Member Article

Leeds' OK Comics latest business to sign up to tourism app

A West Yorkshire comic shop is the latest business to sign up to a unique tourism app promoting the region’s shops, attractions and hospitality venues.

OK Comics, which has been trading in Leeds’ Thornton Arcade for the last 12 years, has added its name to the Go Yorkshire iphone and Android app launched last month.

The comic shop is the winner of multiple awards, including best independent retailer and best customer service.

Initially trading on-line, OK Comics pride itself on its customer-business relationship, by providing mailing service anywhere in the world as well as a free lending library, which allows customers to borrow graphic novels for two weeks at a time with no cost.

Go Yorkshire, which has been developed by Bedale-based Elmtree Press and with support from Ryedale Council, uses the phone’s internal GPS to determine user location, then finds places to visit nearby, listing them by proximity.

The free app has been downloaded almost 4,000 times and more than 300 businesses have already signed up to promote themselves, products and offers.

One of the unique features of the app for business and attractions listed on it is the fact they are able to update their own information and offers on a daily basis.

It also allows users to accumulate points – to be redeemed against offers - at their favourite places with its loyalty card feature.

OK Comics owner Jared Myland said: “We chose to join with Go Yorkshire as we believe the app is a good way to reach out to people.

“We wanted to advertise and make ourselves known to customers outside out typical customer demographic.

“The motivation for establishing OK Comics was to get as many people as possible reading.

“We get many customers who have never read a comic book in their life, however we are always open to new customers, and we hope being a part of Go Yorkshire will help this.”

Helen Bullock, Elmtree Press managing director, said: “We are delighted that Jared has joined the growing army of Go Yorkshire business supporters.

“The app is very much in its early days, and the number of businesses from across the region featured on it is increasing all the time.”

She added: “We have been involved in the Yorkshire tourist industry for more than two decades and the Go Yorkshire app is the next stage in our journey.

“It has been designed with both the user and advertisers in mind. It is easy to use and its unique feature is that businesses can update their listings as often as they like.”

For further details about the app, please visit http://www.goyorkshireapp.co.uk/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .