Can manufactures "Multi-Task"?

I know that with our company, nothing good can come of trying to be "everything", to "everyone" when it comes to the products we sell. Before you know it, you don't do anything outstanding. I see it all the time on the web. Companies trying to sell everything on the planet, thinking that's the only way to increase sales. I honestly don't get it. Guess who suffers? Well, you see him or her in the mirror each morning...

The same can be said about manufactures. Let me give you an example. Scorpion sprung on the market a few years ago with a helmet line. If you read or watch our online videos, we like their product. However, this year they decided to come out with an apparel line. To make a long story, somewhat shorter, one of the main guys who started the company used to design and sell apparel in his past. To him, it only made sense to go back to his roots.

Here's my issue. Can companies dive into other product lines, and still stay on top of their core products?

First, is the world really demanding yet another apparel line? Look around our site. There are a ton of manufactures pumping out everything from innovative products, to the same old, same old. If you have a need, there's 20 different models to choose from. 70% of them are great buys, and made to last. Competition isn't lacking when it comes to apparel. Each year manufacturer's battle it out for a share of the market, and ultimately we, the consumers, win.

Of course there are companies who do a little bit of everything, and seem to have a good idea on how to handle it. But honestly, most can't.

Now I understand that some companies think that if you, and I, love their apparel line, we'll carry that over to their helmet line. Joe Rocket did this last year. Icon more or less came out with both a helmet line and an apparel line at the same time 3 years ago. While their apparel line did well, the helmets they produced we very average. Couldn't all this extra effort be better used focusing on one or the other? Personally, I think so.

If Shoei, Arai, or Suomy decided to come out next year with a apparel line, my first reaction would be to say, "PLEASE, enough is enough." These guys know helmets. Why spoil and confuse their image in a weak effort to broaden market share. I say stick to what you know, and expand your customer service. If you're scoring 8 out of 10, shoot for the 9 next year. Perfect doesn't exist, so there's always room to improve. While a company might think they can handle it, there are times when you have to take a reality break.

By the way, I've had a chance to look over the new Scorpion apparel. It's nice, and it could be cool to own a jacket that matches your helmet graphic, but only time will tell how well it's received. In the mean time, I'll be keeping a close eye on their helmet inovations. I hope they make it work.