nike steps back into retail

i am not really a sneakerhead, but i’m out on the periphery of it and as someone with an interest in retail and small business, i followed the news about how nike pulled out of retailers to focus on direct-to-consumer sales. the news now is that nike is re-engaging with at least some of the retailers it had left, including dsw and macy’s. “Nike’s Wholesale Pivot: A Masterclass In Omnichannel Strategy” posits that they took advantage of the pandemic chaos to reset their relationships, which looks pretty plausible.

the impact and implentation of direct-to-consumer sales is a big issue in the art supply industry and i don’t know if there is any company in particular that i would point to as having figured out the best balance.