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Debuting in US retail and signing Powerplay as distributor, reMarkable plans for growth in the paper tablet category in North America.
OSLO, Norway, November 7, 2022 — reMarkable, the leading innovator within the paper tablet category, today announced that reMarkable 2, the second generation of the company’s award-winning paper tablet, is available for the first time from a US retailer, Best Buy, with expansion to other retailers planned for 2023.
The reMarkable 2 bundle deals, which include a paper tablet and accessories such as folios and markers, start at $549 on BestBuy.com. Until now, reMarkable’s products have only been available directly to consumers in the US from the company’s website, www.remarkable.com.
“We’re excited to expand the availability of our next-generation reMarkable paper tablet to North American consumers,” said Magnus Wanberg, CEO of reMarkable. “Launching in major retailers in the US market will enable reMarkable to build on the momentum of our incredible direct-to-consumer e-commerce growth to date and let more people enjoy an exceptional digital writing experience and focused work through our products.”
reMarkable 2 is a cloud-connected tablet inspired by paper that is designed for note-taking, reading, and annotating documents without the distractions that come with other e-readers and tablets. With more than 1 million units sold since 2017, reMarkable in 2021 grew its revenue to $300 million and was earlier this year valued at $1 billion, making it one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, according to the Financial Times. The reMarkable 2 has received multiple awards, including Time magazine’s ”Best Inventions” award.
reMarkable has signed Powerplay Retail (Powerplay) as its North American distributor. Powerplay has a proven track record of launching European brands in the North American retail market, operating as both a site representation firm with more than 100 longstanding retail relationships and a distributor capable of rapidly scaling retail programs for manufacturers.
About reMarkable
Based in Oslo, Norway, reMarkable is the leading innovator within the paper tablet category, developing breakthrough digital paper tablets for note-taking, reading, and reviewing documents. Its vision is to create human-friendly products to help people think better. Since launching the original reMarkable 1 paper tablet in 2017, the company has sold more than one million units and reached unicorn status. For more information about reMarkable and its digital paper tablet, visit www.remarkable.com.
About Powerplay Retail
Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and San Francisco, California. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers they continue to vet and identify new market opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com
Retailers now have access to sustainable, reusable, and washable paper bags that can be custom printed and are recyclable at end of life
Minneapolis, MN September 14, 2022 Powerplay Retail (Powerplay) and The International Fusion Corporation (Fusion) have launched a joint venture to provide retailers with a full-service sourcing solution for reusable bag options as more states and municipalities enact legislation banning single-use plastics. Available now, retailers can order private label and owned brand sustainable, reusable, bags made from a wide range of substrates including non-woven and woven, jute, canvas, cotton and washable paper. The full range of bags available comply with single-use plastic ban requirements and are distributed by Powerplay, with blank options and private label customization available.
With Powerplay’s broad reach of retail partners and distribution capabilities paired with Fusion’s product design and development knowhow and responsible sourcing and factory relationships, the partnership unlocks capabilities to support retailers in providing sustainable, owned brand and private label solutions at affordable price points. Customized, turnkey service plans are now available to meet retailer’s specific needs including the support of experienced retail operations teams, product testing and compliance, packaging and display services, high volume production capacity, distribution, and efficient freight pack-out and planning.
Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, according to Waste Management. To help combat the environmental impact of single-use plastics, eight states—California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermont—have banned single-use plastic bags and containers. Other cities and counties across the country have similar bans each with their own requirements on material and durability standards, making it challenging for retailers to monitor and comply with laws that can vary by zip code. The Fusion and Powerplay partnership delivers streamlined manufacturing capabilities along with an alternative bag solution that can be implemented at stores nationwide to help simplify operations for retailers.
“We believe we are uniquely positioned as partners to be able to make a significant impact and render lasting change throughout the retail industry in terms of reducing the environmental impact and need for plastic packaging,” said Tracy Thie Principal & Co-Founder of Powerplay Retail. “The private label reusable bags are just the beginning of this mission. We intend to introduce an entire suite of products available for customized private label or branded under the washable paper EarthgradeTM brand that will address many of the most pertinent issues the retail industry is facing when it comes to sustainability.” Simon Norman, the Founder and CEO of Fusion, commented: “Our partnership with Powerplay allows our innovative and sustainable products to reach a large number of US retailers to help them achieve their sustainability targets and boost their environmental credentials. We look forward to our reusable bags and washable Earthgrade bags becoming widely used through the whole of the US.”
About Powerplay Retail
Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and San Francisco, California. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers they continue to vet and identify new market opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com.
About The International Fusion Corporation
Fusion is a privately held Australian based company with principal offices in Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), Hong Kong and Manila (the Philippines), China, Vietnam and New Zealand. For over twenty years Fusion’s project delivery teams across retail design, visual merchandising, temporary and permanent displays and print procurement have generated the critical mass that has released energy, ignited creativity and shaped outcomes for more than 600 brands across the Asia Pacific region. For more information on Fusion, visit fusioncorp.co.
