Months ago I said a heavy-hitting online outdoor gear retailer was about to enter the fly fishing market, and today, it happened.
Another — and very big — player hits the fly fishing market.
Backcountry.com may be offering a limited line of gear and they might ultimately have trouble gaining much traction in the famously insular fly fishing market, but keep in mind Backcountry.com is the largest online-only retailer of outdoor gear.
They didn’t get that way by mucking about pointlessly.
Their “The Goat” blog is among the best outdoor news/gear blogs in existence (snarky when they should be, funny the rest of the time).
There are plenty of existing online fly fishing outlets, but adding another heavy hitter to the mix can’t help but pressurize the rest of the industry.
Especially when companies like the “Picked by the Underground Five Years Ago to One Day Rule The Fly Fishing Universe” Orvis gets better on the marketing and product fronts (those who think Orvis is hidebound by tweed might want to ask why they’re the first major in the Tenkara market).
And let’s not forget online juggernaut Leland’s, who seems to be doing everything right (including adding some interesting private-label goodies).
In simple terms, one of the promises of the Internet was that it offered small players equal access to the marketplace, and while that remains true, it’s also true that in most markets — after a flurry of small players appeared — consolidation has again became the norm.
I know some of you are saying Backcountry.com doesn’t have prior fly fishing experience so they’re doomed as a player. It’s possible, but they found their way into other markets (road cycling, mountain biking, etc). I expect this will prove interesting.
See you online, Tom Chandler.
There was a discussion recently regarding Far Bank’s decision to sell to Backcountry on the fly fishing trade Linked In group. Definitely worth a read if you can get yourself access, the specialty fly guys were a bit irked by this development. The prevailing thought was that this hurts fly fishing specialty retail, I believe they they can’t see the forest through the trees.
Ironically your Clymb sidebar banner features a fly fishing image, The Clymb has been running numerous name brand fly fishing product sale events. I’ve alerted Angling Trade to this development on multiple occasions but they have chosen not cover the news.
This Backcountry distribution decision (again) raises the question as to why the fly fishing trade chooses not to join forces with the outdoor trade…… but that’s another debate.
Brian Bennett(Quote)
I don’t really have time to monitor yet another online forum, especially one where I doubt I’d be welcomed with open arms (at least if the last two years of TU emails are accurate).
Clearly, fly fishing’s protected dealer distribution model is breaking open under the pressure of the Internet, and the manufacturers who already possessed a direct sales model are going to enjoy the noise a lot more than those still stuck in the old model.
As for trade shows, I’d say the fact we’re no longer trying to cannibalize other fly fishing trade shows suggests some improvement….
Tom Chandler(Quote)
Backcountry has actually been selling fly fishing stuff for awhile (a year or so) but its been hidden in their camping/hiking section. Those of us who subscribe to Backcountry’s Cheap and Steep, one at a time, clearance pop up site have been seeing different fly fishing specials appear with a fair amount of frequency.
fishskicanoe(Quote)
I’ve witnessed the Steep & Cheap deals, but didn’t realize that translated to general availability.
Tom Chandler(Quote)
The stuff that’s been generally available has been “lower-end” and limited. Float tubes, some wright & mcgill rods. Nothing fancy. This is a big step for them, for sure.
Steve-O(Quote)