Holly Phillips grew up in Ona, West Virginia, exploring the outdoors on fishing trips with her dad. The two would set out on a Friday evening, camp near a river, and start casting the next morning. Their gear consisted of what they could afford at the local Kmart or Walmart. 鈥淚 always got cold in cheap sleeping bags. And if it rained, the tent walls would soak through,鈥� says Phillips. As a result, Phillips鈥檚 earliest outdoor experiences were a combination of joy, because she was outdoors, and sufferfests, because her gear was so low quality. 鈥淏ut even as I grew older, I didn鈥檛 know any better because people like me鈥攍ow income and outside the normal demographic of backpackers, climbers, or even avid hikers鈥攁re left out of the outdoor conversation,鈥� she says.

It wasn鈥檛 until she moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 2012 at age 29, that the single mom even heard of Patagonia or Black Diamond. One day, she ventured into one of the town鈥檚 premier outdoor stores, Neptune Mountaineering. 鈥淲hen I saw the price tags, I was so bummed,鈥� says Phillips, who was making roughly $16 an hour at the time (which is more than five dollars above the national average minimum wage). 鈥淚 knew I could never afford that stuff.鈥�

She is not alone. Outdoor Foundation鈥檚 2018 Outdoor Recreation Report shows the high cost of gear is the second most common deterrent for getting outside. (鈥淭oo busy鈥� was number one and 鈥淧laces for outdoor recreation cost too much鈥� is number six.) For years, the outdoor industry has claimed it wants to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. If affordability is one of the biggest barriers to inclusion, are we really addressing it?

What Does Affordable Mean?

When Phillips struck out at Neptune, she headed to REI and was overwhelmed by the prices there, too. It鈥檚 a common problem says activist Cianna Walker-Flom, who has criticized the outdoor industry for being 鈥渋ntimidating and exclusionary for those who are underrepresented.鈥� She believes a key way to welcome them in is for brands to partner with nonprofit organizations that serve underrepresented populations to offer them upcycled (or new) gear at greatly reduced prices for lending libraries.

The fact is, 鈥渁ffordable鈥� is a relative term. But you could say several brands in the industry are already delivering. In the sleeping bag realm, for instance, Marmot, Kelty, The North Face, and Slumberjack have produced sub-$100 bags for years. But even a $79 bag would be pushing it for a minimum wage earner. [Patricia Cameron reported on this problem in our Winter 2020 issue: 鈥淚t would take a minimum wage worker two full eight-hour days to afford new hiking shoes from most outdoor brands,鈥� she wrote.] And there remains an undeniable performance gap between a $69 Kelty bag that works as a legitimate (albeit bulky) backcountry option and the $25-dollar Walmart variety that left Phillips cold.

Gear Everyone Can Afford

Brands have very different views on what鈥檚 possible when it comes to price versus performance. Durability, for example, is subjective (see p. 48), and Big Agnes founder Bill Gamber acknowledges that even his $200 鈥渆ntry-level鈥� tent is out of reach for many people like Phillips. But, he says, skimping is risky. 鈥淐heck the dumpsters in Moab. They鈥檙e full of Costco and Walmart tents,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just not possible to make a $100 tent that will last. At least I haven鈥檛 figured out how to do it.鈥�

Kelty has almost cracked that nut鈥攊t offers several quality two-person tents that are just north of 100 bucks. Senior vice president and general manager Russ Rowell is content in that middle market and doesn鈥檛 intend to chase even lower prices. 鈥淥nce a brand presents itself downstream, it鈥檚 very hard to go upstream,鈥� he says. That creates a hole in the market which is precisely where two companies鈥擠ecathlon and Walmart鈥攕ee opportunity.

In 2017, the 43-year-old French sporting goods giant Decathlon entered the U.S. market. The brand takes pride in providing quality gear at extremely low prices, and its one-year, 352 percent sales growth in the U.S. proves that people are hungry for decent gear at rock bottom prices. Consumers flock to the 47,000-square-foot Bay Area store for daypacks as low as $3.50 (not a typo) and tents that cost just $59. The company鈥檚 scale鈥攊t has 93,000 employees worldwide鈥攁llows it to build gear at prices so low it鈥檚 easy to doubt the quality, but review after review, from the likes of 国产吃瓜黑料, BACKPACKER, and Runner鈥檚 World, praise the brand鈥檚 performance-to-price ratio.

And hot on Decathlon鈥檚 heels is the icon of affordability in the U.S.: Walmart.

Walmart鈥檚 Bid for Backpackers

Eoin Comerford, CEO of Moosejaw, which is owned by Walmart, made a splash in 2018 with his efforts to bring premium brands and premium prices to Walmart customers by creating a 鈥減remium outdoor store鈥� online. At the time, Comerford believed he was introducing high-end outdoor products to people who鈥檇 never been exposed to them. But the project failed after brands including Black Diamond, Deuter USA, Katadyn, Therm-a-Rest, and Leki pulled out, insinuating that by selling on Walmart.com, they鈥檇 take the special out of specialty brands.

