IO_Winter21

12 Inside Outdoor | WINTER 2021 By Martin Vilaboy Supply chains stabilize through tumultuous 2020 Buyer’s Side W hen the world was forced to re- act to the realities of a pandemic scare and adjust to the substantial efforts made to manage its im- pact, new light was shed on some longstanding weaknesses within wholesale supply chains. Faced with a new and powerful need to be leaner and nimbler – and thereby able to react more quickly to changing conditions on the ground – manufacturers, vendors and retailers placed re- newed scrutiny on established practices including global sourcing, overproduction, and seasonal- based pre-bookings and buying. Traditional supply chain models were blamed for shortages on retail shelves and for exposing retail- ers and vendors to potentially unnecessary risks. It was often suggested that these old ways were revealed as untenable, while new, dire realities would force along some much-needed changes. To keep pace with rapidly evolving consumer wants and needs, it was surmised, brands and retailers would need to take advantage of sourcing that was more localized and buying strategies that moved toward in-season and on-demand ordering. Direct- to-consumer (DTC) models, meanwhile, would now become the norm. Wholesale Changes? Not So Fast