A Decade of Partnership & Customer Experience Innovation
2024 YETI & Locally Case Study
01. INTRODUCTION
Laying the Foundation for Success
YETI, once a niche upstart cooler brand, has transformed into a global leader in premium outdoor products, with sales surpassing $1.6 billion.
YETI’s remarkable journey has been supported in small part by its partnership with Locally, which has contributed to enhancing the customer shopping experience and dealer support.
When YETI first partnered with Locally, the brand was expanding through wholesale channels but faced challenges in creating a cohesive local shopping experience. YETI aimed to improve how customers could access their products locally, especially for hard-to-find items. Locally’s tools, such as the Store Locator, Product Locator, and analytics capabilities helped enhance visibility and improve customer access to YETI products.
Throughout the partnership, YETI and Locally have focused on creating a mutually beneficial approach that supports the brand and its dealers. With an emphasis on a strong local shopping presence and advanced tools that enhance product visibility, YETI has continually adapted to meet evolving market demands.
Today, YETI continues its collaboration with Locally to explore new opportunities, including advanced analytics and customer-focused solutions like 'ship to store' to enhance shopping flexibility.
The story of YETI and Locally is a testament to the power of strategic partnerships and the importance of continuous innovation in achieving sustained success.
02. GETTING STARTED
Laying the Foundation for Success
When YETI first partnered with Locally, the brand was expanding through wholesale channels and sought to enhance how customers could access its products locally.
In its early stages of growth, YETI expanded its dealer network to reach more customers. As the brand evolved, YETI refined its strategy to ensure that its dealer partnerships aligned with its commitment to providing a premium customer experience. This approach helped YETI streamline its distribution and enhance its brand consistency across all touchpoints.
Furthermore, YETI’s focus was centered on its wholesale channels, which were key to the brand's distribution efforts. As YETI grew, the need for improved visibility into inventory and product availability across its expanding dealer network became clear. To ensure a consistent and high-quality customer experience, YETI began refining its strategy, aiming to better support its dealers and streamline operations.
Recognizing the need for a more strategic approach, YETI leveraged Locally to help strategize on their distribution model.
Locally worked closely with YETI’s sales team to establish a baseline local shopping experience by implementing key tools such as the Store Locator and Product Locator. These tools provided YETI with the foundational infrastructure needed to better connect with local customers, streamline their dealer network, and begin the process of refining their distribution strategy.
03. DEALER TRANSITION
Redefining the Dealer Model
Over the past nine years, Locally has grown alongside YETI, playing a pivotal role in their ongoing success.
YETI redefined its dealer strategy, focusing on strengthening relationships with partners that aligned with the brand’s premium positioning. This approach helped ensure that YETI’s dealers reflected the brand's values while identifying new opportunities for sustainable growth.
YETI focused on defining what a productive dealership would look like, identifying key characteristics of successful dealers to ensure they aligned with the brand's high standards. This approach allowed YETI to prioritize dealer support effectively, maintaining its premium brand experience across its network.
Locally supported YETI’s sales efforts by providing tools to enhance dealer engagement, helping the brand deliver a more cohesive customer experience at the local level.
Locally’s Store Locator and Product Locator tools enhanced the customer experience by making it easier for shoppers to locate YETI products at nearby dealers. This increased visibility supported YETI’s ongoing efforts to maintain a high-quality dealer network and ensure a consistent brand experience.
In alignment with its brand values, YETI developed a supportive framework for its dealers to ensure they could meet customer expectations. This approach helped maintain the quality and availability of YETI products, creating a consistent experience for customers across locations.
Locally’s tools supported YETI’s distribution efforts by making its products more visible and accessible to customers in popular regions. With the Store Locator and Product Locator, YETI provided an easy way for customers to locate products across its dealer network, driving local engagement and accessibility.
This accessibility was crucial for upholding YETI’s premium brand image, as customers could reliably find products nearby. Locally’s role in visibility further supported YETI’s aim to provide a seamless shopping experience across regions, reinforcing the brand’s customer-focused approach.
To further enhance the shopping experience, YETI integrated additional tools from Locally, such as BIL (Buy It Locally) and LLPS (Local Listing and Product Search), allowing customers to easily locate products in nearby stores.
