Bizhop Luggage
Iain Begg is the founder & CEO of Bizhop Luggage, from Hertfordshire, UK. He is one of the finalists in the Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Hertfordshire Business Awards. We have conducted an interview with him.
How special is your hard-sided case as compared to competitors or existing luggage cases?
I don’t need to tell you that hard sided cases give better protection than soft sided cases. That’s why most people choose hard sided for their check in luggage and you’ll understand why if you’ve seen the videos of airport baggage handlers throwing suitcases around. What makes the Bizhop Luggage special when compared to our competitors is that we’ve designed a hard sided case specifically for hand luggage with all the usability features you get from a soft sided carry on case but with the strength and durability of the polycarbonate shell (see how hard I hit it with a hammer in this 5sec video clip). If you carry anything fragile (e.g. camera) in your hand luggage then choose the carry on case from Bizhop Luggage (www.bizhop.co.uk).
Which are the useful compartments and features of your product?
Our current design has three internal pockets. There are two zipped pockets on the left that can hold things like an iPad (or other tablets), a book, toiletries etc. Then we have a large zipped and padded pocket on the right that is suitable for any size of a laptop. When the case is closed, this means that your laptop is right in the centre of the case so it is also protected by your clothes. Have you noticed how many carry on cases have a dedicated laptop pocket on the outside of the case? Imagine if you’re on a busy flight and the airline said your hand luggage must be put in the hold, suffering the rigours of airport baggage handlers? I know this doesn’t happen very often but if it did then you’d want your laptop (or other fragile items) to be well protected.
Besides preventing jacket to get creased, how does Bizhop Luggage differentiate from competitors?
Preventing creasing is just one of the benefits of the Hanger Handle (our main USP). Imagine a scenario in a restaurant or café when you remove your jacket to eat. Have you ever had a bag stolen because it was on the floor and temporarily out of your sight? Have you ever forgotten something, for example left your jacket on the back of a chair because perhaps you were in a hurry? When you hang your jacket on the Hanger Handle this keeps your belongings together, the height ensures it’s always in your sight, then when you leave you won’t forget anything. There is also our second USP that differentiates Bizhop Luggage and that is the upright stable design of the case. Whether on an overnight business trip or a two week family holiday, there is an important feature of hand luggage that everyone needs; to access things during the journey. If you’re flying, you must remove electronic items and liquids to get through airport security. If you’re travelling by train then you may want a book for the journey. If you’re travelling by bus you might want snacks and a drink for the journey. The list goes on but you get my point, there’s stuff that you need to get out of your case during the journey. The trouble with most hard sided (clamshell style) cases is that when you open the case then the contents are on show or if you open the case when it’s upright then things will fall out. Bizhop Luggage has solved these problems by designing the world’s first fully upright hard sided case.
What kind of boost does being a finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Hertfordshire Business Awards give you?
I feel very proud to be one of the finalists and I believe I have a good chance to win. Because, unlike the six other finalists, I have a unique invention with patent pending, I have designed a new type of product in the crowded luggage market and I am building a manufacturing and import business with the potential to go global. Hence it ticks all the boxes of entrepreneurship and even if I don’t win the award, I’m pleased that this has been recognised by the judges and the publicity that goes with it is extremely important for a start-up business.
What kind of pre-order discounts are you extending to early adopters?
We have begun production and our cases will be on sale in the High Street from September at the suggested retail price of £160. If you are willing to wait a few months and if you love the unique design of the Bizhop case then we are offering huge incentives of up to 50% off for early adopters but you need to move fast because these early offers are already running out as it has proved very popular (click http://031.bizhop.co.uk/ to pre-order now).
What is your ambition for this invention?
We are redefining hand luggage, not just with the Hanger Handle which is exclusive to Bizhop Luggage but the many other features. Work has already started on designs for other cases, such as our rolling laptop and overnight bag. We will continue to enhance and extend our product range based on customer feedback; for example, several of our customers have asked for new technology such as USB charging ports, trackers and in-build weigh scale. We want customers to get behind the brand, tell us what you’d like to see on future products because we’re listening.
For more information go to www.bizhop.co.uk where you can give us your feedback and you can subscribe to be kept informed of future enhancements.
