What Happened to Sitka?

[2muchhp]

Yeah , that's been on their web site for a while. They must have had alot of inventory.

 

[Swamppirate]

I recently ordered a Sitka Alpha fleece hoodie. There was a slight delay in shipping. Finally got the piece not long ago and am liking it a lot.

 

[sneaky]

Not sure what’s going on with Sitka…. My local archery shop, Mountain Archery in SE Idaho is no longer doing business with Sitka and has been clearing it out. They had the best selection in this area hands down. One of the guys told me they(Sitka) changed policy or something along that line for dealers/retailers, so they decided to get out.

They used to be the biggest Sitka retailer in the country. Says a lot that Gordon isn't carrying them anymore. I liked the old location better, had a better feel to it than their new store. Guess I'm a fudd in that regard lol.

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[Cosmono]

Don't know what you talking about, Sitka has been great, ordering delivery...everything.

 

[jazz3ring]

I placed a Sitka order on Friday (2/28) morning. Received an email that it shipped Friday afternoon. Order was delivered this morning (Tuesday, 3/4). Very fast and efficient.

 

[Bazookas]

I’d like to see Sitka and other brands simplify their lines and layering. It feels like Sitka replaces products under the same name or replaces good products just to sell something new or push a camo pattern. Kuiu does well by referencing the material and weight. Sitka feels like they’re all over with new patterns, new names, new trial products that disappear. Overall great products but not sticking with patterns and products that have worked in the past is frustrating. Example - getting rid of products like the fanatic hoody in subalpine just to push a new pattern that’s only good for the first month of the season.

 

[Ho5tile1]

I hear what your saying and agree but where I hunt there new pattern is good all year as the woods stay green all year.


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[LongWayAround]

I’d like to see Sitka and other brands simplify their lines and layering. It feels like Sitka replaces products under the same name or replaces good products just to sell something new or push a camo pattern. Kuiu does well by referencing the material and weight. Sitka feels like they’re all over with new patterns, new names, new trial products that disappear. Overall great products but not sticking with patterns and products that have worked in the past is frustrating. Example - getting rid of products like the fanatic hoody in subalpine just to push a new pattern that’s only good for the first month of the season.

This ^ exactly.

Not everyone wants a special shirt for 40° whitetail hunting in the Mid-Atlantic.

They would be wise to simplify the line-up with a few specialized pieces, in my opinion. Especially if they are pursuing a more direct to consumer model. They're approach seems to be highly specialized everything.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Wow. Companies don’t make statements like that for ‘normal’ business decisions.

Sitka went direct to consumer and cut almost all dealers except ultra speciality like Scheels, that probably accepted very specific terms, such as MAP and no margin support

Dealers got cut and got mad. Thats all. In today’s brick and mortar retail world, it’s survival of the fittest. Reason why firstlite did the exact same approach.

You cant survive at middle man retail market up margins competing against a bunch of direct to consumer micro brands.

 

[actionshooter]

I have been buying Sitka since they came out and have been relatively happy, but I didn't buy unless it was on sale, way overpriced IMO. There are a lot of good options and brands available and it's not a fashion show so if it doesn't match I don't really care. I hope Sitka can keep it together on the hunting side but if they are going to go to "lifestyle branding", I feel like it probably isn't going to go well for hunters.

 

[JackCrank]

According to a local store, Sitka may have some BS going on with dumping local retailers and moving to a direct to consumer model. The shop I’m referring to has two full walls of Sitka gear and apparently their getting dumped by the brand for not being a big enough retailer.

That being said I’m not buying any real amount of gear that I can’t touch and try on first so Sitka/Skre it is. Seems like Skre is looking to pick up where Sitka is dropping the ball with Brock and mortars just in a lower price point.

 

[Primal-Understanding]

I can't really add anything that hasnt already been discussed, but -

a) I agree their website kinda sucks.
b) They need better solid colors. Their solids are all kinda weird..
c) Am I the only guy that doesn't own any of their Ambient stuff?

They need to keep making pyrite. Imo thats the best solid color.
Id agree Lichen and Mud both kinda suck in their own way.


