One of our members recently emailed about receiving frequent last minute cancellations from retailers who are experiencing slow sales.

Unfortunately, most stores are experiencing slow sales and if you give them any loophole to cancel they could be very likely to take you up on it. So what can you do to avoid last minute cancellations?

Here are a few tips….

1.  Have a Policy and Make it Plain: Be very clear about your cancellation policies.  You or your sales rep should verbally express your policy to your customers and not simply leave it to the fine print.

2.  Keep a Credit Card on File: Customers typically aren’t happy about deposits but if you do have an agreement to sale, request to keep a credit card on file that you can charge when you ship.  By already having an agreement along with a customer’s payment information customers won’t be so quick to look for a illegitamte way out.

3.  Establish Good Rapport: Having an excellent relationship with your customers can make all the difference.  Tough economic times present the perfect opportunity to upgrade your customer service game.  Check in with your stores, make sure they are satsifed and happy with your products. Offer to make an apperance or do a trunk show.

Bottom Line…If you do your part your customers are much more likely to do theirs.