Comerford learned from the failure. In April, he told The Voice, 鈥淲e [moved] away from the Premium Outdoor Store because the whole idea of premium versus everyday brands ran counter to our goal of inclusivity.鈥� Instead, he wanted to create an 鈥渆veryday鈥� brand that would offer 鈥渟pecialty-level performance and quality鈥� to customers of Walmart and fill what he says is a huge gulf between mass market and specialty backpacking gear. 鈥淭he most likely source of beginner backpackers are car campers who already enjoy life in a tent,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he most recent KOA North American Camping Report shows car camping is already becoming more diverse. Non-white active camper households increased from 12 percent in 2012 to 31 percent in 2018. Even more encouraging, people of color made up the majority鈥�51 percent鈥攐f first-time campers in 2018.鈥�

Comerford believes that price is standing in the way of more people becoming backpackers. So in May, he led the Walmart launch of two 鈥渕id-tier鈥� brands that sell through both Walmart and Moosejaw channels and cost the same on each website. Lithic is a backpacking equipment brand that includes tents, bags, packs, stoves, and cookware (also sold in Walmart stores) for prices ranging from $25 to $148. Allforth (online only) offers men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 fair-weather (nothing waterproof or insulated) hiking apparel in regular and plus sizes with prices ranging from $13 to $40.

The products are made in China by factories with experience manufacturing enthusiast-grade outdoor equipment, says Comerford. R&D was a team effort between Moosejaw experts, Walmart development and sourcing teams, and these factory partners.

The least expensive Lithic sleeping bag is a 35-degree synthetic that weighs just under 4 pounds and costs $64, which is comparable to many price-point bags already offered by established outdoor brands. The thing is, Walmart shoppers may not be familiar with Kelty and The North Face. This effort is about bringing new and better-performing alternatives to Walmart鈥檚 huge audience鈥攎any of whom may be people who, as Phillips says, are left out of the outdoor conversation.

The new brands launched just a few weeks before press time. Reviews are still coming in, and some of them are not glowing (google it for yourself).

Performance aside, some skeptics, like Walker-Flom, see Walmart鈥檚 move as opportunistic, not altruistic. 鈥淭his is an issue of stores realizing they鈥檙e missing out on a whole market segment of passionate campers with limited funds. It鈥檚 great to have access to more affordable gear, but when it鈥檚 lower quality, you鈥檒l pay now and then pay again when it wears out or breaks.鈥�

But Comerford remains adamant that Lithic and Allforth will break down barriers by leveraging Walmart鈥檚 massive, loyal customer base and introducing them to better quality gear. 鈥淲ith the current backdrop of Black Lives Matter, it鈥檚 never been more important to grow the outdoor pie by making participation more inclusive,鈥� he says.

The post Trend Report, Part 3: Going Low to Grow appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As outdoor leaders begin to speak out against racial injustice in the United States鈥攐nce again brought to light by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis鈥擮BJ is collecting their statements in one place.

Our list currently includes the following voices: Access Fund, American Alpine Club, American Hiking Society, Arc’teryx, Backcountry, Brown Girls Climb,听BUFF,听Camber Outdoors, Clif Bar, Columbia, Climbing Wall Association, Cotopaxi, Eddie Bauer, Granite Gear, HOKA ONE ONE, Ibex, JAM Collective, Kaya, Machines for Freedom, Mammut, Merrell, Moosejaw, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Mountain Hardwear, Organic Climbing, Orvis, Osprey, Outdoor Afro, Outdoor Industry Association, Outdoor Research, 国产吃瓜黑料 PR, Pactimo, Parks Project, Patagonia, Peak Design, prAna, Press Forward PR, Rapha, REI, She Explores, Smartwool, Snowsports Industries America, Tension Climbing, The North Face, Thousand, Timberland, Title Nine, Tracksmith, Vasque, and Velocio Apparel. Links to their words have been organized alphabetically below.

[Editors’ note: We acknowledge that, while some of these statements contain promises of action, not all of them do so. As Color 国产吃瓜黑料 founder Nailah Blades has written, “It’s not enough to say the right words in a social post if you’re not also doing the work internally as a company.” We encourage everyone to keep that in mind.]

Access Fund

American Alpine Club

American Hiking Society

Arc’teryx

Backcountry

Brown Girls Climb

BUFF

Camber Outdoors

Clif Bar

Climbing Wall Association

Columbia

Cotopaxi

Eddie Bauer

Granite Gear

HOKA ONE ONE

Ibex

JAM Collective

Kaya

Kaya has on its website.

Machines for Freedom

Mammut

Merrell

Merrell also released a follow-up statement laying out a plan for action.

Moosejaw

Mountain Equipment Co-op

Mountain Hardwear

Mountain Hardwear has released a set of principles for supporting “change from within” .

