Responding to a need in our industry, a group of savvy distributors and suppliers have come together to create a badly needed resource. Their mission is to bring truth and justice to our industry. The landing page of this new information resource, Snoopes Promo offers this intro:
“Welcome to Snoopes Promo, the definitive Internet reference source for all things true and false in the promotional products industry. Our informative site covers myths, rumors, and misinformation that is shared in social platforms throughout the industry. Don’t be misled. Find out the real information here.”
With accusations flying around about suppliers selling direct and distributors buying direct, we applaud the accurate reporting of business practices that affect our industry. Many are up in arms over the alarming mergers and acquisitions that have clearly challenged the traditional Supplier/Distributor/End User business model we are comfortable with.
There is a cause for concern about incestuous relationships between so called “sister” companies that challenge our sensibilities. If a supplier has a “sister” company that operates in a completely different manner, this is considered a breach of traditional industry family values. Two companies operating independently without sharing information? Inconceivable!
What about distributors who own supplier companies? Such a thing is unthinkable, yet several of these deplorable family relationships exist. What’s an industry person to do? Action must be taken to expose such things! We must protect our way of life! Clearly these types of relationships are a threat to our own companies.
Online forums are ablaze with comments that have no factual information about the situation…but the information is still valuable. (Isn’t it?) A recent post in an online forum performed a public service by providing the following information:
Here is what a friend sent me that he said they heard from a friend on an industry website or one of the chat rooms:
I’m extremely disappointed with ABC Company! I had a client order several hundred bags from me last month, which I procured through ABC Company. During a visit to the client, we walked through their warehouse, noticing dozens of boxes from ABC Company. I asked about this product and my client said they had no clue. The boxes were addressed to someone in their purchasing department. We stopped by this person’s office and inquired about the boxes. Apparently he was so impressed with the bags my client ordered that he wanted to purchase some as well. He Googled ABC Company … found their phone number and called them. The buyer said he didn’t have any issues ordering from ABC and would work with them again on future orders.
In an effort to test the new Snoopes Promo resource, I inquired about this claim. The response came back as UNDETERMINED. The information came from a friend of a friend and was not featured in a location that was defined. Who knows what really happened?
To protect our industry family values, online forums share these business stories publically. Snoopes Promo is a welcome information source in defining what is true and what is false. It is important to “out” businesses operating in a manner contrary to how we feel they should run their company.
Things will get a bit messy with unfounded accusations being made about businesses. Company names are dropped without any proof of egregious actions. (But is that really bad?) For this reason, I am very exited about the launch of Snoopes Promo. Why let the truth get in the way of exposing a bad company?
Clearly the lines of distribution are being blurred in our industry. We need to be diligent and protect our rights. It makes perfect sense for us to control how all companies in our industry operate. We can’t afford to let things change from the loving, nurturing business environment we have enjoyed for so many years!
There is no reason we should focus on gaining a competitive advantage by offering creative and effective marketing solutions to our clients. Why should we take the time to attend industry events, participate in a regional association, benefit from education classes, or to do what we can to be more effective in serving our clients?
Our time is much better spent online … addressing the things that really bug us. The important thing is that we make sure what others are doing conform to OUR standards. We can choose the companies we want to do business with. Having accurate information enables us to choose wisely.
The launch of Snoopes Promo is a valuable asset to our industry. We welcome their contribution to bring truth to our ever-changing marketplace.
OK … being serious, consider getting the facts prior to judging how suppliers, or distributors choose to do business. Just because it is on the Internet, doesn’t mean it is true.
Jeff Solomon, MAS, is a distributor affiliated with a Top 10 distributor company. The FreePromoTips.com website and twice a month e-newsletters he publishes are packed with beneficial information. On the website, you can opt in to receive these informative e-newsletters! Check out what’s new in the GP2: Good Products-Good Prices section of the site. LIKE their page on Facebook, follow them on twitter and connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.
