Better Gear At A Better Value

Our Pricing Model

Our Direct-2-You pricing model and what it enables is a major difference between our brands and other premium, high-performance brands. We sell directly to you, the consumer, without the retail middleman markup associated with most other brands. But what does that mean?

Why Other Brands Are So Expensive

Basically, every other outdoor gear brand that sells through retailers (whether large retailers such as REI® or small, independent shops), has two prices. The brand sells products to the retailer at a “wholesale price.” The retailer then marks those products up to arrive at the “retail price” that all of us  then pay for gear. And that retail markup is roughly 100%.

So, if a jacket costs $300, the brand sold it to the retailer for about $150 and the retail markup increased the price to $300.

And the most unfair part of all of this is when those other brands sell “direct-to-consumer” or “consumer direct” on their own website, they can not undercut their customers (the retailers), so they still charge the full retail price! That’s far more profit for the brand but no savings to us consumers. 

AKOVA Direct To Consumer Price Comparison Graph

Long ago this made sense. Retail stores were the only available distribution for products and browsing stores was the only way we discovered brands and products. But the Internet and ecommerce has changed all of that. Brands like AKOVA (and SHRED DOG) can sell directly to consumers for a far better value.

Better Performance At A Better Price

Because we do not sell through retailers, we save you money with our Direct-2-You pricing. The result is prices for you that are 30-40% less everyday, than if we sold through retailers. The reason it is not 50% less is that other brands rely on the retailers' marketing programs to promote products, a cost we need to incur to build awareness and reach new customers.

We communicate this on our website by showing the full Retail Value price (crossed out) and our everyday price which is 30-40% less.

Why does that matter? It means we can sell the equivalent of a $300 product for about $210. And it also means a $100 product of ours, compared to a $100 product from another brand, will be vastly different. We can invest in better materials, more features, and ultimately higher quality for the same final price point. 

Premium Gear. No Compromises. No Retail Markup.