It’s not like nobody saw this one coming from miles away. After all, Far Bank Enterprises, parent company for Sage, Redington and RIO Products, essentially telegraphed the move when Redington went direct-to-consumer a few years ago. But now, the leading producer of fly rods–a company built on the “specialty products for specialty shops” ideal–will begin selling its products online, starting in 2016.
You can imagine what we’ve heard at Angling Trade in the past few days. Everything ranging from outrage, to resignation to applause.
We’re going to dive into the story, and soon. But we’re not going to half-bake it. At this time, we’ve interviewed Far Bank, and are talking with retailers around the country to gauge their reactions. We’re also talking to the competition.
Is this the death knell for the specialty dealer model?
Can this, as Far Bank suggests, actually lead to market growth that will benefit dealers and consumers alike?
What makes Far Bank any different than Simms, or Orvis, or Patagonia, or any number of other manufacturers that sell direct already?
Assuming that where there is an action, there is also an equal and opposite reaction, what will that be?
Does this really open larger wounds related to the evolving product distribution dynamic?
NOBODY is more dialed, and nobody will give you the straight scoop better than Angling Trade will. Stay tuned…
