September 10, 2010

See Us at the London Cycle Show

Action Leisure Gear will be exhibiting at Cycle Show 2010 in Earls Court, London. Come and see us at Stand D35, where we will be displaying our range of TACTUFF Cycle Luggage.

"Nowhere else in the UK this year will you be able to experience the fantastic world of Cycling all under one roof... Whether you're a commuter, you ride on dirt, track or road, or simply enjoy a bike ride at the weekend with your family and friends, the Cycle Show is simply not to be missed." *

Cycle Show 2010 is being held at:

Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London SW5 9TA

and will be open at the following times:

Please visit the Cycle Show website for full details.

* www.cycleshow.co.uk

August 8, 2010

New Website Launched

Action Leisure Gear has redesigned its website. The new site is cleaner and less cluttered than the previous version, and is intended to meet the needs of business customers by providing essential product and corporate information, as well as a Dealer Order Form offering secure online ordering at trade prices. As the new site evolves, information will be added to the Dealer Resources page, enabling business users to order various sales support materials or download resources directly from the website.

The new website continues to provide online shopping for end users who are unable to visit one of our dealers. The Online Shop enables us to achieve greater geographical coverage, as we can reach customers living in areas where we don't currently have dealers, including other European countries. The Online Shop is not intended to compete with our dealers, and we will continue to refer all customer sales enquiries to a local dealer where one is available. The Online Shop has improved security, as customers can shop quickly without the need to create an account on our system. Transactions are processed securely by PayPal, the industry leader in online shopping, and Action Leisure Gear does not handle any customer payment data or hold any personal data other than the customer's name, delivery address and email address. As well as being able to pay from a PayPal account, customers are offered a range of payment options including all major credit and debit cards.

June 19-20, 2010

ALG Takes TACTUFF Cycle Luggage to the York Cycle Show

The Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Susan Galloway, was one of the many visitors to the TACTUFF stand at the York Cycle Show. Like many others, the Lord Mayor took the opportunity to examine the products and purchase a bag to use on her bike.

York Cycle Show