update your google chrome browser

if you are using a pre 120.0.6099.218 version of chrome, please update it.
regardless of your current chrome version, it’s always advised to keep your web-browser updated.

here are a couple of how-to links:
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95414
https://www.google.com/chrome/update/

email protection with dmarc

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance. it is an email authentication guideline (protocol) that helps protect against email fraud and phishing.

in a move to safeguard user inboxes, gmail and yahoo announced a new set of requirements for senders. effective february 2024, the new requirements affect email senders who distribute over 5,000 bulk messages per day or have less than 0.3% of messages reported as spam. failure to comply with the new requirements may result in gmail and yahoo rejecting message delivery to their customers.

https://blog.google/products/gmail/gmail-security-authentication-spam-protection
https://blog.postmaster.yahooinc.com/post/730172167494483968/more-secure-less-spam


the goal?
make inboxes safer and less cluttered with spam.

this post is in reference to your email deliverability and affects your eblasts whether you use Showroom Exchange or another ESP/email-service-provider. please share this post with your marketing and i.t. team. or email help@showroomexchange.com for assistance with your domain’s dmarc setup.

both email service providers have set 3 main requirements to ensure email delivery:
(a) email authentication
(b) easy unsubscribing
(c) a low spam rate.

SUGGESTED ACTIONS FOR REQUIREMENTS:

(a) your i.t. can help with this or email help@showroomexchange.com
(b) in compliance with can-spam act, almost all eblast service providers (including SE) embed the unsubscribe feature – most reputable ESPs such as Constant Contact do this too
(c) spam rates should be kept at or below 0.3%, that’s a rate of 3 in 1000. ideally, it should be under 0.1%.
SE’s 2023 collective (all showrooms combined) average rate remained well below 0.1% mark (max was at 0.00206883581 / ~0.2% on november 24th)

you can also check your domain’s dmarc status here:
https://mxtoolbox.com/dmarc.aspx

Improving eblast deliverability

If you use Showroom Exchange for eblasts, please consider the following change in your domain’s DNS to further improve deliverability.

the following section is technical – please forward to your i.t. point-of-contact or email help@showroomexchange.com for assistance

modify the SPF record by adding “include:amazonses.com

for example, if your current SPF record looks like this:
v=spf1 include:yourdomain.com -all

update it to:
v=spf1 include:yourdomain.com include:amazonses.com -all

Commission Tracking Best Practices

  1. after inputting or importing invoices (from brands’ commission statements), run the “Commissions” report to confirm brand/mfr payment matches the report result
  2. run the “Open Orders” report by brand to collect on missing commissions (for partial or unshipped orders) or issue a full/partial cancellation to close the open balance. you can issue the cancellations per order or in bulk for multiple orders.
  3. run the “Commission Projections” report to audit past months or to project future receivables.

SE $ captions + 2 methods of calculating Open $/%

interchangeable terms:
– brand/manufacturer/designer/collection
– customer/retailer

$ captions in SE…

Booked $ = Customer’s Original Booking $
Cancellation $ = Customer overbooked, Brand did not produce the style, etc.
Active $ = Booked $ – Cancellation $
Shipped $ = Shipped $s to the Customer
Open $ = Booked $ – Cancellation $ – Shipped $
CM $ or Negative Invoiced/Shipped = Returns from Customer to manufacturer/brand, e.g.; Damages

e.g.; $100 Booked, Cancelled $20, Active $80, Shipped $50, Open $/% $30/37.5%

Booked $100 = Original Booking $
Cancellation $20 = e.g.; Customer overbooked, Brand did not produce, etc.
Active $80 = Booked $ – Cancellation $
Shipped (or Invoiced) $50 = Partial (or full) Shipment by Brand to Customer
Open $30 = Active $ – Shipped $
Open 37.5% = Shipped $ / Active $
CM $ (Negative Invoiced/Shipped) = Returns from Customer to brand, e.g.; damages

another example (Order ships fully and there is a partial return)
Booked $100
Cancellation $0
Active $100
Shipped/Invoiced $100
CM $ (or Negative Invoiced/Shipped) $20

Open $/% Calc methods (A) and (B)

e.g.; $100 booked $100 shipped, $20 CM (or neg. invoice)

(A) open = $20
the $20 credit memos (or negative invoices) will leave the order with an open balance of $20.
if the remaining $20 balance is not expected to ship, a cancellation for $20 should be issued.
(B) open = $0
the remaining $20 balance is not expected to ship and cancellation is not required.

to modify the Open $/% calculation method for your showroom, please email help@showroomexchange.com

AutoTags identify repeat customers with missed bookings

Where: Customer View/Tab
Why: SE can identify Customers/Retailers that are missing recent bookings for reach-out


When a customer meets the conditions of an AutoTag rule you define, SE will tag them automatically. In below example, I have set up a rule where customers will be tagged when their last order of Humin was more than 3 months ago. Because my customer, Selfridges has not ordered Humin within 3 months, an Autotag appears, distinguishable from manual tags because of its green dot.

