Top Mistakes Buyers Make When Purchasing a MAP Monitoring Software

MAP Enforcement Mistakes: Avoid These to Maximize Compliance

1. The purchased software lacks accurate SKU-level comparison capabilities, particularly at a GTIN/UPC or ASIN level, resulting in the monitoring solution failing to deliver the promised accurate and reliable pricing data.
2. As a buyer, you expected monitoring solutions to track your SKUs at various times throughout the day. However, the software fell short of meeting your needs by not monitoring different geographies, e-commerce platforms, or countries, and lacking the capability to track products multiple times daily.
3. As a manufacturer or brand, it’s important to regularly update your MAP prices for occasions like Cyber Monday, Black Friday, and Christmas, as well as to retire prices for discontinued products and implement MAP pricing for new ones. You expect the platforms you’ve invested in to easily accommodate these adjustments.
4. On numerous occasions, MAP policies have not been upheld outside of the USA and Canada, as resellers in European, South American, or Asian markets are selling products below the enforced price in US or Canadian markets.
5. Some resellers consistently violate MAP prices, while others faithfully adhere to your pricing guidelines. It’s important to ensure that these resellers don’t feel irritated or threatened by receiving brief emails for minor mistakes or occasional MAP violations. The MAP monitoring software should be equipped to prevent such scenarios. If MAP monitoring solutions lack this capability, it’s advisable to avoid purchasing such tools.
6. As a buyer, you might find it challenging to understand why MAP violators don’t adhere to your policies, despite the rules’ effectiveness. This uncertainty could result from the platform’s inadequate monitoring capabilities or the provider’s inefficient communication approach to support you.
7. The buyer seeks answers regarding seller violations, including the violator’s identity, reasons, timing, affected products, and other details. However, the current software support team lacks the capability to address such queries thoroughly. Moreover, contacting them during business hours or via a bot poses challenges, with responses often taking days. To resolve this, consider partnering with a company providing 24/7 support and tailored insights aligned with your needs.
8. Popular platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Google, along with others, often operate as mysterious entities. Despite utilizing MAP tracking software to monitor violations on these platforms, reporting and taking action against resellers selling your products proves challenging. The overwhelming amount of data presents a barrier, as it doesn’t easily translate into actionable insights, hindering your ability to address and mitigate these violations effectively.
9. The marketplace mandates sellers to offer particular discounts upon subscription sign-up, even if they comply with the   Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy. This obligation often leads sellers to violate MAP. However, most MAP monitoring software struggles to detect these occurrences.

Targeted MAP Monitoring: A Smarter Approach to MAP Enforcement

Years of experience have shown us that a custom-tailored MAP monitoring and enforcement solution is crucial but can be challenging to achieve. Instead of spreading yourself thin monitoring individual websites, focusing on high-impact platforms like Google and Amazon offers the highest ROI.

Why Google Shopping? Google Shopping, being a prominent aggregator, serves as an ideal monitoring hub. By proactively identifying violations, tailoring outreach efforts, and progressively achieving results, you can drive success without the excessive costs associated with monitoring individual sites. Starting with top-performing SKUs, scaling up gradually, and concentrating on Google and Amazon US before expanding to Canada can yield significant outcomes. Collaborating closely with your MAP compliance vendor to customize your approach based on their expertise is key. MAP Monitoring and Compliance demand a strategic blend of science and art; there’s no universal solution. Success in this realm hinges on personalized strategies and collaborative partnerships. We extend our best wishes for your endeavors in monitoring retailers and distributors, trusting that this guidance will prove valuable.