Before you start a business, make sure you have lined up all of your suppliers, especially if you are a retailer. Many times suppliers protect larger establishments in the market place.
Today I would like to give you a check list of items to consider when selecting a supplier. Remember every item I am going to point out and discuss is negotiable:
* Price - that one is obvious
* Price breaks - Price breaks are the quantities needed to be purchased for lower prices to take place
* Terms - When do you receive the product and when do you have to pay for it.
* Freight costs - Who is going to pay the cost of transportation
* Turnaround time - How quickly can you get reorder product. Understand what
the turnaround time is and how quickly you can get product once ordered. Companies with cash flow problems need to time their inventory receipts more precisely so turnaround time plays a greater role. What are the minimum order quantities? Once again this plays more of a role with companies with cash flow problems because sometimes you just need small quantities.
* Minimum quantities - are there any minimum quantities that need to be purchased upfront as well as are there any minimum quantities that need to be purchased in a reorder
* How does the vendor stand by their product? Does the vendor have any warranties or guaranties to you and the end consumer? How do you think the supplier would handle a recall? It is very important that a vendor stands by their product. If something is wrong with the product either quality wise or technically the retailer must have assurances that the vendor will issue proper credit upon the products return. Understand what the vendor's restocking fees are for product incorrectly ordered. Unless the company is in an industry where there are a lot of special orders, vendors should wave restocking charges.
* Restocking charges - Are there any restocking charges should product be returned?
* How efficient is the product to handle - How efficient is it to bring the product through your warehouse, is it easy to ticket and price?
* How efficient is the product packaged - Is the product easy to display? Does the product fit in your merchandise plan? Is the package appealing to your customer? Efficiency in handling the product is important for the receiving department. Remember, anywhere you can save costs throughout the entire process must be considered in the decision from logistics to manufacturing to merchandising/packaging to how efficient the product is to use. For example, although the pink panther insulation is more expensive, it is much easier to install and more recognized in the construction industry making up for any increase in the price of the inventory.
* What type of support are you getting from the vendor to help sell the product i.e. sales reps at big sales events, co-op advertising or signage - I used to get a significant amount of money from suppliers for co-op advertising by just running specials for a week of their product in the store. Does the vendor offer special displays and fixtures that they are willing to put free product on to help pay for the display? In other words vendors could charge for the display but fill the display with free product in order to help pay for the display. The type of support that you get from the vendor to help you sell the product is a big plus whether they are free displays; marketing materials or coop advertising programs these programs tell you that the vendor is really interested in working with you. In the event you run into a cash crunch it is always nice to know that the vendor is willing to work with you and that their credit policies are flexible enough to work through shifts in the economy or industry downturns. That leads me to
* How flexible is the Vendors credit department. Are they people you can develop a relationship with or are they hardliners and difficult people to deal with? It is important that the philosophy of the company's credit department is to be flexible during difficult times. You will probably need their help some day.
* What products that the vendor sells do your competitors sell? This is always a sticking point. You may decide not to carry a supplier’s product that another consideration is what the competitors sell. On the other hand sometimes you can work a better deal with a vendor who is not with a major competitor because that vendor does not have much market share in the market you serve.
* Can orders be canceled without penalty? I need flexibility here, if inventory is not selling the way I expected it to sell I need to be able to cancel orders without a penalty. I hate all these penalties and charges that some suppliers throw at you.
Looking for the best price is obvious, but understanding where the quantity discounts or price breaks as compared to other suppliers is important. Some suppliers offer free freight, so if you are not getting anywhere negotiating prices with the vendor ask for free freight. Have you ever heard of asking a vendor for markdown money? Markdown money is partial credit from the vendor for product that has poor sell through. If you are a credible business and can show the vendor that you gave every effort to sell the product and it did not sell through have the vendor share that responsibility.
What would happen if a major supplier goes out of business? It is important to have a back up supplier not only to protect against a major supplier going out of business but also if a major supplier decides to change your credit terms unfavorably, or cut you off to protect a larger customer in your market, or discontinues a product line that is important to you. I have seen suppliers do all of these things.
Always be on the lookout for a back up supplier. When you go to trade shows identify possible target suppliers and start to develop relationships with them. In the long run it can really pay off and you will be prepared when the unthinkable happens to one of your key suppliers.
Another good thing is to do a relationship check up with your suppliers. See how content or discontented they are in doing business with you. These checkups can give indications as to what their next move might be.
One last rule: Do not over buy inventory as it is one of the most common reasons why businesses get in trouble. This is especially true for retailers and those Starting A Business. Your CFO should prepare an inventory plan. The flexibility to cancel orders without penalty helps prevent you from overbuying. Don’t let suppliers lure you into excessive quantities of inventory!!!
