LISTEN UP
HELPING HANDS: Reps and retailers can collaborate and keep lines of communi- cation open to be resilient in challenging times.
is a business model that increas- ingly depends on loyalty, service, and trust. Reps feel that same tension. We sell through personal connection, we earn through performance, and we live and die by the strength of relationships that take years to nurture. That’s why the health of reps and specialty retailers is so intertwined. We depend on each other to stay viable. When inde- pendent retailers thrive, reps do too. And when reps have the band- width and support to do their jobs well, retailers benefit from better partnerships, stronger assort- ments, and brands that understand their needs. If there’s a takeaway for retailers, it’s this: We’re in this together. The pressures you feel on the sales floor are the same ones we’re feeling on the road. The best thing we can do is to keep the lines of communica- tion open. Be honest about what’s working, what isn’t, and where we can help each other. The more we collaborate, the more resilient we all become. After all, we’re all try- ing to do the same thing: Connect people with the gear that helps them get outside, and keep this community, and the industry that supports it, alive and thriving. —Tyler Noonan started in the outdoor industry on the retail floor of independent specialty shops, spending 11 years learning the business from the ground up. In 2013, he transitioned to the rep side, and has since built rela- tionships with retailers across 14 states while representing a diverse portfolio of brands. He currently works for Tokul Creek Marketing and is based in Oregon.
In This Together
L ike many of you, I started working in the outdoor industry because I loved the outdoors—and my local gear shop. I was in high school looking for a summer job, then in college looking for another one, then graduating with a degree in philosophy and realizing that I still need- ed a job. So, I stayed in shops, worked my way into buying roles, and slow- ly built a career. It wasn’t my plan, until it was. But I’ve never regretted it. As a young shop employee, I was fascinated by reps. It wasn’t just the pizza and beer (or doughnuts and coffee) at clinics, or the Mary Pop- pins-like bags of swag they towed around. It was the sense of freedom, and the broader perspective on the industry they brought to my little corner of the world. As a buyer, I saw more of the work that was involved when it was done well. The role of the independent sales rep has always been built on connection. We’re the link between brands and retailers, turning line sheets, samples, and marketing stories into merchandising assortments and retail marketing plans. But in the last decade, the economics have shifted dramatically. Commission structures have changed, and expectations have grown. Meanwhile, the cost of doing business keeps climbing. Gas, airfare, hotels, food, insurance, samples, trade shows… it all adds up. And unlike a salaried role, a rep agency’s income isn’t predictable or consistent. As industry sales dip overall, rep agencies are seeing decreasing commissions, increasing costs, and erratic cash flow. When margins get tight, most reps do what they’ve always done: Work harder to sell more. For many agencies, that means adding brands to diversify income and stabilize cash flow. It’s a logical response, but one with limits. More brands mean more samples, more distribution channels, more miles, more trade shows, and more time away from home. The truth is most of us don’t talk about how close to the edge many agencies operate. We do it because we love the work, because we care about the shops and Reps and retailers share the same struggles in the current climate of uncertainty and change. By Tyler Noonan
the people, because we’ve built a career on trust and connection. IN MANY WAYS, THE SITUATION facing independent reps mirrors what’s happening with specialty retail- ers. Both sit in the middle of the supply chain as small, independent operators trying to bridge the gap between brand ambitions and con- sumer realities. Both rely on rela- tionships, and both are feeling the squeeze from the same pressures: rising costs, shrinking margins, and shifting consumer habits. Retailers face growing demands from every direction. Customers expect curated assort- ments, staff expertise, seamless online integration, and fast ful- fillment. At the same time, rent, wages, and freight costs climb faster than revenue. The result
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