Where/how to get your gear - my answers.

Folks, I don't know if this is the correct forum to post this, but...

I am liquidating our SURVIVAL OPS GEAR division. Since I am exiting the industry, I will be very open to any questions anyone has about how to establish themselves in the industry. I want to change directions. I am 63 years old, and my sons are not interested in this. So I give it to you.

I can explain the "Achilles Heel" weakness of the established players and how to navigate around those weaknesses. I can explain my own "Achilles Heel" weakness and how to avoid it. I can explain how to discover the lowest-cost sourcing opportunities. I will show you ALL of my gear vendors, and the things I purchased from them, and even what my cost is on everything. I can connect you with a QUALITY shipping forwarder that has offices throughout the world and can handle any shipment from any factory, direct to your door (one that we have used for decades, and will continue to use in our other company divisions).

I will share virtually everything I know, so ask away.

What would I like in return? I would like your help in emptying my warehouse. Everything is below cost.

I will watch this thread and see how I might be of service to you. I will be an open book.

Nevin Pratt, CEO
Survival Ops Gear
 
I will kick this off with a tickler...

Check out panjiva.com. All US Customs data is public domain, and panjiva aggregates the data and sells it in a computer searchable format to anybody willing to pay about $250/month. Using this data, you can find the overseas vendor source of ANY domestic (USA) company. You can also do a reverse search to see the customers of the overseas supplier.

Several years ago I did this with Condor (and many others). With Condor, I discovered they had far fewer overseas suppliers than the rest. I also discovered their main overseas supplier had far fewer customers than I would expect, with Condor being the major customer. What did this tell me? It told me Condor owned their own China factory. None of the others do.

I want to post much more. But I also don't want to be a pest. Please ask what you would like to know from me.

Nevin Pratt, CEO
 

Matt Landfair

Matt Six Actual
Staff member
Administrator
I can move this to the vendor only area if you want. Everyone will still be able to interact and read it.
 
Whatever you think is best. Thank you.

Keep in mind, too, though-- I'm not just trying to sell things. In this thread, I want to provide useful information that can be used in many contexts.

Nevin Pratt, CEO
Survival Ops Gear
 
OK, here is my next "tickle" post...

The main tactical gear suppliers (Condor, Propper, Rothco, Fox, Tru-Spec, et. al) all have a traditional distribution channel. Panjiva.com (mentioned previously) reveals their main suppliers are in China and Taiwan (with a much smaller mix from elsewhere). So, these main tactical gear suppliers buy (primarily) from China, then sell into a traditional distribution channel (wholesalers, retailers, and then the general public). This means there is a LOT of middle-man markup between the China factory and the final consumer.

That's their achilles heel.

100 years ago the manufacturer's had all the power. Then the power gradually shifted to the distributors, then the wholesalers, then the resellers, and now the consumer. Thus, power has gradually shifted to the last mile of the chain. You want to own that part. You also want to grow vertically. To grow vertically means to own the slice from the earth (manufacturing) to the consumer, and own everything in-between.

In other words, buy directly from China, and then (using the internet) sell directly to the consumer. No middle-men.

Using that approach, you can price your goods at 40% to 60% of the price of the established players (Rothco, Condor, etc.), and still have a healthy markup.

That was my plan. And I poured probably a million dollars into the plan.

In doing so, I did not realize the seriousness of my own "achilles heel", which is: I do not have a military background. So I am not a part of the "military brotherhood". And yes, it is a brotherhood. They stick together, and they are proud to have served. And they should, so there will be no argument from me. I respect their brotherhood.

And the police are similar. They have their own brotherhood.

It is possible to hire your way into the brotherhood. That is what my good friend Nick Young did. He is the CEO of Desert Tech, a company that makes high-end precision sniper rifles for the military and police. Probably half his staff has a military background.

So it can be done. But folks, I'm tired. And getting old. I don't want to do it any longer. And that is why I am liquidating, at blow-out prices.

Maybe in a later post I will explain my thought process in picking the specific suppliers I did. But for now, have a wonderful weekend.

Nevin Pratt, CEO
 
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