Footwear Insight

26 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2021 footwearinsight.com Hälsa "When launching Hälsa Footwear, our foremost goal was the indepen- dent retailer," says Tony Adams, VP of sales, Hälsa Footwear Group. "We recognized that they are the building blocks, backbone and future lifeblood of the footwear industry. The independent retailer thinks outside the box with vision, drive, insight, and determination. When Hälsa Footwear was launched we asked key retailers what they needed from a brand; we listened and answered to their needs. They said, 'Brands need to help us build our business, not compete against us.' So we don't. Selling Direct-To-Consumer (D2C) is not our focus. We don't want to compete against independents with our own D2C web site. The independent retailer's eyes are wide open and now looking for new supportive brands as opportunities. Hälsa is filling that void in their business currently and will for the future." The brand has worked to have a flexible response to the current pandemic challenges in order to help its independent partners out, according to Adams. "We were that brand that supported them in many ways like extended payments, worked with them by keeping a focused inventory on key styles, colors and sizes that the independent relied on for survival and future growth," he says. "Those that were able to keep their orders received our product and had great sell-throughs with great margins. Those retailers that supported Hälsa during the pandemic that maintained some status of inventory are now seeing the fruits of their labor. They continued to merchandise and promote the brand at the grass route level. Hälsa stands out among the brands that did not fail in supplying and re-filling the independents inventory." Listening to the "needs, wants and desires" of retailers has been a key to success for the brand, says Adams. "We put ourselves in their shoes — no pun intended. Brands need to respect and adapt for a rapidly changing retail landscape. Great communication is key. Don't try to compete with retail partners, rather educate our partners on our product info, brand awareness, and inventory planning for the season. Don't compete with them through direct online sales but rather offer them tools to help them grow a brand to make a successful relationship." As business rebounds and the industry copes with the ongo- ing effects of COVID and the impact on the supply chain, it has exposed the fact that having a diversified vendor base can be a huge benefit for independent retailers, notes Adams. He believes that retailers "need to start challenging their partners." He concludes, "The only thing you can't do is ignore change, because things do change." n Finn Comfort "The independent retailer is the primary means by which we reach the Finn Comfort consumer," says Justin Orrell-Jones, president and CEO, Finn Comfort USA, Inc. "This is because our footwear sells best in environments where the consumer can be fitted cor- rectly. As I often point out, it takes a certain skill set, knowledge, and confidence to introduce our products to a consumer and the independent channel is dedicated to this approach." Orrell-Jones says the adversity faced by brands and retailers over the past year-and-a-half has helped draw those working in the business together. "These shared challenges have enabled both suppliers and retailers to better understand each other's perspective and forge creative solutions," he says. Orrell-Jones adds, "As with all relationships, understanding each other is a must. I think we all have a better understanding now that the challenges of business between retail and wholesale are very similar. Ultimately both parties need each other to be healthy." n PowerStep "We make every brand decision including packaging and product design with the independent retail customers in mind," says Nick Adams, VP of sales, PowerStep. "The independent retail channel is the backbone of PowerStep and has been since we launched the PowerStep Pinnacle." The challenges of this past year have strengthened the brand's relationships with its retail partners, says Adams. "PowerStep is made in Ohio which helped minimize the supply chain issues and return to normalcy more quickly as the retail landscape opened back up. We listened to the needs of our customers and created new programs to help sustain their business." Direct feedback from retail partners is a key element in helping PowerStep best serve the consumer, says Adams. "The PowerStep brand was created to help consumers live healthy and pain free lives and we need retail partners to help spread our mission and provide POWER IN PARTNERSHIP Hälsa Footwear is designed to be supportive, flexible, and comfortable. Finn Comfort's Barbuda, from the Spring '22 Finn Mellow collection. PowerStep Pinnacle Orthotics.

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