Organic Climbing

Orvis

Osprey

Outdoor Afro

Outdoor Industry Association

OIA has outlined concrete steps it will take .

Outdoor Research

国产吃瓜黑料 PR

Pactimo

Parks Project

Patagonia

Peak Design

Peak Design has released a full campaign called Say Something Give Anything. Details can be found .

prAna

Press Forward PR

Rapha

REI

She Explores

Smartwool

Snowsports Industries America

SIA released an on its website.

Tension Climbing

The North Face

Thousand

Timberland

Title Nine

Tracksmith

Vasque

Velocio Apparel

The post Black Lives Matter: Statements from the Industry appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Walmart made big news in the outdoor industry three years ago when it snapped up the cult-favorite specialty gear chain Moosejaw for $51 million. Back then, speculation abounded as to what the world’s largest retailer (largest at the time; Amazon nabbed the title last spring) was planning. A year later, in August 2018, industry prognosticators and head scratchers alike got their answer when Walmart launched its infamous Premium Outdoor Store聽on Walmart.com, a collection of specialty gear handpicked by the experts at Moosejaw and sold at full price. The move involved no foul play鈥攏o deep discounts, no imitation products鈥攂ut the Premium Store fell apart in spectacular fashion anyway, swiftly and unexpectedly, after Black Diamond demanded its products be taken down and a parade of other brands followed suit.

Everyone wondered what exactly had happened. The answer apparently had to do, in a complicated way, with brand identity and perhaps an aversion to the Walmart name, though some were quicker to call it elitism. The saga went down as an interesting, if brief, chapter in the annals of the outdoor industry.

Now, two years later, Walmart and Moosejaw are making another play鈥攆rom a different angle. The companies announced today the release of two new product lines, Lithic and Allforth, to be sold on聽Walmart.com, Moosejaw.com, in Moosejaw stores, and in 50 Walmart pilot stores. The lines will offer “enthusiast-grade” products for customers who are, as the companies outlined in a release, “not traditionally exposed to performance backpacking and hiking products.”

It’s an interesting idea. “The average sleeping bag sold on Walmart.com is $23. On Moosejaw.com it鈥檚 $181. That鈥檚 a pretty big step for people to take鈥攅specially those new to the outdoors,” Moosejaw CEO聽Eoin Comerford wrote in a letter to industry colleagues, titled “Diversifying the Outdoor Pie,”聽this week. “Both lines are designed to draw new participants into the fun, community, and health benefits of hiking and backpacking.”聽The Walmart/Moosejaw decision makers seem finally to have understood that their best bet for selling specialty gear isn’t to bring diehard outdoor customers to Walmart, it’s the reverse: bringing diehard Walmart customers to the outdoors in a gradual, stepwise fashion.

The Allforth apparel line will features 15 “backpacking-friendly styles,” including pants, shorts, T-shirts, and shirts designed with performance fabrics.

Technology incorporated into the clothing will include two-way stretch, zip-off pant legs, breathable and water-wicking fabrics, and vented shirts.

Men鈥檚 sizes will run S to 3XL and women鈥檚 sizes XS to XXL with prices from $12.95 to $39.95.

Sales strategy aside, it’s certainly a noble goal from an inclusivity standpoint. “We have to address the key barriers that stand in the way of more inclusive backpacking participation鈥攑rice, intimidation, and exposure,” Comerford wrote in his letter. “Walmart and Moosejaw are directly addressing these barriers…with very approachable pricing…and easily understood product descriptions.” The products will also be available in extended sizes, a DEI barrier some brands have conspicuously struggled聽with.

The lines will cover both apparel and gear, with Allforth offering the former and Lithic the latter. According to a press release, Lithic gear includes “lightweight tents, down and synthetic sleeping bags, all-in-one stoves and cook sets, and technical day-packs and multi-day backpacking packs” with prices from $24.96 to $148. Allforth clothing features “15 backpacking-friendly styles, including pants, shorts, T-shirts, and shirts designed with performance fabrics, technologies, and features [such as] two-way stretch, zip-off pant legs, breathable and water-wicking fabrics, and vented shirts.” Men鈥檚 sizes run S to 3XL and women鈥檚 sizes XS to XXL with prices from聽$14.95 to $34.95.

Early Testing and Feedback

Backpacker magazine editorial director Shannon Davis says his experience with the products, though limited to casual personal testing, left a positive impression.

“When I first saw the gear, my thought was, ‘This is insanely cheap, at least for the perceived quality,'” he said. “The stove I saw looked like any high-quality MSR or Snow Peak stove. The backpack I got, a 65-liter model, feels very feature-rich with adjustability and access points and expandable storage. The gear seems to be trying harder than some other entry-level gear. It seems like it’s adding something to the conversation.”

Tracy Ross, a regular contributor to 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal and The Voice,听had the chance to try out a Lithic tent. Her impression was also favorable.

