Footwear Insight

32 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2023 footwearinsight.com On product pricing, Barad says, "We have a strict MAP policy that we enforce internally and externally. It is important that our retail partners are price protected against discount- ing online, offline and in the ever-evolving digital marketplaces." On DTC: "Our perspective is that it is completely complimentary to our core busi- ness of supporting better independent and specialty retailers. 1) Our website provides an introduction to our brand for new vis- itors and a window into our full range of products ... 2) We have a robust solution to direct web visitors to their local retailer with our Store Finder and partnership with Locally to assist online visitors in finding the styles they want in a store near them. 3) Our website and the data collected enables us to share valuable insights with our network of retailers... 4) e täōs online presence also facilitates our strong investment in digital advertising which elevates brand awareness and demand for all of our retail partners." Marketing Strategy of Note: Recent Direct Mail books distributed to homes nationwide from the brand featured a theme of a road trip highlighting "real women" photographed "doing life" in täōs. On nearly every page the brand reiterated the "shop local" message and encouraged consumers to find an authorized täōs retailer. SALUBER e importance of independent retail to the brand's strategy: Bonapeda is the exclusive North American distributor for Italian- made Saluber orthotic insoles. In terms of the brand strategy for North America, Bonapeda owner and GM Marc Goldberg sees Saluber's place in the market as follows: "1) Saluber orthotic insoles are the finest and most comfortable available and help people to function on their feet with more comfort and less pain; 2) Saluber orthotic insoles are sold by footwear retailers that know what they are doing. So, without independent retailers, half of the brand strategy is miss- ing," Goldberg explains. "Hence, we focus on being a reliable and profitable partner to independent retailers for the first sale, and for the sales that follow." Goldberg notes that Saluber insoles "have a higher acquisition cost (for consumers) than most other brands, and so to get that first sale the products need to be presented with enthusiasm, put in people's shoes, and must be in stock." He notes, "People with foot pain and/or biomechanical issues appreciate stores and salespeople that help them find products that enable them to stand, walk and/or run more comfortably, and that's what Saluber insoles do. So, I want to work with great retailers that focus on customer service, and that are inter- ested in selling the best products available." Keys to a good brand/retail relationship: "When we started Bonapeda in 2015, some of the retailers we spoke with expressed concerns about larger brands shiing their focus away from traditional retailers," says Goldberg. "So, I made the decision to pri- oritize physical retailers and wholesale distribution over direct-to-consumer sales." How the brand is navigating hot button issues for retailers such as product avail- ability, product pricing and DTC: "We see the retailers that choose to sell Saluber as our primary channel to the marketplace, and we prioritize wholesale customers over direct-to-consumer," says Goldberg. "Some ways that we demonstrate this focus: 1) We set our wholesale and MAP pricing so that our retailers make a healthy profit; 2) We prioritize wholesale orders over direct to consumer sales; 3) We rarely run online sales or offer consumer discounts, but when we do, our retailers are informed in advance and are offered incentives so that they can also profit from temporary promotions; 4) If a retailer has purchased inventory that is not right for their store, we work with them to adjust their product mix. Bottom line, I want Saluber retailers to know that 'Bonapeda has their back.'" Standout Features: Saluber's premium insoles feature traits such as full Poron foot bed, arch support, metatarsal pad, Alcantara top cover, semi-rigid shell and cut away heel design. MELTONIAN The importance of independent retail to the brand's strategy: "For over 130 years the Meltonian brand has supported independent shoe stores and shoe repair shops by providing high quality shoe care products at low prices but high mar- gins," says Ivan Komashinskiy, Meltonian, adding that the brand's products "are con- siderably higher in quality than brands at department stores but remain affordable and price competitive." e brand's shoe cream polish is available in over 60 colors. Keys to a good brand/retail relation- ship: Meltonian is sold to shoe stores only through a network of well-established wholesalers in the U.S., Canada and UK. Partnering with wholesalers is the key to success for Meltonian, says Komashinskiy. Milestone Anniversary: Meltonian Shoe Care was established in 1893, and the brand B R A N D S S U P P O R T I N G I N D E P E N D E N T R E TA I L E R S S U P P O R T I N G B R A N D S POWER IN PARTNERSHIP

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