BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
9feet.com will be launched in April and is a pan-European e-tail site with multisport content, including cycling. It will be trying to be the amazon.com of sports retailing, a kind of virtual Olympus Sports. This sort of broadbrush approach is probably not too worrying for bike etailers or bricks and mortar shops because cycling will not be the sole emphasis of the site, but its a demonstration that internet retailing is not going to go away.
9feet.com is first and foremost going to be flogging stuff but it will be surrounded by editorial content to make the site stickier. The site is aiming to bring together a community of multi-sports enthusiasts who will read 9feet.coms product reviews, contribute to its bulletin board and then buy their sportswear and hardware online. We offer unrivalled product range in our on-line shop supported by the fullest information and advice, says the 9feet.com literature, we seek to create nothing less than a relationship of total interdependence with our customers built on trust, reliability and belonging."
The venture capital funded dot.com is currently mailing out invitations to opinion-formers in the variety of sports trades it is seeking to dominate to kick-start the online community feel. The opinion formers 9feet.com wants includes key journalists, association representatives and technical experts. Each member of the thinktank receives a small fee for their advice and attendance at brainstorming sessions.
The 9feet.com corporate statement is given below….
Corporate Summary
9feet is a virtual community for everyone involved in active sports and the outdoors. We offer unrivalled product range in our on-line shop supported by the fullest information and advice. In short, we are committed to delivering rich information, endless inspiration and extreme exhilaration to the sports enthusiast and the merely curious alike.
Our vision
By stressing the importance of community to our success, we seek to create nothing less than a relationship of total interdependence with our customers built on trust, reliability and belonging.
Our profile
We aim to:
* Become the on-line destination for passive participation
* Constantly exhilarate with content and innovation
* Build anticipation for customers by allowing them to purchase products and plan trips and events.
Our priorities are to:
* Build the dominant pan-European brand for active sports
* Satisfy our customers every need
* Establish and maintain long-term fulfilling relationships with our suppliers
* Build a sustainable and burgeoning business and first class retail experience
* Invest in the active sports communities and support the ethos
* Create and develop a challenging, fun environment filled with people determined to deliver a total solution to the outdoors enthusiast
* Promote our activities to the widest possible audience using the widest range of media
* Ensure that everyone in the 9feet team understands the strategy, priorities and progress of the company at all times.
9feet people
Were young, expert, astute and totally committed to growing one of Europes most successful e-commerce businesses. From a variety of backgrounds and cultures, everyone at 9feet is unique. Shared values, however, are critical to the success of our business and all team members have an affinity with our culture and our priorities
We are a team of energetic industry and business experts who have worked with some of the worlds leading companies. Were determined to build a business, which is the best in its field. The team is great mix of internationally experienced business managers, specialist sports editors, sports retailers, logistic experts and professional marketers and communicators. And it is growing every day!
Business launch
The business will be trading as an e-commerce site on the Internet from April 2000. In the meantime, however.
Questions?
You will certainly have some questions about us and about this proposal, so:
* Check out our showcase website, www.9feet.com
* Call Stephen Sheridan, chief executive officer, 0870 842 6025
Rob Howard, outdoor editor, 01455 274691
or me, Susan Morris, head of public relations, 0870 842 6024
