Hi all,

Lately some of our manufacturers are starting to add a NO discount to their MAP policies. IMO this comes darn near close to price fixing as any type of discount (banner, email, FB Twitter post, etc) are not allowed. Absolutely crazy, as 99% of sellers do this all the time. NO add to cart to see price, either. They want you to a make it say call/email for price only (like that would work, not). So much for the sell it for whatever you want as they are making it impossible to offer your own price to your customer. I know that I could just add a discount to the item and it would then show a lower price in the cart (which, by law, can not have any MAP policy applied) but then would they actually add to the cart just to see the price if they had no idea since we can't tell them?

SO..I have been thinking that I could make my coupons.asp static page viewable to only logged-in customers? Since the coupon codes are not being advertised, they would not be in violation. Customers would land on my site because they liked a product they saw, and then they could be offered or view discounts once at my site. This is the only way that I can come up with and still be in compliance, well, sort of. Customers love their discount codes.. I hate to take them away.

Could a static asp page be made to require a customer to be logged in to view?

Here is part of a MAP policy I just recieved that goes into effect Jan 1st:

The MAP Policy applies to all advisement of MAP products in any and all media, including but not limited to coupons, flyers, posters, inserts, mailers, magazines, newspapers, catalogs, mail order catalogs, internet or similar electronic media including websites, blogs, forums, email newsletters, email solicitations, Twitter, Facebook, Etsy, Pinterest, or similar social media sites, television, radio, and public signage.

Resellers may not make any statements, displays or communications on its website that indicate, state, or imply or suggest that a lower price may be found at the online check out. This includes but is not limited to: “click here for lower price”, “see lower price in cart”, “check cart for lower price”, “add to cart for lower price”, or similar language. Website features such as “click for price”, automated “bounce-back” pricing emails, pre-formatted email responses, forms, and automatic price display for any items prior to being placed in a customer’s shopping cart, and other similar features are considered to be communications initiated by the reseller(rather than by the customer) and thereby constitute “advertising” under this MAP Policy.

In addition, it is not a violation of this MAP Policy to advertise that a customer may “call for price”, or “email for price”, or use similar language, specifically with respect to XYZ products, so long as no price is listed.

Julie
Browns Summit NC USA

Hi Julie, you can set a restriction on individual pages take a look here for instructions under Login levels https://www.ecommercetemplates.com/help/ecommplus/customer-login.asp



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Julie,

Don't be in such a rush to find a way around the MAP pricing policies. My industry has been doing just what you are starting for about 5 years now. Everyone had a fit when it initially happened and was searching for a way around it. Whenever one person would do something that was a violation all the rest would report them and the manufacturer then gave warnings and after several violations would suspend the seller for a period of time.

Bottom line is that we have seen our profit margins increase significantly with MAP pricing and still when we need to offer a discount we do it. Believe me customers call and ask.

Give it time to work you may be happy with the end results.

Charles
SleepRestfully.com

Thanks Marlene! Didn't realize it was in the help sections Should have looked. :)

Charles - MAP is nothing new to us, we've had various product lines with MAP in place for years. Most brands are happy that you display their pricing correctly and could care less if you have coupon offers or discounts. This NO discount/NO add to cart for price has just been recently included by some. It wouldn't bother me that much except that we are going up against Amazon, Wal-Mart and other big names that have little to no regard for MAP and continue to sell these items however they like at whatever price they want. Why would anyone buy widget A at MAP from us when they can go to them and buy it for less? Offering a coupon helps us to make that sale, since our customers, at least, seem to really like inputting a coupon code. I've seen them land on our site, leave for a bit, come back with a code and check out.

I am not trying to get around MAP - I am maintaining the right to sell widget A at whatever price I feel is right for that widget.

SO many brands that have gone to MAP pretty much end sales on those items for us. I keep hearing that they are enforcing their policies but honestly, I don't see it. They keep saying "retailers who stock heavily on inventory will continue to sell our products even if we cut shipments off", "we are dealing with [insert big names here] but we can't track all those sellers", etc etc. The BIGGEST kicker for me is the Brand's retail websites - lots of discounts/coupons, create an account for special savings, sign up for our newsletter & get % off, get monthly deals. They violate their own MAP policies all the time. Convinces me that this has little to do with "maintaining their brand" but rather that it's more lucrative to sell to Joe Q Public then wholesale to distributors/retailers. Years ago they never sold direct to the public...

Sorry... this turned into a bit of a rant. I just see the slow death of small websites on the horizon (mine has certainly suffered and is barely hanging on).

Julie
Browns Summit NC USA