What Happens Before a New Boot Brand Ever Reaches Our Shelves

One of the questions I get asked from time to time is how I decide what boot brands end up at Humdinger Boots. Most people only see the finished product. They walk through the store, find a pair they like, and never really think about what happened before those boots made it onto the shelves. The truth is, there's usually a lot more behind that decision than most people realize.

Every time I go to market, I know I'm making decisions that affect my customers and my business for years to come. Every brand takes up space in the store, every pair ties up inventory dollars, and every boot carries the reputation of Humdinger Boots along with it. That's why I've never believed in making quick buying decisions just because something looks good at first glance.

When I walk through a market, I spend a lot of time looking, listening, and asking questions. I'll stop at a booth, pick up a few pairs, study the leather, look at the stitching, and visit with the people representing the company. Sometimes I walk away after a few minutes because I know it's not the right fit. Other times I'll come back later that afternoon or even the next day because I want another look before I make up my mind. I've learned that the longer I'm in business, the less interested I am in making fast decisions.

What I'm really trying to figure out isn't whether I like a boot. I'm trying to decide whether that company belongs in Humdinger Boots. Those are two completely different questions. I have to believe the quality is there, I have to believe in the people behind the company, and I have to feel comfortable recommending those boots to someone who's trusting my opinion. If I can't honestly do that, it doesn't matter how popular the brand is or how many boots they might sell.

R. Watson was one of those companies that took some time.

I had stopped by their booth at more than one market. Each time I'd pick up another pair, ask a few more questions, and then move on to the next booth. Nothing was pushing me to make a decision that day, and I wasn't interested in forcing one. I wanted to keep learning about the company before I ever thought about writing an order.

During one of those markets, I spent quite a while visiting with another boot representative that I've known in the industry. Because of territory restrictions, the brands he represented were already committed to another dealer in my area, so there wasn't any opportunity for him to sell those lines to Humdinger Boots. Even though he wasn't going to make a sale, we still stood there talking about boots, different companies, and the business in general.

Somewhere during that conversation he asked if I'd looked at R. Watson. I told him I had been over to their booth several times and was still trying to learn more about them. He told me he thought they were a good company and believed I'd be happy if I decided to carry the line.

That conversation caught my attention because he had absolutely nothing to gain by saying it. He wasn't trying to steer me away from another brand so he could earn my business. He couldn't sell me his own brands because of the territory agreements already in place. He was simply sharing his opinion about a company he respected, and I appreciated the honesty.

His recommendation wasn't the reason I decided to bring R. Watson into Humdinger Boots, but it reinforced what I had already been seeing myself. I continued doing my own homework, spent more time looking at the boots, learned more about the people behind the company, and eventually felt comfortable placing my first order. Looking back, I'm glad I took my time instead of rushing into the decision because that's the way I've always wanted to build this store.

There are brands that I've looked at and decided weren't the right fit. There are brands I've revisited over multiple markets before ever placing an order. Every company is different, but my approach has stayed pretty much the same since we opened Humdinger Boots. I don't want to fill shelves just to have more brands. I'd rather carry companies I believe in and products that I can confidently recommend when someone asks, "What do you think about these boots?"

Most customers never see that part of the process, and that's okay. My job is to do the homework before the boots ever reach the sales floor. If I do that well, then when someone walks through the door looking for their next pair of boots, I can recommend them with confidence because I've already taken the time to decide they deserve a place in the store.