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Someone close to me related the story of when they almost put one of their products in Wal-Mart's stores in Canada about 2 decades ago. One big showstopper was

Someone close to me related the story of when they almost put one of their products in Wal-Mart's stores in Canada about 2 decades ago. One big showstopper was that they were asking for the quality to be reduced so that the price could be lower. The vendor I know refused, saying that their product lasts a long time and they are proud of it and they wouldn't sign unless that stipulation was removed. A few months later the head of Wal-Mart Canada visited the vendor and asked when they were going to close the deal and he was shocked when the vendor said they wouldn't sign unless that provision was changed! He wasn't used to hearing no from potential vendors! The deal never happened and to this day the vendor is really glad they didn't go down that road.

tomsthumb 9y ago
There's a great writeup on a company that experience similar: https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart
- andrewl 9y ago
  That story, by Charles Fishman, is part of his book The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy : https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0143038788 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0143038788 It's worth reading.
  - acoard 9y ago
    "Buy it from Amazon!" Oh, how fitting.
- emodendroket 9y ago
  As I understand it he later gave in and now they sell the lawnmowers. https://www.walmart.com/browse/patio-garden/lawn-mowers/snapper/5428_1102182_1225352/YnJhbmQ6U25hcHBlcgieie https://www.walmart.com/browse/patio-garden/lawn-mowers/snap...
astrodust 9y ago
Did Wal-Mart get another company to make a cheaper version of that product that's similar but sufficiently different that it's not infringing? That's their trademark move. "Make it cheaper or we'll make it cheaper for you."
macNchz 9y ago
This is very common among big box stores as far as I know–often companies will make a special cheaper version just to get the deal done so they can sell in these big chain stores. I often keep an eye on the product number if I'm every buying electronics or tools at a big box store to see if it's different than what I find online for what is ostensibly the same exact product, as that can be an indication that you're buying a cheapened version.

tomsthumb 9y ago

There's a great writeup on a company that experience similar: https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart

andrewl 9y ago
That story, by Charles Fishman, is part of his book The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy : https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0143038788 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0143038788 It's worth reading.
- acoard 9y ago
  "Buy it from Amazon!" Oh, how fitting.
emodendroket 9y ago
As I understand it he later gave in and now they sell the lawnmowers. https://www.walmart.com/browse/patio-garden/lawn-mowers/snapper/5428_1102182_1225352/YnJhbmQ6U25hcHBlcgieie https://www.walmart.com/browse/patio-garden/lawn-mowers/snap...

astrodust 9y ago

Did Wal-Mart get another company to make a cheaper version of that product that's similar but sufficiently different that it's not infringing? That's their trademark move. "Make it cheaper or we'll make it cheaper for you."

macNchz 9y ago

This is very common among big box stores as far as I know–often companies will make a special cheaper version just to get the deal done so they can sell in these big chain stores. I often keep an eye on the product number if I'm every buying electronics or tools at a big box store to see if it's different than what I find online for what is ostensibly the same exact product, as that can be an indication that you're buying a cheapened version.