“From first glance, [the tent] has a more sophisticated design than I’d expected, is lighter than I’d expected, and has more cool features than I’d expected,” she said. “The setup reminds me of a high-end tent with one pole doing the work of more, creating a solid frame for the main compartment and two vestibules. It weighs 6.4 pounds, which sits right in the range of two-person tents I’d take backpacking. It also has a custom footprint, which you don’t find with many鈥攐r any鈥攂ackpacking tents these days. The zippers are great. The rainfly stakes out tight. It’s roomy and well ventilated. My slightly outdoor-snobby 18 year old just asked if he could take it on a trip to the Sierras.”

The Lithic line includes lightweight tents, down and synthetic sleeping bags, all-in-one stoves and cook sets, technical day packs, and multi-day backpacking packs.

Prices in the line range from $24.96 to $148. “Similarly featured backpacking and hiking gear and clothing typically costs 50 to 100 percent more,” according to Walmart.

Lithic gear is designed by the experts at Moosejaw, “experienced outdoor enthusiasts who can leverage the strength of the Walmart supply chain to provide its customers access to outdoor brands at affordable prices.”

The gear will be sold on Walmart.com, Moosejaw.com, in Moosejaw stores, and in 50 Walmart pilot stores.

Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, says he’s rooting for the success of the new lines on the basis of inclusion, if nothing else.

“As specialty retailers, of course we support any attempt to introduce people to the outdoors, and this new Walmart initiative seems like an honest attempt to give people an inexpensive, first experience,” he said.

He’s less sure, though, about the quality of the gear itself. “It’s hard to make usable, cheap gear. I’m sure Walmart has done an admirable job on these entry-level programs. I like to call this category of product ‘one and done.’ You might have a decent experience, but it will be obvious that there are other products out there that are far superior.”

He also notes that, when it comes to production, Walmart’s labor and environmental practices aren’t setting any ethics records. “Please don鈥檛 ask about working conditions of their factories, use of sustainable materials, or long term durability,” he said.

On the apparel side, former 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal editor Amelia Arvesen tested a couple of shirts this spring, a technical tee and a button-up, with agreeable results. The $13 T-shirt, she says, held up as well as similar products in the market going for $50 or more.

“My takeaway so far is that this gear will be excellent for newbies as well as budget-conscious seasoned hikers of all sizes,” she said. “It’s just what the industry needs to introduce people to these activities. Even though it’s made of slightly heavier materials, it’s just technical enough and extremely affordable. And it’s especially amazing that they’re coming out of the gate with extended sizing and inclusive marketing photos so everyone feels included in the outdoors.”

Obviously, more extensive testing is needed to determine the quality of the lines’ products beyond first impressions, but for now, things look promising. At the very least, Lithic and Allforth’s performance in Walmart and Moosejaw stores will be fascinating to watch, and might just outline a new way the industry finds, attracts, and cultivates customers.

“Walmart and Moosejaw鈥檚 introduction of Lithic and Allforth is not about taking a sliver of the current outdoor industry pie鈥攊t鈥檚 about growing the pie for everyone in the industry. As these new backpackers, hikers, and climbers grow to love the outdoors, they will add more gear and graduate to more specialty products,”聽Comerford’s letter concludes.

It’s a nice sentiment and, on its surface, a solid plan. Whether it works, time will tell.

The post Walmart and Moosejaw Launch Two New Mid-Market Brands appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Walmart was going to disrupt the outdoors. It was late August 2018, a year and a half after the retail leviathan purchased the online outdoor retailer Moosejaw for a reported $51 million. Walmart was ready to put its investment to work.

Walmart, as everyone knows, is the largest retailer on the planet. It sells everything from tire chains to whey protein at bargain-basement prices, but its focus in the outdoor space has always been more about car camping and hunting. Moosejaw, on the other hand, has sold high-end outdoor gear on its website for 27 years, growing its business from online only to 10 brick-and-mortar stores in the process. And now, with Walmart, it was poised to deliver on the industry鈥檚 long-held dream: to tap a staggeringly wider audience.

On March 10 2018, Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford told the Grand Rapids News that he was 鈥渧ery excited about the idea that [Moosejaw] can introduce high-end, premium outdoor products to people who perhaps have thought about getting into the outdoors, but haven鈥檛 been exposed to this product before.鈥� Walmart spokeswoman Jaeme Laczkowski said at the time that walmart.com reached about 100 million unique visitors each month鈥攁 potential gold mine. It seemed like exclusive brands would finally go all the way mainstream, picking up millions of new customers and welcoming them to the party of those who live for and love playing outside.

That鈥檚 not what happened. On August 27, Walmart launched a 鈥淧remium Outdoor Store Curated by Moosejaw鈥� on its website. Brands who鈥檇 agreed to be sold through the store included industry heavyweights like Deuter USA, Katadyn, Leki, and Therm-a-Rest among 50 other outdoor companies. But on launch day, one brand balked.

