Comments on: RetailSpeaks IQ: How concerned are you about the stability of your vendors? http://alwaysupward.com/blog/retailspeaks-iq-how-concerned-are-you-about-the-stability-of-your-vendors/ Success only runs one direction.... Wed, 16 May 2012 17:26:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Anonymous http://alwaysupward.com/blog/retailspeaks-iq-how-concerned-are-you-about-the-stability-of-your-vendors/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Anonymous Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:34:37 +0000 http://alwaysupward.com/blog/?p=395#comment-24 There's so much to be worried about, which unfortunately includes thinking about our suppliers. Seeing large, established companies like Department 56 file chapter 11 makes me nervous, but most of the companies we do best with are smaller ones. I'm able to talk to the owners instead of just someone in customer service. Keeping those dialogs current helps me get a handle on where we're on solid ground and where we might be at risk. The reps actually make me more nervous. They seem to be all over the map right now which makes me wonder if commission payments are changing or their lines are in financial trouble. Lots of sales pressure these days. There’s so much to be worried about, which unfortunately includes thinking about our suppliers. Seeing large, established companies like Department 56 file chapter 11 makes me nervous, but most of the companies we do best with are smaller ones. I’m able to talk to the owners instead of just someone in customer service. Keeping those dialogs current helps me get a handle on where we’re on solid ground and where we might be at risk.

The reps actually make me more nervous. They seem to be all over the map right now which makes me wonder if commission payments are changing or their lines are in financial trouble. Lots of sales pressure these days.

]]> By: LT http://alwaysupward.com/blog/retailspeaks-iq-how-concerned-are-you-about-the-stability-of-your-vendors/comment-page-1/#comment-23 LT Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:16:00 +0000 http://alwaysupward.com/blog/?p=395#comment-23 We're very concerned about how financially secure our vendors are. So far, we've already seen two major lines file bankruptcy and are fairly confident two others will. The smaller companies don’t seem to be at as much risk, but regardless of who goes, each ones reduces the number of options we have. As my partner and I go to market this month, we’re looking for the regular lines as well as potential backup options in case the ones we think are at risk suddenly disappear. We’re very concerned about how financially secure our vendors are. So far, we’ve already seen two major lines file bankruptcy and are fairly confident two others will. The smaller companies don’t seem to be at as much risk, but regardless of who goes, each ones reduces the number of options we have. As my partner and I go to market this month, we’re looking for the regular lines as well as potential backup options in case the ones we think are at risk suddenly disappear.

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