Retailers

WeatherWool is not available in any retail stores. We do not work with any retailers.

We don't object specifically to the idea of having WeatherWool offered by other people, but at this point, there isn't anyone else involved in the traditional sense.

We do like the idea of having WeatherWool in retail stores so people can have something like a traditional shopping experience. However, the standard distribution steps -- manufacturer to retailer to customer -- would mean customers would have to pay at least double our direct-to-customer prices. So there aren't any retailers that offer WeatherWool.

Another reason we don't work with retailers is simply a question of supply. For example, our Anorak is offered in 6 different fabric weights/colors, and 7 sizes (soon to be 9 or 10 sizes). So if a retailer wants to stock just one of each possible variation, that means 6x7=42 Anoraks on hand, just to have one of each. And then multiply that across our many products, and the many potential retailers, and the numbers quickly become crazy-large. Heck ... we can't even keep WeatherWool in stock as well as I'd like.

We don't mean any of this as a "knock" on the old-fashioned ways of doing things. The costs of operating a brick-and-mortar retail store are enormous, and costs of a business must be borne by the customers.

Another point that comes up frequently is whether we would open a store in another country. The same brutal arithmetic would apply ... and in most cases it would be quite a bit worse, because so many countries would apply import duties and VATs just to get WeatherWool past customs. Just this morning, in fact, we were contacted by a gent hoping to pick up some WeatherWool in Copenhagen. One nice thing, at least, is that the various international delivery agents are getting better and better, enabling us to ship virtually anywhere quite easily.

Having said all this, we are still open to suggestions. And if you're a retailer who is interested, give me a call.

 

22 January 2021 --- Ralph