Quality Bicycle Parts (QBP) will no longer distribute DeFeet socks after QBP reduced the number of brands it is carrying in the second half going forward.
“DeFeet enjoyed many years of mutually beneficial success with QBP during our long-standing relationship”, said DeFeet Founder and Chief Sockologist Shane Cooper. “We have nothing but admiration, respect, and appreciation for what Steve Flagg was able to create and the services QBP provided to IBDs and industry participants since their beginning in 1981, eleven years before DeFeet started.”
DeFeet said in a release it continues to respond to the undulations and disruptions in the cycling industry’s supply chains and distribution models.
“It’s amazing to have lived and operated a manufacturing business and consumer brand through the last 30 years”, Cooper said. “We’ve seen more change in the industry in the last four years than we did in the first 25 years we were in business. We don’t see this slowing down any time soon.”
DeFeet is now entirely in-house with its sales team, employing no independent sales reps. The company distributes in-line products in the U.S. through its domestic distribution partners and its DeFeet B2B platform. All custom sock orders are taken exclusively by its in-house DeFeet custom shop.
“Distribution is a critical piece of the puzzle for every business”, said DeFeet’s Paul Willerton. “DeFeet has always supported the IBD as the pillar in the cycling market, and that isn’t changing with the move from QBP. We strive for balance. By working with a handful of the best distributors in the business, as well as offering a seamless B2B platform carrying our entire line and backed by in-house service, DeFeet is able to make sure retailers can access anything they may need while managing the risk of any sudden change in the distribution landscape.”
Photo courtesy DeFeet
