Retailers are scrambling to figure out how to survive as e-commerce and the global pandemic have upended their traditional business model. Can they reinvent themselves or will they go the way of so many past industries no longer with us? Retailers across the United States are facing mass extinction as a fallout from the Covid-19 …
There have been numerous articles the past few years about the retail apocalypse occurring across the United States. Already this year, almost 8,000 stores have announced that they will be closing their doors with projections to reach 12,000 doors by year end.[1] This will be the single largest net loss of retail stores over the past …
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After attending the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow in August ’12, I posted one of my first blogs that suggested that there would be consolidation in the near future in the stand up paddleboard (SUP) category. There were many telltale signs that consolidation was on the horizon; limited barriers to entry, little product differentiation about brands, product in …
A while back, I posted an article deriding the lack of creativity and “sameness” in the outdoor industry. After having spent the past week in the US and Europe visiting Outdoor Retailer and ISPO in Munich, I’m saddened to report that the Land of Lemings has not changed and even worse, there are more brands …
On February 1st, 2012, I launched Everest Consulting with the simple idea of providing actionable and thought provoking growth strategy consulting advice to consumer brands. The growth and momentum of the business has been remarkable. Clearly, there are many companies, successful and unsuccessful, that need in help in clarifying their brand position, prioritizing key initiatives …
You might be wondering why I would ever consider writing about such a staid product like socks. Walk around any school yard these days and you’ll quickly realize that the days of the basic white tube socks are gone. As a father of two 9 year olds, we are seeing first-hand the craze of the …
This week’s Wall Street Journal has run a great series on the decline of Japan’s consumer electronic brands like Sony, Toshiba, Sharp, etc. While the electronics industry is extremely competitive with frequently changing technology, no one would have predicted 10 -15 years ago that Sony would be surpassed by it’s Korean competitor, Samsung. For those …
Touring the Outdoor Retailer trade show last week, I was struck again by how much of the industry is littered with small, enthusiast run companies that are just copying others. Stand up paddle boards (SUP) were the most egregious example of a bunch of lemmings (WEBSTER’S DEFINITION: A MEMBER OF ANY LARGE GROUP FOLLOWING AN UNTHINKING …
The outdoor and athletic industry bi-annual trade show, Outdoor Retailer, begins this week in Salt Lake City. Similar to many other consumer branded shows that have seen the lines blur across multiple sectors, OR is no exception. With athletic, sportswear, travel and foods brands all showing the latest and greatest product offerings, it’s a mecca …
Everest Consulting, a new, vibrant management consulting company focused on advising consumer lifestyle companies, has launched its website, www.everestconsultingcompany.com. Stay tuned for additional information on key topics facing consumer brands, the latest in the industries and selective thoughts on strategy, branding and management.