How to Write a MAP Violation Notice: In fact, the establishment of a MAP or Authorized Dealer Policy informs dealers of the rules by which a brand may do business. The MAP pricing policy specifically refers to the price at which a store can “advertise” a particular product. The final selling price need not be taken into account.
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The policy defines what constitutes a MAP violation and the penalties for violations. It is expected that realistic advertised prices will prevent violations, but in the unlikely event that a retailer pursues a lower price, the retailer must be notified. In the case of MAP violations in e-commerce, this is usually done through email notification. The attorney should review the MAP Pricing Policy as well as the written content of the MAP Pricing Violation Letter.
If a brand is drafting its own warning letter, there are a few things to consider:
To many companies are concerned that the MAP violation notice should be friendly. That is fine, as long as it is firm and professional. Even if the violator is a longtime customer, breaking a brand’s policy shows that the brand is a business. Make the Policy Accurate If the MAP pricing policy states that a retailer must have three strikes before being penalized (whatever that is), make sure there are three notices, each of which properly addresses the policy issue.
Provide all relevant information One of the rules in enforcing the MAP policy is that you cannot negotiate with retailers who do not follow the rules. Therefore, make sure that the MAP violation email contains all the necessary information about what the retailer did and how it should be corrected. Include a list of all MAP violations. Ideally, this list should include the product, violation date, MAP price, violation price, and a link to a time-stamped image of the list. Enclose a copy of the MAP policy.
Some retailers claim they did not know about the MAP policy or “forgot” what the penalties were. If a PDF file is attached to the email, they cannot claim that they did not know. Attach a copy of the MAP policy price list — the information will include the price of the specific product being violated, but a comprehensive list of products will inform you of the prices that apply to all products — what happens when a seller breaks your Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy? If the answer is “nothing,” then you might as well not have a MAP policy at all.
Map violation letter template sample model
It’s like having a 20-minute parking sign but no parking attendant. Knowing that there is no penalty for extending your stay will keep you from violating this “policy”. Once you have defined clear penalties for MAP rate violations and have a good tracking system in place, the next step is to write an effective letter against MAP policy violations. Pricing policies are a critical component of your partnership with retailers.
By stabilizing the effective price of your product, you can protect the integrity of your brand. It protects the retailer’s margins by eliminating the need to sell at cost to remain competitive. It also protects consumers by making it easier to expose counterfeiters. But it only works well if you actually monitor and enforce your pricing policies. If there are no consequences for violating the policy, at worst, even the best retail partners may fall by the wayside because they must violate the policy in order to compete. Sending letters regarding MAP policy violations can help curb this behavior and begin the process of enforcing MAP policies.
What exactly should you say if a retailer abuses your pricing policy?
We can provide you with a MAP policy violation letter template and show you how to handle appeals and follow-up notices. And you need to treat all retailers the same, whether you are talking to a young employee at a small store or the president of a large store.
