Elastic Suite simply states that their software enables brands to present a curated product mix with a tool that inspires engagement and collaboration between manufacturers and retailers.

Sawyer Frank is the Global Sales Director at Elastic Suite powered by Emerald. He’s a golfer, surfer, snowboarder and traveler and his role at Elastic is to help connect brands with their retail buyers through best-in-class commerce technology.

We sat down with Sawyer to find out more about Elastic Suite and its role in the ever-changing wholesale landscape, pandemic highs and asked, are printed catalogues done?

Hey Sawyer, how are you and how has 2022 been so far?
A: Hey there. Great – thanks for asking! This year has been great. It is moving quickly, and we are staying busy.

Can you tell our readers a bit about Elastic Suite and your role with the company?
A: Of course. Elastic Suite is a globally adopted B2B wholesale ecommerce platform. Our tool promotes digital collaboration between brands and retailers, which results in shared efficiencies across much of the wholesale process. We help brands and retailers reach shared success through sales growth, cost savings, and a more sustainable business practice.

As our Global Sales Director I lead a team of talented individuals who showcase the value of our products to manufacturers who are not currently using Elastic.

Elastic Suite, like a lot of software-based tools have really come into their own the last couple of years, can you tell us a bit more about what it’s been like at the company as we have all moved through the pandemic?
A: We have been through a great deal of growth, and while it has been a ton of work, it has been very rewarding. As unfortunate as the circumstances were, the pandemic highlighted the need for digital solutions like Elastic to connect buyers and sellers. Because physical trade shows and line showings were cancelled, brands needed better solutions to present their products and support their retail partners. In stepped Elastic. Our team spent a great deal of time supporting our existing user community of brands and retailers via webinars and training assets. Additionally, we helped bridge the gap by implementing our platform for brands who did not have a solution. Emerald acquired Elastic to continue to connect buyers and sellers beyond the pandemic. With their support we now have the resources to sustain our growth in new and existing retail channels without sacrificing our high level of customer support.

Some might suggest that wholesale ‘showrooming’ has ushered in a new era of doing business online versus in-person but in my mind, it’s not a case of one cancelling the other out but existing in unison.  What are your thoughts on this?
A: Using a digital platform only enhances the in-person experience. Our tool equips brands and retailers to be more efficient before, during, and after the live event. For a retailer it may be discovering new brands or products before you step foot into the show. For a brand it may be curating product lines for the show or specific retailers. While at the show both the brand and the retailer have the benefit of conducting commerce in real-time. Retail buyers no longer need an extra suitcase to haul catalogs, they can access them all from one device! Furthermore, we can make buying more fun and efficient with barcode scanning. Both sides can leave the show with products in a shared cart and continue to collaborate and support one another. In a nutshell, Elastic supports wholesale order entry efficiency so brands and retailers can really focus on connections, community, education, innovation, and more.

I see specific benefits to a virtual toolset.  With the world more focused than ever on sustainability it seems inevitable that we will have to move away from printed matter such as catalogues and look books.  How does Elastic Suite help address this issue and what does the future look like in this regard?

With the help of Elastic, many of the world’s most influential bands (i.e., The North Face) are no longer printing a single dealer book. Our Custom Catalog Builder automates the entire catalog production process. Brands can produce pixel-perfect catalogs right out of Elastic. The result is 100% accurate, on-demand catalogs that can be customized for every buying and selling scenario.

But the future is Elastic’s Digital Catalog, which really elevates the buying and selling experience. When it comes to catalogs, everything print can do, digital can do better. Brands can show their line to any retailer at any time and retailers can shop all participating brands from one device. In addition to adding products to carts, Elastic’s Digital Catalog allows users to engage with hi-res 360 images, on-model video, 3D assets, and more. This is encouraging brands to limit full sample production, which contributes to an even more sustainable model.

While I don’t believe any solution will replace seeing & feeling the product in person, the future of our Digital Catalog will get you pretty close.

You have already plunged back into in-person events, most recently at Outdoor Retailer and Surf Expo, how have these show experiences been?

A: They have been fun and productive. Despite selling a digital solution that connects buyers and sellers, I believe in person connections are invaluable. I can get more business done at a 3-day trade event than I can from my home-office in 3 months. I thrive on reconnecting with our partners and making new connections all in one place. Zoom fatigue is real!

What’s next for Elastic Suite?
A: That’s a loaded question! But we’re excited to follow along our path of continued growth. Advancing our platform and community will always be our focus and our product development team has some exciting new updates in the next year. We’re looking forward to connecting with more brands and retailers across industries and regions. And help our customers see just as much growth, too!

Thanks Sawyer!  And thanks to Elastic Suite for keeping all of our exhibitors and vendors connected with FREE WIFI at the show this Summer!

For more information about Elastic Suite

Visit www.elasticsuite.com