Hildebran, NC, October 29, 2023 DeFeet is announcing the brand's departure from distribution by Quality Bicycle Parts (QBP). DeFeet will no longer be carried by QBP as the distributor adjusted the number of brands it carried in the second half of 2023 downward.
“DeFeet enjoyed many years of mutually beneficial success with QBP during our long-standing relationship”, said DeFeet Founder and Chief Sockologist Shane Cooper, adding, “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 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 went on, "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 representatives. The company distributes in-line products in the United States through its remaining domestic distribution partners and its own DeFeet B2B platform powered by NuOrder. All custom sock orders are taken exclusively by the 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.” Willerton adds, “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.”
For a list of distributors that carry DeFeet or to inquire about a wholesale or distributor B2B account, contact Rob Dickerson at rob@defeet.com. For any other information contact Shane Cooper at scoop@defeet.com.
