LustreMag.com |

And, yes, some retailers don’t expect returns and view vendor policies as generous: “We assume the responsibility in most circumstances and don’t involve the vendors. We don’t want to abuse our relationships,” one explains.

WHEN RELATIONSHIPS GO BAD

So, what do vendors do that really ticks off retailers? Of course, retailers say that vendors that drive them really crazy are no longer vendors. But as in families, a little friction comes with the territory.

The top pet peeves were things you might expect. Late deliveries. Constant cold calls or too many calls. “Visits to the store without appointments drive me nuts!” one retailer says. Some complaints are much more fundamental to the relationship. Shipments without invoices. Small co-op budgets. Excessive inventory commitment requirements. Quality issues are especially serious.

“I expect vendors to service their products and if defective they will be replaced or a credit is to be issued,” one retailer says. “If vendors don’t stand behind their products then we won’t stand behind the vendor. There are literally hundreds of people waiting to be our vendor, so replacement is not too difficult except for the most exclusive brands and those people are excellent about meeting their obligations.”

Many common problems involve a lack of communication. Neglecting terms that were negotiated at the time of purchase. Missing product information. Lack of timely responses.