Footwear Insight

32 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2021 footwearinsight.com Sorbothane "Since the introduction of Sorbothane Insoles we have believed that the independent retailer is the perfect partner for us," says David Church, president, Sorbothane, Inc. "They take great care to provide personal attention to everyone that visits their storefront or website. Sorbothane, as a family owned independent company shares many quality values with our retailers. It takes time and effort to provide each customer with individual attention. And Sorbothane strives to provide our retail partners with the same individual attention. The independent retailer takes a personal approach to match the right shoe, with the perfect insole, to meet the individual needs of the customer." Church notes that next year Sorbothane will celebrate the 40th anniversary of being introduced to U.S. consumers. While 2020 and 2021 have presented some unique challenges, Church says the time period has seen a strengthening of the rela- tionships Sorbothane has with its retail partners. "We reached out in partnership to our independent retailers, as they worked through the issues created by the pandemic, and the need to develop new business practices," he says. "Sorbothane Insoles are made in Kent, Ohio and we were able to produce and deliver our insoles without interruption. I encourage our retail partners to give me a call directly with any question or special request. We will work with you." For a brand and retail relationship to succeed, communication is key, believes Church. "Two-way communication," he clarifies. "As a brand, we need to foster an open dialogue with the retailer. Encouraging them to feel comfortable sharing their ideas. And we need to listen to the needs and thoughts of our independent retailers. Not just what they require from a business standpoint, but the prod- ucts and innovations they need from a customer service standpoint. As an example, the development of the Sorbothane Ultra PLUS was a partnership between the Sorbothane team, the retailer and their customer. All three came together to create a superior replacement insole. We need to support our neighborhood retailers now more than ever." n SAS "Independents are crucial to introducing new consumers to the brand while retaining our core customer," says Nancy Richardson, CEO, SAS. "Many shoppers still crave the traditional 'sit and fit' experience, which allows them to learn more about the product, and see it, touch it and feel it before making a purchasing decision. This is still vitally important for consumers today. At a time when some brands are walking away from this channel, SAS is reaffirming its commitment to supporting the independents with quality in-stock product." Richardson points out that just as the past year has been challenging for all retailers, SAS, which also operates as a retailer, understands the hurdles independents have faced. "Throughout this time, the SAS team worked with our retail partners with a consistent supply of product along with increased flexibility in business operations," she says. "SAS has and will continue to prioritize its retail partners over our own brand stores while managing any supply chain issues." For many consumers, their only "interaction" with the brand might come through its presence at independent retail, says Richardson, making the independents key to understanding and sharing the unique value of the brand. "The brand must support store teams with the highest quality product, timely deliveries, and thorough product education for long lasting successful partnerships," she says. n ECCO "In many regions across the country the smaller retailer is still where many consumers feel they get the best service and knowledge on the items they are looking to purchase so it behooves us all to partner with these independent retailers as much as possible to keep their business thriving," says Jackie Kirkwood, channel manager – golf, ECCO. "The independent retailer still plays a vital role in the grassroots level of developing our business and getting great brand exposure to a targeted consumer. We try to support independent stores in any way we can to drive business through their doors." ECCO execs say it has been a collaborative effort to maintain good relationships with retailers in the past 18 months, with the brand demonstrating a show of faith in the independent channel. "We were very proactive about how we dealt with cancellations at the beginning of the crisis; our Credit Department did a great job of working with retailers on a way forward with the brand," says Matt Thibeau, channel manager – independent channel, ECCO. "Certainly, POWER IN PARTNERSHIP SAS Rocky Shore. ECCO Biom 2.0 Breathru Sorbothane's Ultra PLUS was developed with retailer and consumer input.

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