Marty, you asked the big question; "I'm well aware that big retailers
squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?" There answer is that
there are two "can't fail" alternatives if the product is actually good,
deserves a place in the market, and the manufacturer shows a little
patience. To be brief, I am going to give one example of each alternative
from the world of consumer electronics, with which I am intimately familiar:

1) Produce an excellent product, solicit honest, competent dealers, offer
fair prices to everyone, be patient and support your dealers of all sizes.
This describes Alpine Electronics. They produce autosound electronics that
the consumers want because of Alpine's reputation for QUALITY. They will
selectively sell to the power retailers who literally beg for the product,
but at their (Alpine's) own terms. Alpine sets the rules for conducting
business. The small dealers can still fully compete, and everybody wins.

2) Produce a good, if not necessarily exemplary quality product, and MARKET
it really well to the public. Make the public really want it and maintain
the quality of the product high enough to avoid negatives. Be patient and
support the good smaller and mid-size dealers. Make the big guys want it
enough to make them buy it on your own terms. All of this goes to describe
Bose Audio, a fine company that created and followed this blueprint to
success. This steady growth has also permitted them to greatly improve the
quality of their products and to support the R & D expenses that are
permitting them to become an incredible innovator of new type products.
Again, everybody wins.

These companies are just two examples of honest success fostered by putting
the product and faith in all of their dealers first. We could all expand on
this list ad nauseum, but I am still actually trying to be brief (believe it
or not!)

In summary, both of these methods of operation are based on the same
necessary ingredients; First, the QUALITY of the product offered has to be g
ood enough to make the buying public want it over time. Next, the
manufacturer has to be run by people who UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE in the
product, and not by clueless beanfumblers who will never comprehend that it
is the product only that is reason for the existence of the company in the
first place. Last, it is the manufacturer's faith and belief in the product
that permits the PATIENCE required to properly build and support the
operation.

Amen,

--
Bob Rickard
(AKA Dr. Spinnerbait)
www.secretweaponlures.com
--------------------------=x O')))


"Marty" wrote in message
...

Bob Rickard wrote in message
news
Smaller retailers operate out of feelings of fear and persecution
because
they cannot always buy at the best, large volume prices that the big
retailers have negotiated with the manufacturers (negotiate, hell! what
actually happens is that the cowardly manufacturers actually fell on
their
knees and licked the power retailer's boots).

Bob, that's an excellent post and statement about how you run your
business.
But what is a manufacturer supposed to do if he needs to get his product
into the big retailers? I have no experience in this type of business, but
it seems if he doesn't capitulate he can't reach a large portion of the
market he's aiming for. I'm well aware that big retailers squeeze the &%*#
out of their suppliers, but what's the alternative?