Busted by big boys: retailer

Hunting and fishing suppliers have refused to sell to Upatfive.co.nz. Photo / Chris Skelton

The owner of a website offering cheap deals on fishing equipment says he has been pushed out of the market by the big boys.

Upatfive.co.nz was launched at the start of the year and had a direct relationship with suppliers.

But shareholder Angus Willison said suppliers stopped selling to the site after companies including Hunting and Fishing and Hamills told them not to.

"They said to suppliers, 'What are you doing, don't supply to them,"' said Willison.

He said Upatfive sold its goods cheaper than similar online stores because of its low overheads.

"The pond we're puddling around in can be controlled by a few people."

He said he had spoken to the Commerce Commission and believed the tactics were anti-competitive. He was considering whether to lay a complaint.

Hamills group retail manager John Herbert said he was aware of Upatfive but it was "up to suppliers to decide who they support".

Sales and marketing executive at Hunting and Fishing New Zealand, Andy Tannock, said there was speculation about where Upatfive was getting its products from. He said there was an accusation that one of his franchisees was supplying the online retailer. The store involved denied the claim and no pressure had been put on suppliers, Tannock said.

Steve Corfield, director of sports supplier Douglas Johnson and Co, said he was contacted by Willison late last year but declined to supply to him. "We'll only open a new account if we believe we'll gain market share," he said.

Sports goods distributor Brittain Wynyard's policy was for sellers to have a bricks-and-mortar retail outlet where its products could be displayed, said outdoor manager John Elliott.

Customers buying Brittain Wynyard's middle- to upper-end products preferred going to physical stores where they could be given advice. "There's no certainty with internet businesses," said Elliott.

Graeme Thompson, managing director of supplier Thompson Walker, said he also told Willison his company would not supply to website-only businesses.