Iconic US outdoor brand L.L. Bean has entered into wholesale agreements with Moosejaw, which is owned by Dick’s Sporting Goods, as well as with Dillard’s to bring its products to a wider audience. The business is also set to add two further stores to the 56 it already operates in the US whilst adding two further licensed stores in Montreal and a French language website for customers in Quebec.
Having commenced trading in 1912 from a single store in Maine it built its business through catalogues which it still deploys in tandem with stores, wholesale distribution and its own online channels.
The business briefly tested the UK market in the 1990’s, following Lands’ End’s successful market entry. However, it withdrew having found the market to be less receptive than it had expected, but it has a 25 store presence in Japan where it also uses online marketplaces.
It has no plans to use online marketplaces in the US and is not currently looking to extend into other overseas markets.
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