Freedom has been formed to give the outdoor side of the STAG Buying Group more focus and its own identity.
Ricky Chandler from STAG explains: “We have always had outdoor members and suppliers in the group, but we are now making it very apparent that the independent outdoor market is very important to us. We see huge growth potential for the group in outdoor and, judging from the reaction from OTS, we will not be disappointed.
“It was made very clear to us over the three days that an effective, well-run buying group that delivers what it promises is very much needed in the outdoor market.”
Freedom currently consists of 85 outdoor members within the total group membership of 460 individual businesses and comprises brands such as Gelert, Merrell, Hi-Tec, Lowa, Columbia, Bridgedale, Timberland, Maglite, Jack Wolfskin and Coleman among its 40-strong supplier base.
“We are predicting that we can double the size of our outdoor membership once Freedom and its benefits are fully explained,” says Chandler.
“We will achieve this by effectively communicating all the benefits of the group via the media and in person, and in doing so removing any misconceptions that people may have about the way buying groups operate. Our new website, which goes live later this month, will fully endorse our intentions and will be a terrific working tool for all our members.
“Freedom offers the opportunity for independent outdoor retailers to cut their overheads, increase their margins and make more profit. it is as simple as that.”
