Happy as a bug in the rug with the way retail's always been...

We had a conversation recently with a fitness retailer who had been in a touch with a long-time equipment supplier (Note: not one of the Big Gun retailer types with lists of stores and arrays of treads and ellipticals). This particular, relatively new retailer was interested in carrying the product of this particular supplier. Seems the supplier couldn’t be bothered to even hear about the retailer, its audience, its goals, and why it was different or appropriate for that supplier’s products.

We were told said supplier remarked, in so many words, “I’m happy with my business the way it’s always been.” Hmm. Considering that specialty fitness isn’t exactly the strongest player on the retail court right now, we wonder what supplier wouldn’t want to at least look at or consider something different or new.

And while we understand wanting to control distribution and not allow just any warm body to set up shop and hawk your product, who doesn’t want to sell more product to consumers at the end of the day? And what supplier shouldn’t always be looking around to consider additional distribution and considering additional retailers? Maybe that’s somebody who wants to write his or her own eulogy.

These aren’t the times to think small and think status quo. These are the times to think broadly, think differently and think out-of-the-box. Indeed, SNEWS believes in specialty fitness – emphasis on specialty. To remain special, specialty fitness must always think special and be special. And that may mean a few changes.

Just because, as a supplier or as a store, you have always done things one way or another, or sold only to one retailer or customer or another does not mean that is the best way to be conducting business now. And not being open to new ideas, or possibly new retailers, is just, in our view, letting your business fruit die on the vine.