thread Re: Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing in Online Store

Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing

Fetched-Up — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 15:52:00 GMT

We operate a brick & mortar pet supply store. Many of our suppliers have both minimum advertised pricing (MAP) and internet minimum advertised pricing (IMAP). IMAP is typically higher than what we can advertise for in-store purchases. This is to help drive customers to do in store purchases.

However, I do not see any accommodation between square online and the retail POS (we have the register with Square Retail Plus) to accomplish this.

While I can create higher prices while setting up products and then discount on the POS, this is extremely cumbersome as almost every discount would be different.

For example, the IMAP for a particular dog food might be $62.99, but the MAP is $59.99. MAP is what we sell for in the store. I have to advertise on square online for $62.99. If they choose in-store pickup (pre-pay) or come into the store, we would charge $59.99. So a discount would have to be created for that $3.00 off. If this was only a few products, then not an issue, but we have over 2000 products.

Has anyone else encountered this issue and how have you worked around this?

Thanks.

Re: Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing

MayaP — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:03:00 GMT

Hi @Fetched-Up - I see this is your first post in the Seller Community so I'd like to officially welcome you! 🎉👏

For this inquiry I am tagging some Square Online super sellers who might be able to provide more insight. Thank you @DinaLRosenberg @ReginaRMT @keicollective for all your help!

Re: Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing

DinaLRosenberg — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:19:30 GMT

Wow.

This is a pain in the rear end.

We are a retail business brick and mortar as well and we have MAP but not IMAP..

Have you tried reaching out to one of your vendor and asking them how other stores like yours do it?

I think I'd research shops like mine first to see what everyone was doing..

Re: Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing

Fetched-Up — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:25:48 GMT

I already know what other stores are doing. Many smaller stores choose not to ship, or only ship that have the same MAP/IMAP. Others aren't using Square with Square online. These manufactures use "compliance" tools that scrape the net for pricing and then contact you if you are below their policy. I get it, makes things fair for standardized pricing. I've even removed some products from being shown online where I have been out of compliance. However, more and more vendors are using these tools in the last six months.

I just want to see if anyone has a workaround for this so I can offer my full inventory online. And if not, I'll have to make a decision.

Re: Internet Minimum advertised pricing (IMAP) - Product pricing

NeishaArceo — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 04:56:39 GMT

Trying to figure out how to handle this as well. There needs to be a field to simply set the online price and have it override the retail price, rather than having it display as a crossed out amount and marked "sale."