For more information about working with Powerplay Retail and The International Fusion Corporation to replace single-use plastic bags with private label bags, visit https://powerplayretail.24digital.com/powerplay-fusion/
All proceeds fund free youth and young adults’ programs at Northside Boxing Club
DRILLS, named after boxing legend Phil “The Drill” Williams, are a boxing glove for men, women and children of all ability levels. The gloves are named after Williams, a long-time coach of the Northside Boxing Club. Williams, a professional cruiserweight boxer with a 15-8-2 record, is credited with the fastest, officially recorded, knockout in boxing history. Northside Boxing Club, located in North Minneapolis, provides a safe space for youth and young adults in the neighborhood to learn and grow through boxing, education and physical fitness. All proceeds from DRILLS will fund programs at Northside Boxing Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit boxing gym, that provides boxing classes, on-site tutoring, and a nutritious meal every weekday evening for community members ages 9-21.
DRILLS boxing and training gloves are perfect for men, women, and kids who have just stepped into the ring for the first time up to advanced boxers ready to take on the next round. The gloves are multi-use and can be used for boxing, kickboxing, MMA, sparring training, bag work and home workouts.
“Our mission at Northside Boxing is to effect change in North Minneapolis youth through boxing, education, and physical fitness. The ongoing sales from DRILLS boxing gloves will allow us to fund this mission in a sustainable fashion,” said, Ryan Burnet, executive director and founder of Northside Boxing Club.
The high-quality DRILLS boxing gloves are made of semi-leather with durable triple layer construction for 12OZ and four-layer construction for 16OZ which allows for extreme comfort ensuring maximum shock suppression for teens and adults of all ages. The boxing gloves include a large Velcro enclosure providing a secure fit. A fully attached thumb minimizes the risk of twisting. They are easy to take care of and can be cleaned with only a wet towel.
“I am proud to be a part of the Northside Boxing family. Each day I have the opportunity to work with fine young men and women of the North Minneapolis community and have seen many grow during their time in the program,” said Williams. “This DRILLS boxing glove project is an important way for people across Minnesota and our country to support what we are doing at Northside Boxing.”
Available in blue and black in 12oz and 16oz sizes, the DRILLS gloves are available for $39.99. They can be purchased by visiting Northsideboxing.org/drills or Amazon.
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About Northside Boxing
Northside Boxing Club is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit boxing gym located on 33rd and James Avenue in Minneapolis. The gym opened in March 2016 as a safe place to teach fundamentals about life, character, nutrition, education, and boxing. Northside Boxing Club is much more than a boxing gym. We are a family. Every weekday evening, we offer boxing classes, on-site tutoring, and a nutritious meal. For more information visit: https://northsideboxing.org/
Minneapolis, MN, June 24, 2020—Powerplay Retail, the leading expert in maximizing sales opportunities for retailers and brands, is adding Victrola to its growing portfolio of products sold through the Powerplay Incentives program. The incentives market is estimated at $90 billion, and Powerplay Retail is helping brands including GoPro, JLab, Marshall and now Victrola capitalize on this growing sales channel.
Retail sales fell 16.4% in April and 8.3% in March during the height of the pandemic shutdown. The uncertainty over consumers returning to stores as states reopen has brands exploring alternative outlets. The incentives market allows consumers to shop from the comfort and safety of home and allows them to continue to purchase non-essential items like audio components and speakers with a tightened budget by using earned points or rewards.
Powerplay Incentives enables brands to grow incrementally without competing with or jeopardizing traditional retail sales relationships. Through the program, companies have opportunities to sell products as part of employee rewards and corporate branding, credit card rewards, and other incentive related channels. The Incentive program also provides a unique opportunity to test new products in the market prior to a full sales rollout.
For over 110 years, Victrola has withstood the test of time by constantly adapting and pioneering the latest audio trends while holding tight to its entrepreneurial spirit. In today’s changing and volatile retail industry, Victrola recognizes the opportunity to evolve again by adding an incremental channel to its existing sales strategy. Through the partnership with Powerplay Incentives, Victrola will have new tools to reach potential customers.
“The incentives market is an example of an important way that we can achieve our mission of creating lifelong music memories in every home,” said Scott Hagen, CEO Victrola. “As changes in the world continue to affect consumer’s buying habits and the economy, having a new channel to reach consumers where they can acquire a quality product without spending their own cash is attractive on numerous levels. We feel that this is an important time to be entering the incentives marketplace and look forward to reaching our consumers in new ways that they value.”