When a retailer/customer meets the rule conditions of an AutoTag (defined by you), they will be tagged automatically. In the example below, I have set up a rule where customers will be tagged when their last order of (mfr) Humin was more than 3 months ago. Because, Selfridges has not ordered Humin within 3 months, an AutoTag appears, distinguishable from manual tags because of its green dot and grey background.

If this particular customer has been contacted, or this tag is no longer relevant (e.g.; Customer is skipping the season) the tag may be marked as Complete by clicking the X icon. The Completion status can also be undone, brought back to its active state by clicking the ↺

Additionally if the customer places a new order for Humin, the tag will be automatically marked as Complete.

How to use the AutoTag label:

After a Tag is assigned and when a new order (or an existing order is edited) satisfies the condition of the rule, the tag will be greyed-out (change its status from [1] to [2]). Reps can also overwrite/toggle the status from [1] to [2] (and vice versa) by clicking the X or ↺. An AutoTag in the [2]nd status indicates the customer has met the rep’s expectation.

Enabling AutoTags:

(1) from the customer tab
(2) click customize-this-view
(3) select the Tags checkbox
(4) click [save selections] button
(5) confirm that the Tags column is visible


Creating an AutoTag rule:

(A) AutoTags appear in the same column as rep-assigned Tags.
To create your 1st rule, click the [AutoTags] icon on the column header.
(H) Click the [Add AutoTag Rule] button and populate (F), the name of the rule and (G), the condition that should trigger the customer getting AutoTagged

Disabling an AutoTag rule:

(E) AutoTag Rules can be disabled by toggling them off. If disabled, existing tags will be removed.




NOTE:
AutoTags appear under the Tag columns. By clicking Here, your showroom can request for the column header caption “Tags” to be renamed to a caption of your own choosing, e.g.; “Leads”, “Targets”, etc.

IF THE TAGS COLUMN IS NOT VISIBLE, use customize this view to enable it.

Tradeshows, pre/post COVID

The wholesale landscape has been evolving for some time, and COVID has become the new variable!

The goal with these 3 surveys is to understand the current climate from all 3 perspectives (showrooms/reps, the brands and the retailers) and to find ways of helping the reps in an already struggling industry.
Using the resulting summary for the brand & retailer’s informal surveys (see BRANDS and RETAILERS links below), we will share our insight in this post in upcoming weeks.

All responses are collected anonymously. Name or email will not be required. The survey forms are hosted by Google and are subject to its Policy & Terms.

There are 3 different surveys, for…
1. Reps (from Showroom Exchange to you)
2. Brands (for you to ask your Brands)
3. Retailers (for you to ask your Retailers)

Your participation is greatly appreciated.

.

Survey for (Showrooms/Reps)

https://forms.gle/tmRG3W16QjrRp2PKA

.

YOU WILL HELP IMPROVE THE RESULT BY CHOOSING TO SHARE THE BELOW 2 SURVEYS AND INCREASING THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES FROM BRANDS AND RETAILERS.

.

Use the URL/weblinks in your own e-blast to your Brands and Retailers.

Ask your BRANDS

https://forms.gle/tY5TnSgYZafotHks6

For your convenience, you may use the copy-and-paste template below. Feel free to edit before sending.

.

Ask your RETAILERS

https://forms.gle/DW67XTtdKnxxYR8p9

For your convenience, you may use the copy-and-paste template below. Feel free to edit before sending.

.

Hi “Brand Contact Name”,

Given the impact of the pandemic on our industry, the goal of the following survey is to understand expectations in the current climate and look for solutions to improve the process for you, the retailers and reps. All responses are collected anonymously, so names or email will not be required.

Please do not feel obligated to complete this survey, and either way, thank you for all your support.

.

Hi “Retail Buyer Contact Name”,

Given the impact of the pandemic on our industry, the goal of the following survey is to understand expectations in the current climate and look for solutions to improve the process for you, the brands and reps. All responses are collected anonymously, so names or email will not be required.

Please do not feel obligated to complete this survey, and disregard if you have already responded. Thank you for all your support.