In an innovative move designed to improve the range of products available to members, ISRA retailers have become category managers.
Members will be given a sports category to look after and will actively work with the suppliers in that particular category to bring offers to the wider group. Describing how the scheme is to work, Tom Foley of ISRA explains: “We have identified key sports categories and have matched them up with individual retailers who conduct a lot of business in that category or have a particular interest or expertise in that area. For example, we have members looking after the categories of running, football, tennis, swimming, etc.
“Category managers will work closely with suppliers in their categories to actively develop offers and products for the wider group, filtering offers before they are presented to the wider group via the ISRA website, meetings and the ISRA shows. The benefits are twofold – individual members get more involved with the group and suppliers get an initial contact point with the group through a member who specialises in their category, working closely with them to bring more timely and appropriate offers to the table.”
Contact ISRA (www.isra.ie) for a full list of category managers.
In other news, ISRA members travel to Twickenham in October for their ISRA/Allied Nike show. The joint show enables members to work more closely together and helps the brand create a more focused offering applicable to the sport specialist retailer.
Preparations are also underway for the ISRA winter show, which takes place on January 19-20. Tom Foley advises suppliers hoping to take a stand to make early contact with ISRA as space is limited.