These tools provided customers with a range of options for purchasing YETI products, tailored to their preferences and needs. Whether customers wanted to reserve products online and buy in-store, purchase online and pick up in-store, or take advantage of a dealership’s buy-online options, YETI made it easy for them to get their hands on the products they loved.
In addition, YETI leveraged digital marketing solutions to strengthen its local presence. By winning in local SEO, YETI ensured that its products were easily discoverable by consumers searching online for local options. This not only drove more traffic to their dealers but also enhanced the overall customer experience by providing seamless and flexible purchasing options.
Through these initiatives, YETI fostered strong, mutually beneficial relationships with its dealers, enhancing value for both parties. By supporting its dealers with aligned resources and marketing tools, YETI preserved its brand integrity while expanding accessibility and elevating the customer experience.
04. INSIGHTS
Leveraging Data for Strategic Decisions
One of the most powerful aspects of the YETI-Locally partnership has been the strategic use of data and insights to drive business decisions and enhance the overall brand experience.ver the past nine years, Locally has grown alongside YETI, playing a pivotal role in their ongoing success.
As YETI refined its dealer network, the company focused on strengthening partnerships with dealers that aligned closely with its premium brand values. This approach allowed YETI to enhance operational efficiency while continuing to grow sustainably, with Locally’s tools supporting dealer accessibility and customer reach.
By focusing on strategic partnerships with aligned dealers, YETI strengthened its network, ensuring partners fully reflected the brand’s standards. This alignment allowed YETI to offer targeted support and resources to help dealers meet customer needs effectively and enhance the YETI shopping experience.
Locally’s investment in advanced data analytics provided YETI with valuable insights into local demand patterns, inventory levels, and sales trends. Insights like those from Locally have helped YETI strengthen its dealer relationships by supporting product availability where it’s needed most. It is one way YETI has enhanced the overall shopping experience for customers. With Locally’s analytics, YETI can better serve its dealers and maintain its commitment to a consistent, premium brand presence across channels.
Integrating Locally’s tools into YETI’s website helped streamline the customer shopping experience, allowing users to find products at nearby dealers easily. This functionality supported YETI’s goal of providing customers with a consistent, premium experience when locating and purchasing products.
Locally’s advanced data analytics will further enable YETI to:
Ensure dealers have better access to tools for understanding local product demand, helping them stock the right assortment for nearby customers.
Improve communication with dealers on inventory needs, supporting them in managing stock levels effectively to meet customer demand.
Provide YETI’s operations with an improved view of local demand patterns, helping the brand respond to market changes and ensure product availability.
Support targeted marketing efforts, giving YETI’s team insights into consumer preferences by region, helping to enhance local marketing impact.
Strengthen dealer relationships by enhancing product availability across regions, allowing YETI to expand its presence and provide a consistent brand experience.
As Locally invests in advanced data analytics, YETI benefits from enhanced insights into local product demand and dealer performance. These analytics support YETI in making informed decisions that strengthen dealer relationships and improve product accessibility for customers. By leveraging Locally’s data capabilities, YETI has reinforced its commitment to providing a premium customer experience and supporting its network’s growth.
05. CONCLUSION
A Decade of Growth and Innovation
The partnership between YETI and Locally has seen YETI’s remarkable journey from a niche cooler brand to a global leader in premium outdoor products.
Over the past decade, YETI has successfully navigated the challenges of refining its distribution model, building a high- quality dealer network, and leveraging advanced data analytics to drive strategic decisions. These efforts have culminated in an extraordinary milestone: YETI’s sales have now topped $1.6 billion.
Despite this tremendous growth, YETI remains committed to its partnership with Locally to support ongoing improvements in customer accessibility and dealer support. The collaboration remains strong as both companies look toward future innovations.
As part of their ongoing collaboration, YETI and Locally are exploring new ways to enhance YETI’s customer experience. This includes leveraging advanced analytics to gain deeper insights into consumer behavior, which will help YETI continue refining its approach to customer engagement and product offerings.
The story of YETI and Locally is one of continuous improvement, strategic growth, and a shared commitment to excellence.
As YETI continues to grow, its partnership with Locally will remain a valuable support for enhancing customer accessibility and meeting evolving market needs.
Additionally, YETI and Locally are exploring the potential of a “ship to store” option, which would give customers even more flexibility in how they purchase and receive YETI products. This initiative aims to enhance the shopping experience while reinforcing YETI’s commitment to supporting its dealer network.