Why You Should Monitor and Enforce Walmart MAP Violations across your Channels

Manual vs Automatic Monitoring
Difference between MSRP and MAP
Sending Cease and Desist Notices

How to Remove MAP Violators and map violations

In the recent past, retailing has advanced rapidly, giving way to several new openings for brands and retailers. Technological know-how has additionally pushed retail limits and paved the way for embracing e-commerce. With the increasing e-commerce marketplace, there is a growing number of third-party markets online. Your items may be being vended by thousands of vendors and resellers worldwide, some of which might not even be recognized by those vendors. This makes it vital for brands to have prominence in the charges presented by all the resellers and whether they identify with their MAP pricing.

What is Minimum Advertised Price Monitoring?

MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) monitoring is the procedure to ensure that all the vendors and resellers keep track of and adhere to your MAP plan while also looking for any MAP desecrations and determining your MAP enforcement procedure.

Most people would understand the advantages of the MAP you've set. Still, everything can get complex in training, and you do not want to incur any damages since your resellers did not adhere to your MAP. There are countless motives why a reseller can violate your MAP, and some of them may not be doing it on purpose, while others may be trying to endure or acquire their spot in a very competitive setting. Whatsoever the motive, their arrangements can be destructive to you, and you, therefore, must stop them.

Importance of MAP Monitoring

Suppose the MAP is permissible in your country, and you agree it would be advantageous for your corporation. You may comprehend that MAP Policy is crucial, which calls for a virtuous MAP Monitoring strategy. Goods retailed at prices lower than the Minimum Advertised Price can distress brands' business. It can also cause the brand to suffer, affecting its returns. Below are some of the reasons why MAP Monitoring has such substantial importance:

1. MAP violations will damage your brand

However much you try to generate detailed brand cognizance and create a brand name that would be identifiable for specific standards, MAP violations may bring it down. Note that clientele will always associate you with the pricing of your items. If some of your retailers violate your MAP policies, costs will vary, generating a negative brand insight among clientele. Moreover, suppose your item is recorded with a lower price at one eCommerce and a suggestively higher at another. In that case, online customers will hold you accountable instead of your retailers.

2. MAP monitoring ensures the enforcement of MAP policy

The initial step in enforcing your MAP policy is establishing a monitoring system. It is impossible to implement something and avoid its violations if you do not have a method to keep track of it. So, you need to understand your resellers' pricing better to know at which phase you need to counter and take proper actions to defend your Minimum Advertised Price.

3. Your resellers will take you seriously

Demonstrating to your retailers that you are proficient in keeping an eye on their monetary values. In that case, retailers will circumvent violating your MAP policy. This will see you have fewer such circumstances, permitting you to devote your time and funds to activities equally vital to your business' growth. In addition, when resellers become more vigilant about your MAP, your price conflicts are averted, saving your brand.

Advantages of employing a MAP Monitoring Solution System

The following are some of the advantages of having a MAP monitoring system:

It can act as your watchdog in the marketplace, flagging retailers that are non-submissive to your MAP policies.
With approximately 80% of online retailers being unlicensed, monitoring MAP closely can assist in identifying and eradicating these sellers.
It can cut your operational and retailer acquiescence costs by almost half.
It can aid stop counterfeit items from cannibalizing your market stake.
It can empower brands to grow and regulate a strong sales network by changing unregistered retailers into legitimized retailers.

How to Perform MAP Monitoring

There are only two ways to achieve your MAP Monitoring. The first method is manual monitoring, and the second automatically scrutinizes MAP violations using a MAP monitoring tool, as discussed below.

1. Manually Monitoring

If you choose to go with this selection, you should generate a spreadsheet with all the item's URLs you would wish to monitor and then execute manual checking on each of them frequently. You can either do it personally or make it a duty for a team of individuals if you have many items to monitor. This can get overwhelming, and the outcomes are not always perfect since human errors can be made. Some resellers may be cunning, devising several ways to prevent you from discovering that they are violating your MAP policy.

2. Automatically Monitoring

The most effective choice is using a MAP monitoring tool, as this can assist you in automatically keeping track of a bulky number of items instantaneously and continuously. A good clue is to use a well-known and influential price tracking computer software that has previously proved itself as a reliable MAP Monitoring software. Brand Alignment offers the best automatic monitoring software for your needs. A brand is expensive and takes time to build, so why not protect it? Get a free quote from the experts!