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[AK_Skeeter]

It’s across all industries related to Consumer demand, inflationary pressures, rising cost of add spend and CAC, SKU rationalization, freight is ticking back up again, tariffs on items coming from China, increase in borrowing cost, etc. it’s a tough time out there and if these companies are PE backed, expect that business to be run through the lens of making money.

What are CAC,SKU, PSE, PE?

 

[Macintosh]

What are CAC,SKU, PSE, PE?

Cac Customer aquisition cost, ie the average cost of finding a new customer, as opposed to marketing to existing customers
Sku is Stock keeping unit, a unique ID for every possible combination of style, color, size, ie the “ambient jacket, color lichen, sizes small, m, l and xl” is 4 sku’s.
Pse—didnt see context but usually private sector enterprise
PE private equity, ie folks with an ownership stake looking to recoup a profit on their investment in as short a timeframe as possible. As opposed to ownership that is looking to build stable, long term value or that is mission-driven.

Bottom line—its a business, making business decisions. Without full visibility of the info they are basing decisions off, sometimes it looks inexplicable. The reality is usually that those decisions make perfect sense.

 

[cuerro viejo]

According to a local store, Sitka may have some BS going on with dumping local retailers and moving to a direct to consumer model. The shop I’m referring to has two full walls of Sitka gear and apparently their getting dumped by the brand for not being a big enough retailer.

That being said I’m not buying any real amount of gear that I can’t touch and try on first so Sitka/Skre it is. Seems like Skre is looking to pick up where Sitka is dropping the ball with Brock and mortars just in a lower price point.

Almost all major Clothing brands are cutting specialty stores. I know one that won’t take an order under 50k a season, and pretty sure that’s about to get bumped higher. You figure out what it cost to send a rep down to present the line, do order entry, micro manage shipping, police MAP, and then manage account payable, you basically loose money.

If you are a speciality store and you have left over products, best thing to do is dump it on Amazon on flash sale. When they do the cloud algorithms then cut price of same product in other shops(including MFG shops) to be competitive, which then disrupts pricing.

Long story short, Direct to Consumer is more profitable then store front. Unfortunately this is the way, but we made it the way. Aka new version of up against the Walmarts

 

[JackCrank]

Almost all major Clothing brands are cutting specialty stores. I know one that won’t take an order under 50k a season, and pretty sure that’s about to get bumped higher. You figure out what it cost to send a rep down to present the line, do order entry, micro manage shipping, police MAP, and then manage account payable, you basically loose money.

If you are a speciality store and you have left over products, best thing to do is dump it on Amazon on flash sale. When they do the cloud algorithms then cut price of same product in other shops(including MFG shops) to be competitive, which then disrupts pricing.

Long story short, Direct to Consumer is more profitable then store front. Unfortunately this is the way, but we made it the way. Aka new version of up against the Walmarts

Oh yeah, I totally get why people are making the move, it just sucks and long term industry/sport wide I think it's a bad decision. Without a local network of pro shops, acting as community hubs/info centers/entry points, ultimately less people are going to get into hunting/shooting. Less people are going to have the opportunity to see the range of products available in a meaningful way outside of a screen, and more people are going to be drawn to choices that might not be right for them based on what they see online which could lead to frustration and people not sticking around.

Support your local and all that I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[fatlander]

Oh yeah, I totally get why people are making the move, it just sucks and long term industry/sport wide I think it's a bad decision. Without a local network of pro shops, acting as community hubs/info centers/entry points, ultimately less people are going to get into hunting/shooting. Less people are going to have the opportunity to see the range of products available in a meaningful way outside of a screen, and more people are going to be drawn to choices that might not be right for them based on what they see online which could lead to frustration and people not sticking around.

Support your local and all that I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You tried drawing a tag anywhere recently?

Maybe less people isn’t a bad thing. I certainly can’t say that there are more animals on the landscape in any meaningful way, especially considering the billions of dollars that’s been poured into state wildlife agencies in my lifetime. More hunters haven’t made hunting better in any measurable quantity that I can see. It’s only made a multibillion dollar industry that’s entangled with the government. That’s never gone well, ever.

I’d love to buy local. Local shops never have what you want. Nothing is more frustrating than someone trying to sell you something that you don’t want because they don’t have what you want.


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