In an economy where tariffs are surging and global supply chains feel one delay away from chaos, brands can no longer treat friction between their direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel and their retail partners as “the cost of growth.”
What used to be a tolerable side effect is now a strategic liability. For specialty brands, resolving that tension isn’t just smart—it’s mission-critical.
The average effective U.S. duty rate has climbed to 22.5 %, its highest since 1909. In the outdoor sector, 84% of brands say new duties will hit them directly, triggering price hikes that ricochet through distributors and dealers.
Margin pressure this severe turns any simmering tension between DTC ambitions and retail partners into a balance-sheet threat.
A recent study shows 59% of brands believe they’d grow annual revenue 11–20 % if they could resolve channel conflict. Where does that leak happen?
| Reflex | Predictable Fallout |
| Shift more volume to DTC |
Dealers pull back POs; showroom space shrinks |
|
Central-warehouse everything |
Tariff-hit inventory stuck at port; stock-outs online |
|
Ignore price gaps |
MAP erosion sparks a race to the bottom |
The good news? Technology has come a long way.
Forward-thinking brands are rewriting the rules with inventory-intelligent, dealer-driven fulfillment that lets every channel reinforce the other:
These are the cornerstones of the Quivers platform, built specifically for brands that manage complex dealer networks.
Here’s how it plays out in the real world:
A customer places an order on your brand’s website.
Instead of defaulting to a centralized warehouse where inventory delays or tariffs could cause friction, the order is automatically routed to a local retail partner who has the product on hand.
The result? The customer gets their order faster, the retailer secures the sale, and the brand maintains pricing control and a consistent customer experience.
This isn’t just about reducing tension between channels. It’s about creating a model where everyone wins: your brand, your partners and your end consumer.
We’ve seen the impact of these strategies up close.
| Brand | Market | Result |
|
Hunting & Sporting Goods |
+35 % online revenue and +55 % wholesale orders after converting store inventory into web-fulfillment capacity. |
|
|
Automotive Lighting |
+57 % online sales in 90 days while dealer engagement doubled. |
|
|
Water Sports |
“Distributed fulfillment didn’t just boost web profit—it gave us data that transformed wholesale strategy.” |
Brands tackling tariffs with Distributed Order Management can recapture 3–5 margin points and cut stock-outs by 42 %.
Today’s consumers expect omnichannel experiences. They want to buy online, pick up in-store, or receive shipments quickly, regardless of who’s fulfilling the order.
Stay siloed and you risk losing both margin and loyalty the next time duties, freight, or habits shift.
Collaboration isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore; it’s a competitive advantage, especially in times of economic uncertainty.
When tariffs spike or supply chains get disrupted, brands with distributed fulfillment models can pivot quickly and keep delivering. Your dealers aren’t just along for the ride, they become key players in keeping your business resilient and responsive.
Brand regains margin & data → Dealer books incremental sales with less inventory risk → Consumer gets same-day pickup or faster local ship.
That’s resilience in a tariff-charged world.
Channel conflict isn’t a law of nature—it’s a design flaw. The fix isn’t another discount code or a bigger warehouse; it’s a system that lets every sale strengthen your entire network.
With the right technology partner, brands can bridge the gap between direct sales and retail relationships.
Quivers empowers manufacturers to resolve channel conflict, protect dealer partnerships, and scale omnichannel growth - without compromising control.
Ready to optimize your channel strategy? Learn how Quivers can help you turn conflict into collaboration.
Stop bleeding margin. Start winning—together.