Powerplay Incentives offers over 50 brands with more than 700 unique products through its Incentives program. These products span categories ranging from consumer electronics to housewares, sporting goods, personal care and more. Powerplay Retail is a member of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI #746472) and Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI #48767).
For more information about the Powerplay Retail Incentives program, visit www.powerplayretail.com/incentives.
About Powerplay Retail
Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Shenzhen China. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers, they continue to vet and identify new retail opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com.
For media inquiries please contact:
Alissa Bolke
alissa@powerplayretail.24digital.com
Minneapolis, MN, June 12, 2020 — Powerplay Retail, the leading expert in maximizing sales opportunities for retailers and brands alike, announces the modern oral health company Quip as the latest brand to take advantage of the Powerplay Incentives program. Quip joins GoPro, JLab, Marshall and other popular brands that are tapping into the $90 billion incentives market guided by Powerplay Retail.
While there are more ways for brands to reach consumers than ever before, the fragmentation of sales and marketing also makes it more challenging for brands to trigger a buying decision. Added into the stress of a distracted consumer is the volatility of retail as physical stores close and are reinvented as online platforms. The traditional path to retail for brands is also evolving as more find initial success direct to consumer with retail as a secondary sales channel.
BPowerplay Incentives enables brands to grow incrementally without competing with or jeopardizing traditional retail sales relationships. Through the Powerplay Incentives program brands can access opportunities to sell products as part of employee rewards and corporate branding, credit card rewards, and other incentive related channels. The Incentive program not only helps brands increase sales it also provides a unique opportunity to test new products in the market prior to a full sales rollout.
Powerplay Retail is in a unique position to advise companies considering an incentive sales program. The Powerplay Retail team has over 250 years combined retail experience and is a trusted partner of incentive sales companies providing unique, premium products to some of the world’s largest corporations and organizations. Powerplay Incentives offers over 50 brands with more than 700 unique products through its Incentives program. These products span categories ranging from consumer electronics to housewares, sporting goods, personal care and more. And, Powerplay Incentives can handle every aspect of an incentive sales channel. From discovering the next viral product or identifying what products from established brands will be the most popular with employees or customers based on in-depth analysis to warehousing and drop shipping, Powerplay Retail ensures their customer’s incentive programs are a flawless process.
Powerplay Retail is a member of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI #746472) and Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI #48767).
For more information about the Powerplay Retail Incentives program, visit our B2B section.
About Powerplay Retail
Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Shenzhen China. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers, they continue to vet and identify new retail opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com.
For media inquiries please contact:
Alissa Bolke
alissa@powerplayretail.24digital.com
Minneapolis, MN, September 5, 2019 — Powerplay Retail unveiled its industry-leading suite of services to their clients today announcing the acquisition of DealRise Retail. The acquisition enhances their existing flexible service offerings by providing brands opportunities for growth across in-store and online retailers.
“After nearly 30 years in the retail business, we noticed several pervasive themes across the brands that we represent,” said co-founder Tracy Thie. “Gaps in direct sales, distribution, and uncommitted inventory has made it difficult for brands to navigate, especially with the rise of digital commerce. We looked at how we could better evolve to serve our clients and the partnership made sense.”
DealRise Retail provides brands with expertise across Seller Central and Vendor Central to deliver the best product and experience directly to customers. In-store retailers and brands benefit from DealRise Retail’s services by enforcing MAP while cleansing and managing consistent online channels.
“We’re really excited to join the Powerplay Retail team,” said VP and partner Ben Freeman. “Powerplay’s history in the retail world is really deep and we know DealRise can bring a new perspective on direct-to-consumer experiences.”
The acquisition will see DealRise Retail renamed as Powerplay Direct and work alongside other flexible service offerings in Powerplay Rep Group, Powerplay Distribution, and Powerplay Incentives. The move is a big shift in a brand representation world that has found it difficult to evolve with the mix of in-store and online brand development.
“DealRise Retail gives our brand and retail partners a strong competitive advantage going forward,” said co-founder Jeff Petschl. “Retail continues to change and it’s our job to support that however we can. As entrepreneurs we are always looking to evolve to best support our partners.”
Harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit that built the company, Powerplay Retail will continue to seek strategic growth opportunities to add to its suite of flexible service offerings, to continue to better support end-to-end channel management for brands. Powerplay Direct will integrate into the Powerplay Retail offering immediately, supporting new and existing brands in their continued growth.
About Powerplay Retail
Powerplay Retail is a privately held, Minnesota based company with offices in Bentonville, Arkansas, and Shenzhen China. With over 250 years of combined retail experience bringing brands like Beats by Dr. Dre and GoPro to consumers, they continue to vet and identify new retail opportunities to best serve their brand and retail partners. For more information on Powerplay Retail, visit powerplayretail.com.
For media inquiries please contact: Alissa Bolke alissa@powerplayretail.24digital.com
