UK. Travel Blue, a leading supplier in travel accessories, will launch a new global “˜Free-Lost-Found’ Service at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes this month (Stand number: Red Village M24).
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Each relevant Travel Blue item will have a unique identity code which the consumer registers on the dedicated website, along with their personal contact details |
Claiming to be the only travel accessories company in the world to offer such a service, Travel Blue expects it to become a significant benefit for prospective buyers, and thereby a major additional profit generator for retailers.
Travel Blue accessories currently generate more than €100,000 in sales on just a 0.33sq m area in travel retail. With the addition of the Free-Lost-Found Service, the company predicts that retailers will see an increase in sales of up to +25%.
The Free-Lost-Found Service will apply to all relevant items within Travel Blue’s 250-plus product portfolio, available at airports and domestic high street stores worldwide.
Dr Eli Fel, newly appointed Sales Director of Travel Blue owner Cometform, said: “Every year tens of millions of travellers lose their luggage, passports and other valuable personal items. In 2008, for example, 32.8 million pieces of luggage were lost. It is estimated that nearly four million passports alone are lost every year, while the cost of replacing is estimated at US$200 for each passport.
“Many of these personal items are never reunited with their owners as there are no tracing details available. Travel Blue’s Free-Lost-Found Service aims to solve this problem, at least for those travellers purchasing our products – simply by registering the item on our dedicated website.”
What’s more, Travel Blue maintains that retailers can enjoy the additional sales produced by this innovative concept without any investment on their part.
“Where Travel Blue already has distribution, we will simply introduce new stock which incorporates the “˜Free-Lost-Found’ Service, which is clearly promoted and advertised on both the product and the merchandising unit,” said Fel.
“Where we are not already distributed, we are confident that this extremely worthwhile additional benefit for travellers will be a strong incentive for retailers to introduce the Travel Blue brand.”
Each relevant Travel Blue item will have a unique identity code. After purchase, the consumer simply registers the purchase via the dedicated five-language website, inputting both the unique ID number and their own personal contact details. Each product will include a leaflet with information on the “˜Free Lost and Found’ Service in nine languages.
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The service will apply to all relevant items within Travel Blue’s product portfolio | |
If an item is found, the finder simply logs onto the website, inputs the ID number and his own details. Travel Blue then puts the two parties – the owner and the finder – together. For his/her trouble, the finder will receive a gift mailed to them from Travel Blue.
“We would like to reward the finders for their trouble, so offering a reward was the obvious way of doing this,” Fel added.
“Lost and Found services are available, however they are paid for or restricted to very high priced luggage,” Fel explained. “This is the first time that a free service has been offered to consumers purchasing something as small as a passport holder or a lock.
“This valuable extra benefit will not affect the purchase price of the items; we are confident that the consumers will easily identify the added value of the free-lost-found service which will generate increased sales both for Travel Blue and the retailers concerned.”
So confident is Travel Blue of this new facility that it is offering buyers visiting the stand in Cannes a free laptop case with immediate online registration to the Free-Lost-Found Service.
“For us it’s an excellent way to show retailers how the system works in real conditions,” added Fel. “It’s a win-win concept – for Travel Blue, for the retailer, and for the customer.”
The Free-Lost-Found Service will apply to all existing relevant products as new stock comes onto shelf, as well as new introductions – which include a number of items being launched at TFWA World Exhibition.
For more information, contact Dr Eli Fel, tel: +44 208 203 8223, or e-mail: eli@cometform.com. Visit www.travel-blue.com and www.free-lost-found.com.
