Beardbrand Europe Decision
Beardbrand is pulling out of Europe and we’re sure you have a lot of questions with the number one question being: “Why?”
Serving the European market presented far more challenges than we anticipated. Having a distribution center in Belfast presented logistical problems. You may have noticed that we were frequently out of stock of products in Europe and weren’t able to deliver a shopping experience that many Europeans would expect (VAT included in the pricing, checkout in your local currency, local languages, etc.).
For years we’ve struggled to bring the same positive experience to our European customers consistently, but it’s just not working.
We are a small, independent, bootstrapped company. That means we need to make a lot of hard decisions to ensure the business is sustainable for the long term, and that we are able to provide an experience to our customers we can be proud of.
What this means going forward
By leaving Europe, we are able to streamline our operations and build a stronger foundation for growth.
As the company grows, we will be able to take on bigger projects. Taking a step back will allow us the time to explore the feasibility of manufacturing our products in Europe to cut down on the time and cost involved in importing. We’ll also research the best distribution areas that will allow for quicker delivery of our products across all European countries, not just the UK.
At a company of our size, these are huge undertakings. So, I’m sure the next question you want to ask is: “When will you be back in Europe?”
Unfortunately, we don’t know the answer to this question. It’s not going to be soon, though. We suspect building out the infrastructure to serve Europe will take at least a couple of years.
What do I do for my grooming needs?
Please stay a part of our community by following us on YouTube, reading the Urban Beardsman Blog, and consider joining our private forum, The Alliance. Our focus as a company is to foster confidence through grooming, and we hope you’ll find value in the efforts we make to that effect. We strive to provide the best experience on the market, but there are some other brands that we admire, as well. Give them a try until we’re back!
We sincerely hope that, when we do come back to Europe, you’ll give us the opportunity to win your business again.
Eric Bandholz
Founder
*PLEASE NOTE: All sales will be FINAL (no refunds or exchanges) beginning March 1st, 2019*