Yakima assured its authorized dealers Thursday that it was working with an international distributor to halt sales of two unauthorized Yakima SKUs by Costco Wholesale Corp.
“Costco is not an authorized Yakima dealer, and the company sourced our products through an international distributor,” said Jason McGibbon, Senior Director of Sales at Yakima. “Yakima has made significant gains into global markets with our brand portfolio in recent years, and with this growth come more opportunities for unscrupulous purchasing activities. We have identified Costco’s unauthorized distribution source and we are now taking all actions within our means to cease any further sales of these products.
“As a member of the outdoor industry community,” McGibbon continued, “Yakima is fully committed to our partnership with authorized dealers, and to working diligently toward cleaning up marketplace distribution, managing MAP pricing and eliminating opportunistic gray market sellers. Yakima is completely committed to the continued growth of its strategic partnerships with the brand’s independent, specialty and national retailer partners. The company has implemented several initiatives, including a new pricing policy and a brand protection agency, to ensure that retailer promotions are focused on its innovative product, brand-building activities and high levels of service, rather than discounting.
