Someone mentioned Wal-Mart in another thread and it got me to thinking. Years ago when I still had several employees I made an order for WalMart. They had a made in America push going on and there was an importer in my area who wanted an "in" with WalMart, so I made the order for him. Wal-Mart sent an inspector to my location to inspect my shop and a place just down the road that made my wire. We made the order that got him classified as a Wal-Mart supplier and that allowed him to sell anything to them. He never bought from us again. It however also got me in the door since I had been inspected. For a year or two, they sent me monthly emails inviting me to Propose an offer. I don't like Wal-Mart and didn't want the extra work, so I never responded.
There was a guy about twenty miles from me that worked about 200 people and had 3 shifts going in his plant. He got in with K-Mart when they were still going good. He said it was the worst thing he ever did. They only paid 3 times a year and if something didn't sell, you had to pick it up after so many days. They were very picky about packaging. It started him on a decline that eventually put him out of business.
There was a guy about twenty miles from me that worked about 200 people and had 3 shifts going in his plant. He got in with K-Mart when they were still going good. He said it was the worst thing he ever did. They only paid 3 times a year and if something didn't sell, you had to pick it up after so many days. They were very picky about packaging. It started him on a decline that eventually put him out of business.