When using the automated system, not only the time wasted during manually tracking, but you will also have the likelihood of human error, permitting you to focus on constructing your business with reliable sellers, thus aiding preserve your brand and trustworthiness. Automated MAP monitoring can help you:

detect illegal retailers
find reputable retailers
alert you of violations
enforce conventional margins
save on time that could have gone into manual monitoring
discover growth prospects

How to enforce MAP pricing

To enforce your MAP policy on Walmart, you must make substantial changes to how you conduct your business. Nevertheless, the time and energy are generally worth it. When done accurately, you can surge your margins, form stronger relationships with your suppliers, and create a procedure to monitor the associates that work for you. Here are tips to guide you on how you can streamline and enforce Walmart MAP pricing policies and violations:

1. Recognize Key Supply & Retail Customers to Track

Assess your current suppliers and retail associates to identify the most significant to your business. You can begin by looking at the quantity they purchase from or buy from you. You could also review all the contracts to see if a MAP pricing policy is in place.

Once acknowledged, you can set standard numbers for each supplier and retail partner to monitor fluctuations in their buying patterns. Conspicuous increases in purchase capacities and frequency can indicate someone is destabilizing MAP pricing. If this occurs, then you can swiftly reach out to discuss any possible issues and clarify in case there are any violations.

2. Send a Cease & Desist Notice

You can send a Cease & Desist when you find a violator. The message should recognize the policy being violated and state what possibilities you have at your disposal to deal with it. This warns them to stop violating Walmart MAP policies and outlines what can be done if the violations continue.

3. Align Goals with Company Objectives

Have a good look at your company goals. What matters most to your executive team? In general, it increases income and returns. Nevertheless, more nuanced goals can usually help direct your MAP enforcement energies.

For instance, your company may have an objective to develop into new online markets or grow the sum of legal vendors you partner with. Both purposes would directly benefit from better MAP monitoring and enforcement developments. This leaves you with no option but to monitor for such violations, determine them as fast as possible, and address them . Brand Alignment offers the best automation software to help you monitor with ease.

4. Propose a Merchandise Warranty

Another cheap option is generating a non-transferable producer warranty. The warranty only has to apply to products vended by a retail associate that you dispense to directly. Then, if they sell back the item after procuring from you, you can annul the warranty. Brand Alignment offers the best alternatives to these traditional methods. Reach out to sample the various options tailored for your business needs.

5. Be Focused and Make Tough Choices

No matter what, your brand should be protected! You may have restricted capital and time as a team. Hence, it is a necessity that you remain attentive and that you are eager to make hard-hitting choices concerning your assignment.

6. Only Spend Time on What You Can Measure

There are limited questions worse as a team than being inquired by your superiors about what you have been up to—and not certainly having a good response. You must be in a position to state what you are doing and why you are doing it. That is why you must only devote time to what you can quantify. What does this suggest? It emphasizes data-driven understanding and strategies. It indicates that your routine is spent investigating and challenging explicit theories.

MAP policy monitoring and enforcement are arguably resourceful for brands and producers to control monetary values and discern product value. At the same time, they limit the freedom that vendors need for a healthy rivalry. Therefore, using MAP is hugely suggested as it prevents vendors on the markets and suppliers from underpricing your items and waging price conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are MSRP and MAP similar thing?

No, MAP is the minimum advertised price, which means vendors cannot market a lower cost or retail products lower than this pricing verge. MSRP is the producer's proposed retail price: this is a standard on the regular fee at which vendors are expected to sell the item. While MAP pricing guidelines are lawful and can be imposed, MSRP is more a commendation than a law.

2. What is the meaning of MAP Pricing Violation?

Violations occur when vendors advertise an item for a lower price than specified in the MAP strategy. For example, they may enlighten possible buyers that the item is sold for $79.99 when the minimum marketed pricing policy calls for $98.09.

3. What is the meaning of MAP policy?

A MAP policy is one in which a provider or manufacturer confines the ability of their distributors to market prices lower by a certain level. Different from a resale-price-maintenance contract, a MAP policy does not stop a vendor from essentially vending below any minimum value.

Therefore, monitoring and enforcing Walmart MAP violations across your channels is crucial. It has probably taken you a very long time, enormous resources, and a lot of commitments to build your brand. It is a journey with ups and downs. Why use expensive and less effective traditional methods to monitor and enforce Walmart MAP violations? Brand Alignment presents you with affordable and effective MAP monitoring software. Why do you need to automate your MAP monitoring? Reach us and talk to our experts:

Don't Have the Time to Do It Yourself?

