Outdoor Insight

July 2021 • Outdoor Insight • 21 outdoorinsightmag.com Boots, muddied. Souls, cleansed. New for Spring '21 the Sypes features the Bloom™ Algae O FIT Insole®, ACT Midsole and recycled materials throughout. The Sypes delivers exceptional support, fit and performance wherever your trail leads Contact your rep or email us at: info@obozfootwear.com to learn more. obozfootwear.com during the pandemic to how it does business and how it markets its business. "We provided e-commerce services through Locally, offered curbside pick-up and delivery, provided work- shops and tutorials on social media, and opened new departments in our shop," he says. "For example, we now offer consignment as part of our business model. We were struggling with getting inventory to meet demand and consign- ment offered us immediate access to inventory, an ability to provide a mission-driven service to our business model, and it allows us access to a new customer base." This summer, Peterson anticipates seeing plenty of customers who are excited to get out on local trails, the river, and rocks. And, he says, "We are also excited for the travel industry to get back up and running. We are anticipating a spike in adventure travel and are using this next buying cycle to find gear to support this category." Of his vendor relationships, Peterson says, " I'm always working on having empathy and compassion for our vendor partners. Sometimes it's hard when they dump inventory at crazy discounts or team with out-of-control pro- discount programs. It feels like we are at war with each other some- times and that is hard. Over the last year, I've tried to be patient and understand that many of our vendors are also small business owners who are trying to sur- vive in the same way we are. We all had to find ways to best support our team, our customers, and our family." The biggest challenge for the store at the moment? Everything pertaining to inventory is "a nightmare right now," says Peterson. "Getting it, managing it, paying for it, et cetera. For example, we are not getting inventory in key categories. Communication with vendors around inventory is limited to non-existent. When goods do arrive, they are partial orders making it difficult to keep track of what is remaining on order. Our bookkeeping is chal- lenging because we have multiple invoices when we would typically have one. Pricing is chang- ing without notice from the brands. Inventory arrives late and brands have already put it on sale. It's literally the Wild, Wild, West!" Says Peterson, "It's such an interesting dilemma — I have the demand, but I don't have the inventory to support the customers pouring into my shop." Despite the pressure, Peterson says, "I am optimistic for our future and that of specialty outdoor retail. We are a united force and more important than ever in our communities. It's a great time to be an independent shop owner and I look forward to supporting our community for years to come." n Everything pertaining to inventory is "a nightmare right now."

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