SHOP owners in York are being invited to sell their products in similar stores in New York and vice versa as part of a new initiative being launched in February.

Gravitum Ltd, a Knaresborough venture formed by Rik Currie and Ian Gill, is behind the idea, thought to have huge global potential.

The Gravitum principle is simple: participating retailers make space available in their shops for other compatible retailers in the Gravitum network, while at the same time sending their own merchandise to participating retailers in the UK and overseas.

In this way shops can have retail presence in other cities where, for various reasons, it might otherwise have been impractical. Internet marketers can also have an instant, appropriate retail presence.

Both men will be in New York immediately after Thanksgiving at the end of November, when US retailers are at their most active, to agree the New York participants in a pilot scheme operating between the two cities.

And they want to draw up a list this month of shop proprietors in old York who are willing to take part in the experiment.

The two entrepreneurs have jointly developed other successful international ventures, including the digital identity verification system, Swivel Secure.

Rik, Gravitum’s founder and chief, approached Ian, a former Swivel commercial director colleague, to join him to develop the idea.

The two directors see Gravitum offering an opportunity relevant to retailers in every city which has independent shops selling quality merchandise.

Shops in both cities which are on Gravitum’s interactive database can get location, merchandise and customer profiles, and the space available in each shop described in detail, with suitable matches suggested.

The amount of space available in the shops is decided by each host shop, so a shop in York may choose the space in a shop in New York and for the number of weeks that suits them.

Each shop can claim commission on sales of the other’s goods.

Rik said: “Many shops know that their merchandise would sell really well in other markets and other cities, but the practicalities and cost of setting up in another city, even one, often means they don’t go ahead with their plans. Well, now they can.”

Shops are invited to visit the Gravitum website at gravitum.com to express an interest in being included in the pilot, which starts in February. Alternatively, phone Rik on 07779 038889 for more information.