Written by Ken Morton Jr. | 2.5-minute read
Whether you’re reviewing a new seasonal line of apparel or the latest in golf equipment, sitting down with your vendor rep is one of the most important opportunities to fine-tune your merchandise strategy, maximize profitability, and deepen your partnership. These meetings are more than just a buying appointment—they’re collaborative planning sessions that can reveal new ideas, better terms, and smarter ways to do business. Here’s a comprehensive checklist of 13 key talking points to guide your next rep meeting and ensure you’re asking all the right questions:
✅ 1. Terms & Anticipation Opportunities
Ask about standard payment terms—but go deeper. Are there extended terms for preseason orders? Can you anticipate product to land earlier but delay invoicing? Taking advantage of these options can help with cash flow and inventory management.
✅ 2. Dating Options
Request detailed information on dating programs, especially for larger orders. Longer dating may allow you to better align expenses with sales cycles, particularly for seasonal or promotional product launches.
✅ 3. Rebates & Volume Incentives
Inquire about rebate structures and back-end incentives. Are there thresholds that trigger rebates or tiered benefits for hitting certain volume goals? Make sure you understand the timing and process for claiming these.
✅ 4. Netdown Opportunities
Are there future planned netdown promotions or markdown support programs? If so, get those dates in advance so you can plan inventory, marketing, and markdowns accordingly.
✅ 5. Return Privileges
Clarify return policies, especially on preseason buys. Ask if they offer swaps, guaranteed sell-through programs, or return-to-vendor (RTV) privileges that protect your margins on slow-moving goods.
✅ 6. Staff Program Details
What discounted staff purchasing programs are available? Your staff are walking billboards—getting them into the product at cost (or close to it) builds enthusiasm and increases authentic recommendations to customers. What might the PUD discount be for your staff?
✅ 7. Freight & Shipping Programs
Discuss freight caps, free shipping minimums, or drop-ship options. Unexpected freight charges can eat into margins quickly, so get this clarified before you finalize any buys. Golf bags these days can be as much as $25 freight per bag. Is there a way to find vendors to share in that cost and eliminate or reduce that hidden cost?
✅ 8. Event Planning: Demos & Trunk Shows
Ask how the brand can support in-store or on-course events. Whether it’s a demo day, trunk show, or tent sale, events that feature the brand can drive traffic, build excitement, and increase sales.
✅ 9. POP Displays & Fixtures
What point-of-purchase displays, mannequins, hangers, or fixtures are available? Well-merchandised product almost always outperforms unbranded racks. Leverage their visual tools to enhance sell-through.
✅ 10. Co-op Marketing Opportunities
Find out what co-op dollars are available and how to claim them. These funds can support everything from digital ads to print flyers to in-store signage. It’s marketing money—don’t leave it on the table.
✅ 11. Digital Asset Access
Ensure you have login or access to their media library or digital asset site. These portals are often full of high-quality imagery, logos, videos, and content you can use for your marketing efforts.
✅ 12. Sales History & Sell-Through Metrics
Review your performance over the past 1–2 seasons. What styles sold best? Which sizes or colors sat? Use these metrics to make smarter buys—and to hold each other accountable for performance.
✅ 13. Territory Success Benchmarking
Here’s one of the best questions you can ask your rep: “Who is your top (or second-top) performing account in this territory?” Then follow it up with, “What are they doing differently than I am?” Chances are, you’ll walk away with a new tactic, display idea, or customer engagement strategy that you can adapt to grow your own business with that brand.
Final Thoughts:
Your vendor rep is more than just a salesperson—they’re a partner in your success. By coming prepared with this checklist, you’ll get more out of your time together, make better-informed decisions, and build a stronger, more collaborative relationship that drives sell-through and profitability.
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