When the store went live, it advertised several Black Diamond products, including climbing slings, carabiners, ATC belay devices, and a harness. Within hours Black Diamond distributed a press release stating that it had directed Walmart to 鈥渃ease and desist鈥� use of the Black Diamond庐 and diamond logo trademarks because the store鈥檚 use of them was 鈥渓ikely to confuse consumers into believing that Walmart is an authorized dealer of Black Diamond.鈥� Shortly thereafter, those four other high-end outdoor brands all pulled their products from the site, too.

The backpedaling was fierce and unexplained. Most brands gave canned answers that offered no insight into their thinking. Deuter USA president Bill Hartrampf said in a press release, 鈥淲hile we appreciate the concept of what Moosejaw is trying to accomplish with this new initiative, we have decided this is not the right time to participate.鈥� It was all slightly strange, since when Moosejaw first introduced the premium store idea, at the Summer 2017 Outdoor Retailer show, several participating brands seemed excited. 鈥淭he concept made sense,鈥� Hartrampf told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淲e would be exposing our brand in a premium shop to a new, diverse group of consumers.鈥�

But after Black Diamond鈥檚 response, Deuter USA, Katadyn, Leki, and Therm-a-Rest stood firm in their resolve to steer clear of selling directly on walmart.com.

So what happened? It had nothing to do with Moosejaw鈥檚 relationship with those retailers鈥攁ll of them still do business with the e-tailer. And it had nothing to do with discounts鈥攁ll products were listed full price. The catch seemed to be that these high-end outdoor products would now be marketed under the Walmart banner, and that clashed with how the brands viewed themselves.

In his statement, CEO John Walbrecht wrote, 鈥淏lack Diamond remains committed to its specialty retail partners,鈥� which, in an August 31 2018, column, Forbes analyst Chris Walton translated to mean: Black Diamond wanting to maintain its cachet 鈥渙n the principle of scarcity.鈥�

The wider problem, Walton added, was that 鈥淲almart can鈥檛 escape its brand connotations.鈥� Walbrecht declined to comment for this story.

Comerford, Moosejaw鈥檚 CEO, evidently thought that the way the entire situation played out whiffed of elitism. In an 鈥淥pen Letter to the Outdoor Industry鈥� published on his LinkedIn page, he argued that the Premium Outdoor Store was created 鈥渢o grow the industry beyond its exclusionary, historical [white, male] audience鈥� and echoed what has become a mantra in the outdoor industry: 鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to grow this industry鈥e need to reach new audiences…younger, more female, more diverse.鈥�

That鈥檚 true. But when the rubber met the road, the old troll named elitism emerged and with it, questions that have been plaguing the industry for years: Who are we? And perhaps more importantly, who 补谤别苍鈥檛 we?

In some ways, that sense of elitism is what drew many people to the outdoors in the first place.

I know it enticed me, back when I was a kid first learning my way in the world, in the mountains of southern Idaho. When I hiked the trails outside of Ketchum, I reveled in the fact that so few people seemed to know the trails existed. When I fished the Wood River with my dad or camped in the South Hills with a boyfriend, I celebrated the beauty we saw because we were bold enough to earn it.

I鈥檝e spent the ensuing 30-plus years living and recreating in a community of like-minded folks, and the outdoors have been central to who I am. And it鈥檚 not just me. A quick survey I posted on Facebook asking when friends first realized that the outdoors and the outdoor community was their 鈥減lace鈥� turned up several stories like mine.

Diehard mountain biker and former cycling tour operator Kelly Grebe answered, 鈥淚 started riding my freshman year of college and oh my, I was addicted. There鈥檚 this community created when you can look at a fellow rider and know that they know what others do not.鈥� This 鈥渟ecret frequency of stoke鈥� Grebe experienced keeps her in the outdoor community that values isolated places and outdoor adventure.

But how to maintain that feeling when the outdoor spaces are busier and busier? Over the past three years, according to Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), participation in the outdoors has been on a slow but steady upswing. In 2017, 49 percent the U.S. population ages six and older participated in an outdoor activity at least once鈥攁nd 13.6 million people tried outdoor activities for the first time or returned after a hiatus. Though 11.9 million people stopped participating last year, 1.7 million more people got out in 2017 than 2016 (the last year for which data are available).

The fastest-growing demographics are Hispanics and Asians, whose participation in activities like running, hiking, cycling, and camping has inched up about 1 percent over the last five years. But while the industry has been striving for greater inclusion, demographically speaking, the majority of outdoor users are white (74 percent) and 54 percent are male. Nearly one third of outdoor users have a college education, and a similar percentage has an annual household income greater than $100,000.

The second-largest grouping of outdoor users (22 percent) has less than three years of high school, and a similar percentage makes $25,000 to $49,999 annually. (The average Walmart shopper, by comparison, is a 50-year-old white woman with an annual household income of $53,125, according to a study by Kanter Retail in 2017.)

