DAS Companies, Inc., hosted its annual Travel Center Show May 8 and 9 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During the invitation-only show, attendees had the opportunity to see new products coming to travel centers and truck stops from over 360 brands.
Qi charging equipment was ranked atop “Shark Tank” event at DAS show.The show also included numerous seminars. Dan Sabanosh, director of shopper marketing for Great Northern Instore, opened the show discussing shifts in the brick and mortar world and the rise of eCommerce, providing insights, trends, and opportunities on how to think differently and win.
New to the show this year was DAS’ own version of “Shark Tank” which presented the latest in product innovation in ways similar to that of the popular TV show. Show attendees rated products by awarding them points based on their impact on the industry. Thge final ranking included:
- MobileSpec – Qi charging, 177 points
- Nature’s Script – CBD, 175
- Hasbro – Toys, 171
- Howe’s – Diesel Lifeline emergency anti-gel, 168
- BlueParrott – B550-XT Bluetooth headset, 165
- PowerDrive – Pure Sine Wave Inverter, 159
- Rand McNally – Convertible Bluetooth headset, 155
- AfterShokz – Bone conduction audio technology, 153
- DPI – True wireless earbuds, 141
Attendees were able to view the latest products making their way to travel centers from leading global brands while learning current trends and how these new products would leverage sales growth. Utilizing the show app, attendees voted for their favorites and ranked the best in new innovation for 2019. Other seminars included sessions on business growth solutions, shopper habits, and customer loyalty.
“Each year the Travel Center Show enables us to continue to build on our relationships with our partners while offering a productive trade show experience,” said Chuck White, vice president, brand and marketing for DAS Companies, Inc. “We want to consistently provide our retail partners with valuable insight on how to differentiate themselves in the marketplace, so they, in turn, can deliver an exceptional experience to their shoppers.”
Featured were new products from MobileSpec, Black Canyon Outfitters, LUMAGEAR, PowerDrive, and RoadKing. Other innovation included the latest in lighting solutions and visually attractive displays that engage and influence customer behavior.
While at the show, attendees were given the opportunity to sign up for the RoadPro Rewards Retail Partner Program. The program allows retailers to be part of national campaigns that gain recognition without losing their independence.
“This event provides us with the opportunity to host our customers and to showcase new products and innovations coming to the market,” said Steve Birli, vice president of travel centers at DAS Companies, Inc. “It is beneficial to the travel centers to be able to speak directly to manufacturers of products and to also build those critical relationships with other retail locations allowing them to share ideas that can help them grow their business.”
