How brands and retailers can collaborate for win–win holiday sales.
Every November, Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) put the outdoor industry under the same spotlight that challenges every retail sector: how do we drive sales without undermining our partners?
For brands, the temptation to run aggressive direct-to-consumer (D2C) discounts can be strong. For dealers, those same promotions often feel like a direct hit to their margins.
I write this from the perspective of a sales rep turned sales manager who’s had countless conversations with retailers, reps, and other brands about BFCM. I’ve heard every argument — from total abstinence to all-out discounting. One side sits on the sidelines watching competitors capture new customers, while the other risks damaging relationships and brand perception in the process.
My conclusion is an unsatisfying one for both retailers and brand executives: the “right” answer depends on doing what’s right for your business.
In my role with Level Six, we learned that as an emerging brand, we couldn’t simply opt out of BFCM. Despite our aspirations, we’re not Arc'teryx — we can’t afford to take a moral high road by avoiding discounts during peak shopping season. But we’re also not a pure D2C brand. We rely on our dealer network, and they matter to us.
All BFCM strategies need to be balanced and equitable — supporting both the brand and the retailer. That means taking a strategic, collaborative approach: clearly outlining promotions in advance, ensuring dealers can participate through margin protection, and maintaining transparency across channels. The goal isn’t short-term sales — it’s long-term investment in your brand and in a healthy, profitable dealer network.
Best Practices & Action Steps
Without further pontificating, here are some practical steps to plan a successful BFCM promotion.
1. Start Planning — Early!
BFCM success starts with planning — well before the holiday rush. If you work backward, you’ll see how quickly timelines stack up.
If your dealers need stock in hand by the first week of November, that means shipments need to go out by late October, orders must be placed by mid-October, and promotions must be communicated by the end of September.
In short: start planning no later than the first week of September.
Within your plan, clarify these key aspects:
The Product – Decide what’s included in your promotion. Don’t discount what you can’t supply. Focus on volume-ready products. Avoid discounting brand-new releases; it devalues them immediately. BFCM is ideal for older or soon-to-be-updated products that need a boost.
The Discount – Determine what kind of discount structure you’ll run — blanket, door crasher, bundle, or hybrid. Knowing this early allows you to plan profitability and any dealer margin support required.
Dealer Promotions – Once your products and discounts are set, map out how to involve your dealer network. Dealers are the backbone of your distribution — supporting them through promotions is non-negotiable. Even partial margin support goes a long way toward building trust.
2. Build Transparency & Communicate Clearly
Before going public, brief your sales reps thoroughly. If there’s room for interpretation, people will hear what they want — and you’ll end up navigating awkward conversations later.
Once your reps are aligned, move on to your dealers. A two-stage communication process works best:
- Brand Announcement – Send a direct message (newsletter, portal update, etc.) outlining all BFCM details — products, pricing, and policies.
- Rep Follow-Up – Give reps a concise PDF with promotion details and let them reach out personally. Reps should summarize the offer, answer questions, and create a clear call to action.
After your internal and dealer communications are complete, move to public-facing channels — email, social media, web banners — ensuring consistency across all messaging.
3. Margin Protection or Margin Opportunity?
Protecting dealer margin is the cornerstone of maintaining balance and ensuring your network isn’t alienated by your D2C efforts. Here are two proven models:
Offer Dealer Buy-In Windows – Provide a purchase period before BFCM when dealers can pre-purchase promo inventory at a discount. This helps them stock key products and maintain healthy margins during the sale. Set a reasonable cap to prevent abuse — rare, but worth addressing.
Create Margin Protection Programs – Offer a margin protection credit for dealers who match your promotions and provide proof of sale. After BFCM, issue credits that restore their margin. This requires some admin work but demonstrates fairness and builds long-term trust.
4️ Reinforce Shared Accountability
Collaboration is a two-way street. Brands must offer fair opportunities, but dealers also need to participate.
If a brand provides clear communication, tools, and margin protection, dealers have a responsibility to use them. Complaints about D2C promotions carry little weight if the opportunity to engage is ignored.
Reps can help by tracking dealer participation, following up on execution, and celebrating those who lead by example. Shared accountability ensures everyone benefits — and reinforces the kind of integrity this industry is built on.
Designing the Right BFCM Promotion Strategy
Promotions are the centerpiece of any BFCM plan — but not all strategies are created equal. The right approach balances excitement, simplicity, and fairness across all channels. Below are six time-tested tactics that transcend retail categories, along with their strengths and considerations to help you pick what fits your brand best.