Outdoor brands, of course, have done well to market a relatable version of the outdoor ethos to the mass consumer. And not all brands herald 鈥渟carcity.鈥� As they鈥檝e grown, businesses like The North Face, Yeti, Marmot, and Spyder have increased their market share by selling outside specialty retail. Today, you can buy Spyder gear at Costco, a Yeti cooler at Sam鈥檚 Club, see a Patagonia Nano Puff vest on just about any guy who works in finance, and find more of The North Face on the quad than in basecamp.

Marketing is also pivoting from the elite to everyday. Merrell targets consumers who have real lives yet still enjoy being outside. Particularly popular are ambassadors who juggle full-time or multiple jobs while getting outdoors.

For Merrell, the decision to skew to a wider audience was an easy one. 鈥淧eople say hike is the new yoga,鈥� said Strick Walker, Merrell鈥檚 chief marketing officer. 鈥淔or us, this means making footwear and apparel for the trail. It also means inspiring folks to get out there鈥攁ll folks.鈥�

Anecdotally, the message is resonating with its target audience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to track sales specifically from our DEI efforts,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat I do know is that the brand is growing and we have a clear mission. We know who we are, we love our ambassadors, and we will continue to tell stories about interesting people living interesting lives in the outdoors.鈥�

Lifestyle is a much bigger component of the industry than technical is. And maybe by viewing it that way鈥攍ifestyle first鈥攊t鈥檚 easier to understand how and where the industry needs to position itself to grow.

By wearing Patagonia, you can align yourself with the brand鈥檚 political and environmental work, even if you鈥檝e never set foot in Utah, caught a wave in California, or fly-fished a day in your life. Black Diamond jackets bestow the aura of elite upon their wearers鈥攅ven on the sidelines at soccer practice. Yeti coolers are a potent status symbol, whether you鈥檙e on the river or at a tailgate party.

Even without technical context, these things signify a certain value placed on outdoor experiences, a scrapper鈥檚 mindset for problem solving, and a view of the earth as something to be enjoyed and perhaps, protected. When it comes down to it, that鈥檚 not so different from what I felt all those years ago on the 鈥渟ecret鈥� trails of Sun Valley, and what I still feel to this day.

That鈥檚 certainly one argument for adopting an industry stance around inclusion rather than the exclusion that elitism implies. And that brings this whole thing back around to Walmart.

The millions of people who visit walmart.com are potentially millions of untapped outdoor users. And we need users, said Steve Barker, the founder of Eagle Creek and current Outdoor Foundation board member, to protect the outdoors and the environment. Though OIA鈥檚 statistics show an increase in overall outdoor participation, they also reveal a 鈥渓eaky bucket.鈥� While 10.6 million Americans returned to or started participating in one or more of the outdoor activities measured, 8.6 million stopped. That equates to a net gain of 2 million total participants and a churn rate of 8.3 percent.

We can鈥檛 continue to leak, Barker said, or fewer people will experience the outdoors, appreciate it, and advocate for its protection. That鈥檚 where Walmart could come in. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always been a variety of entry levels for the consumer wanting to get into camping,鈥� Barker added. 鈥淚f Walmart is having that conversation, then we need to engage them at a deeper level.鈥�

But Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, pointed out that having a good first experience with the outdoors is paramount for new customers鈥攖hat鈥檚 the reason they keep coming back鈥攂ut that鈥檚 something Walmart or Amazon can鈥檛 offer. Moreover, Hill said big-box retailers could put the entire industry at risk because they don鈥檛 understand how safety equipment works. 鈥淎 store like Amazon or Walmart is going to get someone killed,鈥� he said.

Hill realizes that sounds elitist, but, in his view, the outdoor industry has a responsibility to keep people safe. 鈥淚f that excludes some people from getting into the outdoors,鈥� he said, 鈥渢hen so be it.鈥�

While the connection between those who use the outdoors and those who advocate for it is notoriously difficult to quantify, there is no other widely accepted rationale for why it鈥檚 important to bring more people to our public lands. So let me offer one: all us lovers of the outdoors share something in common. Our connection to the wilds has to be earned individual by individual. But once it is, it doesn鈥檛 really go away. The world can do worse than to have more people feeling the outdoors in their chests and wearing it on their bodies鈥攁nd the future of the industry likely depends on it, too.

In the end, there鈥檚 probably room for both elitism and mass consumerism in the outdoor industry without one devouring the other. We鈥檙e just going to need a bigger tent.

The post The End of Elite appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As owners of local independent outdoor businesses and members of the national outdoor community, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is committed to achieving the health and growth of the specialty outdoor industry by pursuing the high road of retail excellence.

For more than 30 years, we have succeeded in doing our part to help grow this $373 billion national economic driver. We have done it through our industry-wide commitment to community and quality, experience and environment.

We have certainly enjoyed the benefits of our growth, and as such we continue to invest our time and profits in addressing our shared challenges鈥攊ncreasing diversity throughout the outdoor industry, protecting public lands nationwide, and engaging a digitally remote generation wherever they may be.

