Distribution in the USA and Canada
Distribution countries
Stetsbar is an acclaimed, innovative tremolo system for electric guitar. The brand had reached the point where the Company wanted to delegate the sales function in its home market, the USA, so that it could concentrate on product development. Trust Network was engaged to put the sales function in place by establishing distribution for Stetsbar in the States.
In assessing the strategic sales needs of Stetsbar, it became clear to us that Stetsbar needed a combination of distributors which would provide road reps on the ground to introduce the product personally to music dealers, together with the product credibility and coast-to-coast availability that came with the online parts specialists.
Trust Network therefore set about researching the US market for both types of distributors. We handled also all the approach work, discussions and final negotiations to put the desired mix of distributors in place.
Distribution agreements were made with three companies: TruNorth, WD Music Products and AllParts. Being a young distributor with no established brands, TruNorth had a pro-active MO that focused on face-to-face dealer contact to have them understand the feature/benefits of the new brands they carried. WD and AllParts were the two biggest players in the US guitar parts market. Both had a passive MO based on the vast ranges of parts they carried and their established reputation from their longevity in the market.
Together, all three distributors provided the means whereby a greater part of the American market could start appreciating the Stetsbar USPs and, at the same time, confidence and credibility in Stetsbar would be a given since WD and AllParts were both carrying the line. And as awareness and business grew, those luthiers, workshops and dealers who tended to use the online services of WD and AllParts for their parts’ needs would have Stetsbar available to them on those platforms.