Blanket Site-Wide Discount
A flat percentage off everything is the simplest and most recognizable approach. It’s easy to execute and clearly communicates value to consumers.
Strengths:
- Simple to launch — no complex pricing rules or segmented messaging.
- Drives strong short-term volume and creates a clear sense of urgency.
- Works especially well for smaller brands trying to capture attention in a crowded space.
Considerations:
- Discounts products that may have sold at full price, eroding margin unnecessarily.
- Risks blending into the noise when competitors advertise “40–50% off everything.”
- Can devalue your brand if used too frequently or without clear purpose.
Door Crasher Promotions
A select group of deeply discounted products designed to drive traffic and excitement — often referred to as “loss leaders.”
Strengths:
- Excellent for clearing excess or aging inventory.
- Creates buzz and urgency that can spike site traffic or store visits.
- Gives customers a low-barrier entry point to experience your brand.
Considerations:
- Limited appeal if the chosen products don’t resonate broadly.
- Can frustrate customers if door crashers sell out too quickly.
- May not translate well to all dealer types depending on inventory or product mix.
Hybrid Approach
Combines a few high-profile door crashers with a modest site-wide discount. It’s a balanced, flexible model suited for most specialty brands.
Strengths:
- Balances margin protection with traffic generation.
- Keeps messaging simple while offering variety.
- Allows you to feature key products without deep discounting across the board.
Considerations:
- Requires careful forecasting to avoid over-committing inventory.
- Can become complicated if execution isn’t coordinated across D2C and dealer channels.
- Needs clear communication so everyone understands which products are included.
- Bundle & Value-Add Offers
Rather than cutting prices, create perceived value through bundles or add-ons — for example, a “Cold Water Essentials Kit” pairing a thermal top, gloves, and socks at a set price.
Strengths:
- Protects product value while offering tangible savings.
- Moves slower SKUs alongside bestsellers, improving inventory efficiency.
- Encourages larger basket sizes and higher average order values.
Considerations:
- Requires thoughtful product pairing — poor combinations can hurt appeal.
- Can be complex for dealers to merchandise or explain.
- Margins must be carefully calculated to ensure profitability.
Tiered Spend Promotions
Encourage higher spending with a tiered structure — e.g., “Spend $150, get 10% off; spend $300, get 20% off.”
Strengths:
- Increases average order value while limiting deep discounts.
- Feels personal — customers feel they’ve “earned” the savings.
- Easy to mirror across D2C and dealer platforms.
Considerations:
- May underperform if tiers are set too high relative to typical basket size.
- Needs clear messaging to avoid confusing customers.
- Doesn’t move individual slow sellers as efficiently as item-level discounts.
Early Access & Loyalty Previews
Reward your most loyal customers — and your dealer network — with early access to promotions or limited-edition product drops before the public sale.
Strengths:
- Builds loyalty and a sense of exclusivity.
- Allows dealers to align inventory and marketing before the main event.
- Provides early sales insights and helps flatten fulfillment spikes.
Considerations:
- Must be executed fairly — other dealers or customers may feel left out.
- Requires disciplined timing and coordination across systems.
- Can dilute the main event’s impact if the early access window is too long.
Putting It Together
Each of these strategies has its place — and none is one-size-fits-all. In fact, the best results often come from blending multiple approaches. Whatever you choose, design your promotions with intention and be honest about your capacity to execute. There’s no sense in planning a promotion your business can’t handle. The best BFCM strategies don’t just drive short-term sales — they build credibility, trust, and loyalty across your brand ecosystem.
Key Takeaways
Black Friday and Cyber Monday don’t have to divide brands and dealers — they can unite them and strengthen both sides of the partnership. The key is communication, fairness, and shared accountability.
For brands: Plan early, act transparently, and protect dealer margins.
For dealers: Engage in the opportunities offered and match brand integrity with participation. You made an investment to bring certain brands into your store — you owe it to yourself to maintain that investment.
For reps: Facilitate clarity and ensure alignment.
When brands, dealers, and reps act fairly across channels, BFCM becomes more than a sales event — it becomes proof of how strong our paddlesports community can be when we lead with integrity, transparency, and respect for one another’s success.
Written by:
Patrick Quinney – VP of Sales at Level Six
Patrick Quinney is the Vice President of Sales at Level Six. With over a decade of experience developing sales strategies that balance the realities of omni-channel distribution, Patrick thrives on collaboration and shared success. A dedicated paddler, he’s passionate about helping the industry create great on-water experiences for everyone — from weekend explorers to expedition paddlers.
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