Of course, we know that we still have much work to do in these areas. But we also know that through communication and community, there is also much to be gained.

In our opinion, a recent editorial written by [Moosejaw CEO Eoin Comerford] was both cynical and inaccurate in its representation of the outdoor industry and its response to their premium platform experiment.

While those employees correctly heard our industry鈥檚 collective dismissal of their recent experiment in the category, they misunderstood the clear point鈥攖his isn鈥檛 about Walmart, it鈥檚 about us, and it鈥檚 about how the stability of long-term brand equity is more important to the outdoor industry than short-term profits.

To be clear, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance respects the legal and ethical choices that any business makes to keep the lights on. Retailers can approach brands, and brands can sell to whomever they choose.

As vested partners in the health and growth of the outdoor industry, however, our request is that significant events鈥攍ike major distribution changes by our vendor partners鈥攂e openly communicated. After all, the big things that directly impact our businesses can also directly affect theirs.

For many of the strongest brands in the outdoor industry, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance retailers are long-term partners who provide both value and sales at significant volume. We feel this qualifies us for respectful notification before our commitments are requested. We, too, are seeking only to make the best choices for our businesses, our industry and our local communities.

Without a doubt, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance retailers are a healthy brand鈥檚 number one advocate. A premium brand鈥檚 heritage, history and values are what differentiates product, what enables profitability, and a key part of what makes our stores special.

Looking back, we recognize the irony that premium brand equity is what massive online retailers crave most, as this earned value has been built in large part by those brands鈥� partnership with independent specialty outdoor retailers.

Looking forward, for more than 100 brands and 100 retail doors in the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, there is only one future that supports our continued growth as an industry鈥攁 fair marketplace where vendors and retailers communicate openly, work together, and resist the easy temptations of short-term thinking. As vendors, as retailers, and as a community, this is our path to walk together.

The post Opinion: An Open Letter to the Outdoor Industry from Grassroots Outdoor Alliance appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 safe to say American shoppers don鈥檛 go to Walmart looking for top-of-the line backpacks, winter expedition apparel, and mountaineering gear. But the big box discounter challenged that assumption with the launch of a premium outdoor store last week.

鈥淲hen鈥檚 the last time you bought something nice from Walmart?鈥� said Wes Allen, owner of Sunlight Sports in Cody, Wyoming.

As Walmart continues to build its online marketplace in an attempt to keep up with Amazon as the sell-everything search engine, outdoor industry leaders say that brands can no longer ignore Walmart as part of their omni-channel strategy. They now need to decide if they want to be a pawn in the game.

Sure, individuals at the company might have a genuine interest in the mountains鈥擥reg Penner, chairman of the Walmart board of directors, reached the summit of Mt. Everest this summer. But since 2016, Walmart in its race with Amazon has been adding聽 inventory and brands by the thousands through third-party sellers. You can browse $200 handbags and upscale beauty products on the site鈥攕omething you can’t do in stores. In 2017, Walmart acquired a number of brands: the men鈥檚 line Bonobos, hipster women鈥檚 clothing site Modcloth, and Moosejaw, a reseller of some of the best brands in the outdoor industry. As expected, Walmart gained access to those and stocked its 鈥渃urated by Moosejaw鈥� store with nearly 50 different brands, from Black Diamond Equipment to Deuter.

For a store built on a foundation of bottom-of-the-barrel prices and quality, many people commented that it makes no sense for Walmart to sell the best of the best. Amazon has prioritized pricing and selection, but others made the argument that if brands sell on Amazon, why wouldn鈥檛 they sell on Walmart.com?

Who Withdrew?

What was appealing about the deal, according to insiders, was the chance to control third-party sellers and distribution, and list products online at full MSRP. No discounts. It鈥檚 important to note that Moosejaw is still a well-respected retailer in the industry, despite its new parent, and brands were willing to support them. But some brands quickly realized that selling on the Walmart-branded platform immediately shattered trust with specialty retailers, some of whom halted orders, and with consumers who define their image by where they shop.

鈥淢any brands are not playing a particularly long game here,鈥� said Mike Massey, founder of Locally and owner of Massey鈥檚 Outfitters. 鈥淚t took them 30 years to build their goodwill and reputation with consumers and making the wrong decision here with their intellectual property is like flipping a coin with the future. There鈥檚 a lot of large companies who would be happy to cash that goodwill in for one great quarter.鈥�

While $200 Deuter backpacks and $100 Black Diamond harnesses were on the microsite, some feared that, based on Walmart鈥檚 decades-old status, prices would eventually drop or products would be thrown into the mix on shelves in stores.

