Footwear Insight

40 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2023 footwearinsight.com DANSKO The importance of independent retail to the brand's strategy: "Dansko's origi- nal customers and long-term supporters have been independent retailers," says Kitty Bolinger, president, Dansko. "ey remain at the heart of Dansko and represent strategic opportunities for us to share our beloved brand with consumers that expect service and product knowledge. While other brands might be walking away from the indepen- dent channel Dansko remains committed to the folks that brought us to the dance!" Keys to a good brand/retail relationship: "Mutual listening is the key," says Bolinger. "Brands need to hear about the challenges and opportunities that retailers face. Retailers need to hear a brand's go to market strategy, our story and our commitment to them. Listening builds trust and together we will better understand what resonates with the Dansko consumer and simultaneously provide a good return for our retailers." How the brand is navigating hot button issues for retailers such as product avail- ability, product pricing and DTC: "Dansko has been fortunate because, excepting the rocky supply chain issues of 2021 and early 2022, we have been able to meet most of the product needs of our retailers," says Bolinger. "Of course, there will always be a 'hot' item that sells out, but our factory partners have helped to put us in a strong on-hand position. Our pricing structure has not changed over the past few years, and we haven't had retailer push back as a result. DTC is an evolving conversation. Dansko does not do site wide sales and maintains a strict MAP pricing structure in an effort to build a brand that consumers expect to pay full price for and will not be motivated to resort to showrooming when they want our product. If she's shopping with one of our retail partners, we want her to purchase Dansko from that retailer. If she's at home in her PJ's with a glass of wine, well…" Campaign to Watch: A new marketing campaign from Dansko is focused on the brand's heritage and iconic clog style. SORBOTHANE e importance of independent retail to the brand's strategy: "e independent retailer is the perfect partner for us," says David Church, president, Sorbothane, Inc. "They meet every customer's need with great care and provide personal attention to everyone that visits their store or site. It takes time and effort for the retailer to assist each customer with their unique needs. We have a complete line of Sorbothane Insoles — each offers a distinctive combination of comfort, protection and performance." Keys to a good brand/retail relationship: "Two-way communication is key," says Church. "As a brand we need to reach out to our retail partners. Not to sell, but to listen. Encouraging them to share their ideas, successes and challenges. Not just what they require from a business stand- point... but the products and innovations they need from a customer service stand- point. For us to design, produce and deliver a superior Sorbothane Insole we require the retailer's input and their knowledge of the customer and their needs and desires." How the brand is navigating hot button issues for retailers such as product avail- ability: Says Church, "Sorbothane Insoles are made in the United States by American workers; they have been since the beginning over 40 years ago. Our design staff, offices and production facilities are in Kent, Ohio and we are able to produce and deliver our insoles without interruption and at a fair price. I encourage our retail partners to give me a call directly with any question or special request — we will work with you." AETREX e importance of independent retail to the brand's strategy: "e independent channel really helped us build our business from day one, and they continue to be our biggest channel of distribution for the brand," the Aetrex team tells us. "So, we design, market and cater to this channel. We are dedicated to the success of the independent retailer through our technology and footwear offerings, and we are committed to their overall success. We've built trust and solid partnerships with our partners over the last few decades, which has allowed our product assortment season aer season to really grow." Keys to a good brand/retail relationship: "It comes down to understanding each other's needs and markets. e success we've seen to date with our partners is realized by the trust and commitment we've built together. eir success with our brand has allowed us to build a generous co-op program, mar- keting assets, displays, pre-season terms and in-season selling tools which they can utilize each season, helping both of us. Luckily, the majority of our pricing has remained stable over the past 12+ months. Our partner relationships have been key in offering insights into what's trending and successful during the season, given their fills and at-once orders. is information gives us knowledge and the confidence to place larger buys for stock." Category to Watch: One of Aetrex's biggest successes has been the growth of its wedge 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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