Let us Take Care of Your Monitoring & Enforcement

The first step in removing unauthorized sellers is spotting them on your listings and that is exactly what the Brand Alignment Monitoring Dashboard will do for you. With price updates every 3 hours and inventory totals for every seller on every listing, you will get the most complete picture possible of your brand on every major online marketplace.

Of course, the most important step in removing unauthorized sellers is prevention and enforcement. This is where Brand Alignment is leagues above the competition when it comes to map policy enforcement software.

1
Clear over 80% of unauthorized sellers: Brand Alignment will make a custom strategy for your brand reputation to ensure the highest rates of removal
2
Control Your Authorized Channels: Daily emails informing you of authorized channel violations and price cascading events
3
Risk-Free Guarantee: Brand Alignment is so confident in their removal rates, that we will create a custom guarantee for every brand. We will remove x% of sellers or you have the option to terminate the contract early

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Will Enforcement Solutions Work for My Brand?

In short, the answer is Yes.

We have had our 80%-90%+ enforcement rates in every single industry we have worked in. That includes the following:

Consumer Electronics
Apparel and Shoes
Pharmaceuticals
Health & Beauty
Sports & Outdoors
Mobile Phone Accessories
And More

As you are already aware, each industry has their own bells and whistles. Please contact us if you have any specific questions about enforcement in your industry.

Are There Any Risks Involved With Enforcement?

Brand Alignment gives the brand the option of using their own personal cease & desist letters or the option to customize Brand Alignment's proven high performance Cease & Desist letters. These letters were crafted by Intellectual Property lawyers with a full focus on minimizing liability.

Any infringement complaints filed by Brand Alignment are done with the utmost care and transparency. We do not file counterfeit complaints without test buys and approval from the brand. Our trademark complaints are done with caution and all bases covered.

Finally, in this world, anybody can sue anybody for anything. But it does not mean it will stand up in court. There is nothing we can do to prevent frivolous lawsuits from disgruntled sellers. However, we do everything we can to prepare you to have any case against you quickly dismissed. After two years in business, we are proud to say that neither us or any of our brands have had any legal issues of any kind related to our service.

Brand Alignment vs The Competition

If you are new to shopping for a brand protection provider, it might be confusing to tell the difference between companies. It might sound like everybody offers the same type of monitoring and enforcement. This could not be further from the truth.

Brand Alignment

Crawls marketplaces for dynamic pricing changes every 3 hours or 8x a day
Markets monitored for price cascading are crawled every hour or 24x a day
Sends a Cease & Desist letter to every unauthorized seller on Amazon
Since 100% of all unauthorized sellers are contacted, Brand Alignment averages an 80%-90%+ Removal Rate
Uses hundreds of proprietary investigative techniques to identify personal information of sellers and supply chain sources

The Competition

Crawls marketplaces for pricing only 1x-4x a day
Markets monitored for price cascading are crawled every 3 hours or 8x a day
Requires YOU to send a Cease & Desist letter only if YOU have the email of the unauthorized seller
Since only a small percentage of unauthorized sellers are contacted, the competition averages a 10%-30% removal rate
Uses basic investigative techniques like Google searches or buying low quality lists in hopes of finding emails to send letters

How Much Money Are You Losing By NOT Switching to Brand Alignment?

What is your current Buy Box Loss percentage? How much unsold inventory do you or your authorized channels have due to Buy Box loss?
How much are you charged by Vendors for chargebacks related to price matching MAP violators?
What effect do unauthorized sellers have on your Brand Integrity when they violate MAP policy or sell refurbished, returned, or used items as New?

Are you dealing with unhappy authorized channels who have difficulty obtaining the Buy Box? Are you being turned down by potential authorized channels for not having better control of your MAP policy?
Did you know that data shows that less sales are made from 3rd party sellers having the Buy Box than from Amazon having the Buy Box?
What are your storage and warehousing costs from unsold inventory due to unauthorized sellers?

How Much Money In Sales Are You Losing Each Year Due to a Lack of Quality Brand Protection?

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100% Satisfaction Guarantee

You are fully protected by our "Brand Alignment Enforcement Guarantee". If we don't reach the custom benchmarks that we agree upon during negotiation, we will give you the option to terminate the contract and you will not be charged any further.

Emmanuel Frost