Which manufacturers' selling practices help or hinder your business?

Thompson Lange, Homescapes Carmel Carmel, CA

There are good and bad practices, of course. A good one happened the other day when a consumer called the vendor of a soap line we carry. It would have been so easy for the vendor to send her the soap. But they referred her to us, and now we have a new customer. While I like getting notices of new products, I don't need the glossy photos companies send. I prefer to see the product in person at a gift show. When a fancy promotional package for something that I'd never carry comes in, I feel bad because it must have cost a fortune. I also don't appreciate it when manufacturers don't pay attention to my shipping date. I'll specify June, and in the middle of March it's on my doorstep. However, most of the manufacturers that I deal with are pretty good.

Irv Losman, Tiara Galleries & Gifts, Rockville, MD

Vendors help our business by producing the best, most creative work they can, always in tune with what customers want, and at the best perceived value. Interaction with retailers is based on mutual respect, and should include up-to-the-minute information about new products, retirements, and changes in strategy. And good vendors bill clearly and take care of damages and short-shipped merchandise right away. With the best vendors, everything is done gracefully. Contacts in customer service represent the highest level of competence and professionalism. The right attitude permeates from the top to the bottom. Partnering gives a real sense of purpose to both vendor and retailer.

Dick Scheller, Tannenbaum Holiday Shop, Sister Bay, WI

Dating sure helps us. Our tourist season starts in mid-June, but we get merchandise in early April. If we had to pay for it by May that would be a burden. Another time-consuming problem is breakage and damaged merchandise. Some companies give a breakage allowance of 1 to 2 percent, so we don't have to call every time, and do all that paperwork. I wish more big vendors would follow that practice, because it takes a lot of their time too. Also, we'd prefer that vendors would not sell the same item to every shop up and down the block. Some do protect dealers, but we have product we used to promote as "highly sought-after." Now customers see it everywhere. Another issue that's troubling is vendors that open up their own stores and compete with us.

Lea Semple, Elysian Fields Books & Gifts, Sarasota, FL

Manufacturers who support and don't compete with retailers help us. Many manufacturers sell retail on the Web, offering lower prices than we can. Good ones don't sell over the Internet, and don't list retail prices. Another problems is companies not letting us know if there's going to be an unusual delay in shipping or shortage of merchandise, or when they change the packaging. Some of the best companies have good reps that don't change every 90 days, give free samples, and don't charge for testers. Willingness to provide extended or split dating on large orders, free shipping or reduced shipping costs helps us a lot. We also respond to quality packaging that is user-friendly, nicely designed, and has informative labeling.