Why Loyalty Programs Are Coming for Independent Retailers - PlusL Why Arc'teryx Is "Junk,"
7/6/202629 min
Today on the show Eoin Comerford breaks down the outdoor industry's paid loyalty arms race — from Dick's Sporting Goods' new Scorecard Plus tier to Backcountry's Summit Club Plus and REI's co-op membership — and explains what it means for independent specialty retailers.
Then, why is Amer Sports, the parent company of Arc'teryx, Salomon, and Wilson, still rated "junk" by Moody's despite seven billion in sales and 60% gross margins? Eoin unpacks the fashion risk, operational scale concerns, and Anta ownership issues keeping the rating below investment grade.
Finally, Rumpl founder and chairman Wiley Robinson and GM Josh Simpson join from the Switchback New Orleans show floor to discuss navigating tariffs, abandoning promotional discounting, launching the Rapsack sleeping bag line, sleep system accessories, and the brand-new Game Time Puffy — a sideline stadium cushion that converts into a full puffy blanket.
Timestamps
[0:00] — Introduction to the episode: paid loyalty programs, Amer Sports' credit rating, and a live interview with the Rumpl team at Switchback New Orleans.
[0:52] — How Dick's Sporting Goods' Scorecard Plus, Backcountry's Summit Club Plus, and REI's co-op membership are competing for the outdoor consumer's wallet — and what independent specialty retailers should do about it.
[5:27] — Sponsor: ENDVR — The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel. www.endvr.io
[6:38] — Why Amer Sports, parent of Arc'teryx, Salomon, and Wilson, remains rated speculative grade by Moody's despite $7B+ in sales, 30% growth, and 60% gross margins — and what it means for the industry.
[10:50] — Sponsor: Crux Retail — Creating bold retail displays for bold brands. www.crux-retail.com
[11:40] — Outdoor Unfiltered ranks as the most popular outdoor industry podcast on Apple Podcasts in the Wilderness category.
[13:00] — Wiley Robinson and Josh Simpson of Rumpl join live from the Switchback New Orleans show floor.
[13:55] — How the founder/GM leadership transition between Wiley Robinson and Josh Simpson has played out 18 months in.
[15:37] — How Rumpl navigated tariffs, held price on 95% of its line, and protected margins while many peers struggled.
[17:45] — How Rumpl cut MAP breaks from six per year to one and reduced off-price transactions by 50% to rebuild a full-price business.
[19:40] — Why Rumpl launched the Rapsack sleeping bag after 12 years focused exclusively on blankets, and how REI's early commitment validated the category.
[21:00] — How Rumpl is expanding the Rapsack into a full sleep system with new temperature ratings, sizes, and sleep liners.
[25:15] — Introducing the Game Time Puffy — a $99.95 stadium seat cushion and puffy blanket in one, already sold into Dick's Sporting Goods.
[27:47] — Closing thoughts, how to follow the pod, and how to reach out.
Guests
Wiley Robinson — Co-Founder & Chairman, Rumpl
Josh Simpson — General Manager, Rumpl
Rumpl — www.rumpl.com
Sponsors
ENDVR — The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel.
Crux Retail — Creating bold retail displays for bold brands.
Connect With Us
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries, or whatever's on your mind.
DM Eoin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eoincomerford/
Email the show: outdoorunfilteredpod@gmail.com
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsEoin Comerford· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Welcome to Outdoor Unfiltered. Today we'll be covering how big retailers are using loyalty programs to increase their share of the outdoor wallet, and why the hottest company in our industry is still rated as junk. Then later in the show, I'll be joined by the leaders of outdoor blanket brand Rumpl for the first in a series of interviews with executives from brands in our industry like Patagonia, Snow Peak, Grail, and more. This is Outdoor Unfiltered, where we dig beyond the PR speak to see what's really going on in the outdoor industry, not just what happened, but why it happened and why it matters. I'm Owen Comerford, a former CEO, advisor to outdoor brands, and consigliere to The Rock Fight. Okay, let's get into it. Our first topic is how big retailers are using loyalty programs to increase their share of the outdoor wallet. So let's start with the latest news, which is that Dick's Sporting Goods just launched their Scorecard Plus, which is a new paid loyalty tier at $99 a year, which gives free shipping, exclusive promotions, 20% off in-store services and experiences. And here's the key number, $100 in rewards each year doled out in $25 increments each quarter. So let's look at that math for a second. So the consumer pays $99, and then Dick's hands them back 100 bucks. So Dick's isn't really making money on the membership fee. So what exactly are they buying?