Merchandising:
The Possibilities are Boundless

Below is a list of the ideas shared by the byway representatives participating in the roundtable sessions organized by Seaway Trail, Inc. to discuss financial sustainability for byway organizations. Links are provided where possible to more information.

Bling Makes Cash Registers Ring for Byway

Casino Cards Deal Dollars to Byway

Seasons of the Byway Art Series:

The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway offers original oil paintings of byway scenes in four seasons for sale. To view the 2005 series of paintings by local artist Tom Ottoson, click here.

Lighthouse Theme Shines on Byway:

Twenty-eight historic lighthouses line the length of the Seaway Trail in New York and Pennsylvania. A 1991 Lighthouse Assessment and Tourism Feasibility Study identified lighthouses as a strong theme for tourism development and promotion. One of the primary recommendations of the study was to publish a guidebook to the history beacons. Seaway Trail, Inc. issued its first edition of Seaway Trail Lighthouses later that same year. The popular book is now in its fourth expanded printing. The books are sold by Seaway Trail, Inc. via a network of retail dealers, most of whom are Seaway Trail, Inc. members, via the website at www.seawaytrail.com, and at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center Gift Shop.

Today, Seaway Trail, Inc. directly retails and offers dealer prices on other Seaway Trail lighthouse-theme merchandise, including notecards; a series of quilt patterns designed by a byway-based quilter; a poster; a commercially-woven afghan, and a video, produced in partnership with a byway-based public television station. Seaway Trail, Inc. has also sold lighthouse-theme Elderhostel tours. A series of interpretive panels is in place at the publicly-accessed lighthouses.

Coffee Table Book Showcases Byway History:

Colorado’s Gold Belt National Scenic Byway showcases the area where more gold was mined than in California and Alaska together and the mines are still going today. A mine employee wrote a 112-page, 11 inch by 8.5 inch coffee table-style book titled ”Geological Guide to the Gold Belt Byway.” His company provided funding to print the book, which the Gold Belt Byway Association sells direct and online for $19.95.

Clocks Turn Time into Money for Byway
In 2003, the Indiana National Road Association (INRA) presented a trophy clock with the Historic National Road logo to drivers in INRA’s Antique Car Tour and sold, and continue to sell, the clocks as souvenirs for $25.00. Learn more
 
Road Sign Directs Dollars to Byway

A Historic National Road souvenir road sign – a smaller version of the actual road sign has been the most profitable item sold as part of the Indiana National Road Association’s Antique Car Tour. The sign retails for $20. Learn more

Byway Reaps Royalties for Use of Logo

One byway organization established a written contract for use of its logo developed via a logo design contest, and signed a contract with a retailer who had proposed use of the logo on clothing. The byway receives 15 percent of gross sales and can purchase the clothing to sell at byway visitor centers. The retailer pays a royalty for use of the logo, which is trademarked by the byway organization. For more information on trademarking, visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website. An electronic application filing option is found at www.uspto.gov/teas. Consulting with an attorney regarding royalty contracts and logo licensing fees is also advised.

T-Shirts

Byway organizations hosting motorcycle tours often offer t-shirts to riders as part of the tour fee. As part of its Thunder on the Byway Motorcycle Cruise event, the Arkansas Delta Byways organization also sold the t-shirts to non-riders for $10.

Grocery Gift Cards

One byway representative told of a grocery store chain in her area that partners with local groups that sell grocery gift cards of different denominations. The group members take orders that are pre-paid and keep five percent of sales. One church group made $15,000 in one year.

Ice Cream

Seaway Trail Harvest Berry Ice Cream debuted in July 2005 at Karen’s at the Boathouse in Sackets Harbor, a newly established attraction just a short walk from the Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY. The byway organization, Seaway Trail, Inc., helped develop the product and expects to receive a small percentage of sales of the custom-designed ice cream. This type of product may offer future partnering opportunities.

GPS Locator Tours

One idea collected at a byway financial sustainability poster session held by Seaway Trail, Inc. at the 2003 National Scenic Byway Conference was to produce and sell GPS-based narrated tours on CD. A byway representative attending the 2004 roundtable sessions organized by Seaway Trail, Inc. suggested linking to the popular GPS-based geocaching activity.

Other Product Ideas

Other product ideas suggested for production and sales by byway organizations, perhaps using a salaried or contracted sales representative, include children’s coloring and activity books, byway theme or logo fabric sold as bolts of fabric or made into byway exclusive items for wholesale and retail, audio tour tapes or CDs, and byway-produced postcards.

Quilt Patterns: Byway Resources Inspire Event, Merchandising

Vending Viable for Byways in Right Location

Wine Labeling Showcases History, Benefits Byway

Resources:

Logo Trademarking: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Retailing Advice: National Retail Federation