Warning: Rant ahead.
The grocery manager at my locally owned, independent market will attest to the fact I’m a soldier when it comes to brand loyalty. Not only have I stuck with them for twenty-four years, but numerous brands found on their shelves have retained Must Have Status in my every day life.
This spring, the laundry detergent I’ve used for delicate loads for 15 years suddenly disappeared from the shelves. He searched high and low—including at competing stores—but couldn’t locate it anywhere.
Two months ago, my favorite oatmeal vaporized. He got on the horn with the distributor, learned the manufacturer had discontinued the item…then inquired about possible substitutes.
When things go south, he finds solutions. When an item’s forever gone, he suggests alternatives. When he sees me sauntering up the aisle, he greets me with a smile, aware there’s a 50/50 chance we’re about to embark on another exploration.
Solutions and smiles solidify long term loyalty. He gets it. [click here to continue…]
by Cinda Baxter on June 25, 2010
in Vendors
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Read it and smile, folks. Proof positive that a successful company can live without discount website sales.
Reported by numerous retailers, Olivia Mullin (personalized stationery products) has closed their doors. According to faxes and emails being received by stores who have orders pending, their credit cards are being refunded for any product that’s sold out, with a message that the company has ceased to do business. [click here to continue…]
Editor’s note: Since this posted, Greg has agreed to honor my request that the credit apply to a current, open invoice. I appreciate his willingness to make this a positive experience for his retailers, and hope that other companies will contact me first to avoid awkward scenarios in the future.
To retailers who received information about a Boatman Geller promotion that includes a 20% off consumer coupon to be exchanged for an equivalent account credit after the fact, no, I did not authorize use of The 3/50 Project name in any way, shape, or form. And yes, the vendor has been notified this is off limits-—again. [click here to continue…]
Yes, times are tough. And yes, a lot of businesses are up against a wall financially. And yes, there are a lot of vendors getting “declines” when they run credit cards for ready-to-ship orders. But wait a minute…. How did retailers get themselves into this dysfunctional “pay up front” system, eradicating N30 terms, erasing any possibility of pulling revenue out of the product before the bills are due?
They didn’t. This one began on the vendor side. [click here to continue…]
Yes, it’s tough out there, and we all know that’s when the crankies get crankier…and the superstars shine brighter.
Last week, you heard me rant about how a certain group of vendors are playing hard ball with retailers, making it virtually impossible to carry their lines (or want to). Today, we’re looking at the other side of the coin, at companies large and small who prefer loyalty and compassion over muscle and veiled threats. [click here to continue…]
I’m climbing on my soapbox, so buckle in. I’m ticked.
This summer, my heart was buoyed by the fact so many vendors and sales reps brought a positive attitude to their showrooms and booths. The negative complaints about buyers, marts, traffic, etc. were replaced by (what I thought was) a realistic understanding that the economy stinks, consumers need to be engaged, and that with some compassion, patience, and understanding, we’d all come through this thing together.
Sadly, now that the summer show circuit has ended, I’m getting an inordinate number of phone calls and emails about vendors who have taken off the white gloves and replaced them with boxers, using strong arm tactics designed to corner accounts into impossible situations. [click here to continue…]
The trend continues as we watch behemoth vendors file bankruptcy in the gift industry. While in Chicago, I heard about Lang filing; I see now the press has the story, which you can read here.
Like others, I feel we’re at the start of the curve here-—not the end-—but my take is that most of the filings yet to come will be from vendors who also operate corporate stores (think: Department 56, Smith and Hawken, Crabtree & Evelyn). In most cases, bankruptcy is the only “out” on their often bloated leases, which allows then to step away from their mall commitments to reorganize internally. The company survives, but the landlords lose out. Big. [click here to continue…]
