The report in The Age yesterday about Pandora acting on their retailers taking on a competitor product is relevant to newsagents with several of our suppliers asking / demanding / pressuring us or some of us to be exclusive with them.
I have spoken with plenty of retailers who have or have had Pandora products. The complaints are similar – exclusivity is demanded yet the company opens other outlets nearby that impact sales.
Any supplier asking for an exclusive relationship needs to be as prepared to commit as they expect the retailers to commit. I think this is what could have frustrated some Pandora retailers.
This issue goes the other way too. Newsagents ask for exclusivity but too often do not respect it with full support for a supplier or a brand. One order does not cut it. Nor done a few small orders.
The exclusive relationship needs to work commercially for supplier and retailer. Demanding it is not enough just as getting it is not enough. Exclusivity needs mutual respect, mutual nurturing and mutual trust. It also needs honesty to acknowledge when it is time to move on.