View Full Version : GoLite anncouncement
From Facebook about 1 hr ago:
Founders of GoLite will start a new company, looking to become a global manufacturer of innovative and responsibly-made apparel and equipment designed for the outdoors. They strive to be a leader in terms of channel distribution, technical performance, and sustainable business practice.
Maintaining their status as a Colorado based company, looking forward to seeing you on the trail.
Be interesting to see what that amounts to in the real world. Less button down oxfords, B&M stores and perhaps more packs and down jackets. :)
Walkintom
03-24-2015, 17:11
Interesting.
Sarcasm the elf
03-24-2015, 17:12
Lets hope for the best...
A lot of marketing speak in the post. We'll see what happens. The announcement is on the GoLite FB page if anyone wants to see it directly.
Sarcasm the elf
03-24-2015, 18:17
I hope they make a clear decision about what sort of company they want to become. They can be an outfitter or they can be a outdoor fashion/lifestyle store, but they clearly had trouble being both at the same time, especially at their brick and mortar stores. I remember how odd it was the first time I walked into one of their locations that had a feel and layout like any other mall retailer, but then had one wall dedicated to real outdoor gear. I tried to have a conversation with the employees about the packs, but they had little knowledge beyond what was on the tags and were unaware of the names of the major gear companies that they were competing with. I wish them the best of luck either way.
mudsocks
03-24-2015, 22:08
A lot of marketing speak in the post. We'll see what happens.
You can say that again. The message is confusing. Is it written for prior customers or potential investors? The fact that it is coming from GoLite channels strikes me as odd.
Gray Bear
03-25-2015, 05:17
Where will the gear be made? If its in the USA that would be cool. If not, its not something I'm going to get excited about. There are too many folks making great gear right here in the US. I really like buying gear made here that may help someone employ locals. I like being able to call a company and talk to people who make this stuff. I like when I send an email and get a response right away then call a few days later and talk to the same person who sent me the email. I like when I call and talk to a person who uses the stuff I'm calling about. I don't want to sound like I'm bashing Golite but they have some serious competition when it comes to quality gear and customer service made in the USA.
SteelCut
03-25-2015, 05:23
Yes, lots of marketing speak. Hopefully they will be better at inventory management than the previous company was ... maybe they will actually have something in stock that can actually be purchased.
Offshore
03-25-2015, 07:20
A lot of marketing speak in the post. We'll see what happens...
My thoughts exactly. Given their track record, this sounds overly ambitious. Hopefully they have clear goals, enough startup capital, and some experienced management this time around. I wish them luck.
shakey_snake
03-30-2015, 00:53
I'd consider the fact that they say that they want to be a manufacturer a good thing.
The real problem with Golite was that it became a brand.
Offshore
03-30-2015, 07:23
Where will the gear be made?
They say "global" manufacturer in their announcement, so probably a bigger chance of it being Asia than Colorado. Supply chain problems seem to have contributed to their prior downfall. Manufacturing their own merchandise would help, but if its made overseas, they still face long shipping times and potential delays (such as what's been happening at the Ports of LA and Long Beach) unless they ship by air. I can see planeloads of iPhones flying in from China, but planeloads of backpacks and hiking umbrellas, not really. Too much competition from other manufacturers - small and large - to add a premium to the prices.
Posted this weekend
"From the Founders of GoLite, "My Trail Company" will be a new brand on the market. The product line will have a focus for use on the trail - dirt, paved and snow. Backpacking, hiking, skiing, running, walking, travel...wherever your trail takes you."
My main interest is that the company is based where I live and know people who were involved with them. Again, we'll see. Lots of vague info with nothing concrete so far.
Sounds a lot like their previous issue: What the heck is a small company aiming for? And, of course, if a company defaulted on millions of dollars, curious why kind of capital can be raised.
bamboo bob
03-30-2015, 16:41
Abercrombie & Fitch was an outfitter that became a clothing store, Eddie Bauer the same, EMS almost that already, Go-lite seems to have gone right to clothing in a blink. The margins are better on clothing than gear. Its just the way it goes when they have to worry about investors and not just owners. REI and LLbean seem to be going that route but still have a lot of good gear.
4eyedbuzzard
03-30-2015, 19:29
Abercrombie & Fitch was an outfitter that became a clothing store, Eddie Bauer the same, EMS almost that already, Go-lite seems to have gone right to clothing in a blink. The margins are better on clothing than gear. Its just the way it goes when they have to worry about investors and not just owners. REI and LLbean seem to be going that route but still have a lot of good gear. GoLite's strategy was, in few words, get big quickly. I don't think you can fairly compare the GoLite situation though in many ways with the companies you mentioned simply based on market capitalization, their brand recognition before expansion, and the timeframe it took them to build the brands. GoLite revenues for 2012 and 2013 were $14.4 and $17.7 million respectively. They were small potatoes in comparison to the $billion +/- companies you mentioned, nor did they ever have the widespread brand recognition of Bean, Abercrombie, or Bauer. All of them expanded in different market directions, but those expansions happened over much longer periods of time and with more financial resources behind them. GoLite needed at least 5 more years of sustained growth and a bigger piece of the outfitter market before jumping in, especially when you look at their debt ridden balance sheet. Sometimes when you go big, you just go home.
Nice, hope they pull it off!
MuddyWaters
03-30-2015, 20:30
Abercrombie & Fitch was an outfitter that became a clothing store, Eddie Bauer the same, EMS almost that already, Go-lite seems to have gone right to clothing in a blink. The margins are better on clothing than gear. Its just the way it goes when they have to worry about investors and not just owners. REI and LLbean seem to be going that route but still have a lot of good gear.
Cant forget North Face, Patagonia, etc either.
There are a lot more people to sell clothing to, than gear.
Patagonia, North Face, Eddie Bauer et al are much bigger companies than GoLite ever was. They can afford to sell bomber tents, more technical clothing fuzzy fleeces and corduroys.
Anyway, to quote the man himself:
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/morning_call/2014/11/golite-cofounder-hopes-to-keep-company-going.html?r=full
"Coupounas told BizWest the company made a couple of mistakes. Leasing retail locations that were too large was one mistake. The other was expanding too quickly into the apparel business."
So, assuming it is still the case, I doubt we'll see too much lifestyle apparel again. Then again...that was a few months ago. :)
MuddyWaters
03-30-2015, 22:19
There are a lot of ways to make money with startups.
It doesnt always require a successful company to do so either.
SpoonsMcgoo
03-31-2015, 05:41
I have another season or 2 on my Jam so if he can get up and running by then, I will stay a customer. If not, I will go Gossomer or something else. Plenty of companies deserving the business.
hikeandbike5
03-31-2015, 23:44
I'm not holding my breath for this go round. The first one had potential, then they royally screwed it up time after time. I'm not so convinced that the second go will be any better.
Interesting
http://www.hikersreview.com/my-trail-company-new-company-launch-golite/
Former head of retail for GoLite according to the person's linked in profile.
The author of the article pinged us (TTS) directly, otherwise I would have no idea.