鈥淔or retailers, we鈥檙e ordering product a year ahead, based on product selection and brand positioning. We鈥檙e taking delivery of it now for fall and betting our livelihoods that we鈥檙e going to be able to sell it for enough money to pay rent, pay employees, maybe put our kids through college,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淵ou build relationships with people you trust that sell you things. Then somebody opens in Walmart, with no explanation. Your order ships next week. Would you still take that order? A brand鈥檚 worth has to do with how people feel about it.鈥�

In the video below, Allen talks to Verde Brand Communications founder Kristin Carpenter-Ogden about a number of aspects of the Walmart debate.

A little more than 24 hours after the launch, the fallout began. Black Diamond was the first to respond. The company sent a cease and desist notice demanding Walmart stop using logos and product images on the website. In the days following, Deuter, Katadyn, Leki, Yakima, Native Eyewear, and Therm-a-rest changed their minds about being sold through Walmart.com.

Shawn Hostetter, president of Katadyn North America, said, 鈥淲e made this decision after listening to the retailers we partner with鈥攊n doing so it became clear we needed to remove our brand and products from Walmart.com to best support their needs and to best caretake our premium brand position.鈥�

At the time of publication, Craghoppers, Klymit, Grand Trunk, Orca Coolers, PacSafe, Tentsile, Teton Sports, ExOfficio, and 18 others were still listed on the site.

Moosejaw’s Response

Eoin Comerford, CEO of Moosejaw and general manager of outdoor at Walmart e-commerce, in a LinkedIn post on Friday addressed concerns. He said that if the outdoor industry wants to advance beyond being exclusionary and dominated by a few large retailers, then they have to adapt to new ways and keep an open-mind. The retailer is known for not taking itself too seriously and because of that, according to Comerford, it has attracted beginner outdoor enthusiasts intimidated by the industry鈥檚 elitism.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 na茂ve enough to think that all outdoor retailers would welcome the Premium Outdoor Store with open arms, but I am surprised by the vehemence of attacks by some of our industry鈥檚 leading retailers and the threats to drop brands that participated,鈥� Comerford wrote.

Diversity, equity, and inclusivity have been leading topics in the outdoor industry. As a whole, the predominantly white and predominantly male industry is trying to figure out how to welcome and include more diverse populations.

Comerford said that in launching the store, he kept in mind how it would expose outdoor brands and activities to a massive audience, including underrepresented groups. In its response to Black Diamond, Walmart鈥檚 statement said: 鈥淎t a time when the outdoor industry is working hard to expose more people to the amazing experiences they can have outside, we feel like [having a premium outdoor store is] a really positive development.鈥�

However, others in the outdoor industry see it as a tactic. Rich Hill, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, a consortium of more than 60 independent outdoor specialty retailers and more than 60 vendor partners, believes that the new site will not reach any new customers.

鈥淣ot a single new climber will discover their love of the sport through Walmart.com,鈥� Hill wrote in an email. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just expanding the number of locations customers can search for a lower price.鈥�

Walmart’s Specialty Veneer

In a continued effort to give consumers a special experience鈥攚alking through the front doors and feeling at home or stoked on adventure鈥攔etailers strive for quality customer service. Some, like Summit Hut in Tucson, Arizona, even rearrange their shops to guide shoppers through each brand鈥檚 stories. And with the rise of social media, brands are using storytelling to connect with fans. Think Patagonia鈥檚 Worn Wear and Merrell Magic.

Large corporate structures are trying to harness that magic and contribute by providing supplies needed for those premium experiences. Allen says that big box conglomerates鈥攕uch as Camping World Holdings buying beloved retailers Erehwon and Rock/Creek Outfitters鈥攁re attempting to engage shoppers in their hearts and emotions like specialty does.

鈥淚 totally get it鈥攊t鈥檚 flattering,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淭he environment that created that desirability needs to be protected if it鈥檚 going to survive. You can鈥檛 just rip it up by the roots and throw it out on a Walmart shelf and hope it survives. We need to safeguard this thing and water it.鈥�

Hill said that any brand that chooses to do business with Walmart has become irrelevant with specialty retail, REI, Backcountry.com, or even their own DTC strategies.

鈥淚 see it mainly as a desperate move by brands that cannot see a path forward other than to get in bed with the most dangerous retailer on the planet,鈥� Hill said.

And Massey said the most important thing brands can do is apply some of the same lessons they鈥檝e learned in brick and mortar to online, and make sophisticated decisions about how they want their products merchandized online.

鈥淢ost would never tolerate their merchandise shipping into Costco simply because lots of customers go there, but some might,鈥� Massey said. 鈥淎nd, on the other hand, just because someone is a dealer for your products in Waco or Bend doesn鈥檛 mean they should automatically be allowed to sell them online. Having no channel strategy is the worst-case scenario. It鈥檚 like trying to open 15 dealers in the same mall and hoping for the best.鈥�

If retailers and brands have learned anything about selling through Amazon and developing an omni-channel strategy, it鈥檚 that they have to consider it from all angles. And now Walmart is part of that sphere.

The post Why Brands Quickly Changed Their Minds About Selling on Walmart.com appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.