From the web page http://www.nfb.org/buyers.htm
THE NATIONAL BUYERS GROUP
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21229
Contact John Martin at (410) 659-9314
www.nbg.org
1. What is the National Buyers Group?
The National Buyers Group (NBG) was organized to assist blind
vendors everywhere to take advantage of their collective buying
strength. The purpose is to support individual operators in
obtaining any allowances, discounts, rebates, marketing
programs, national and/or reduced pricing for which they are
eligible if identified with a larger multi-unit organization.
When fully operational, the National Buyers Group will have the
purchasing power of one of the top foodservice companies in the
United States and the ability to negotiate even better terms for
vendors from the nation's largest suppliers. The National Buyers
Group will let you capitalize on your participation in this
tremendous opportunity program.
2. Who is eligible to participate in the NBG program?
Any blind person who is a licensee in the Randolph-Sheppard
Vending program. The National Buyers Group's discounts, rebates,
national pricing, marketing programs, etc. are available to
blind entrepreneurs in all 50 states and the District of
Columbia. In addition to entrepreneurs in the Randolph-Sheppard
program, blind persons in business not licensed in the
Randolph-Sheppard program may also participate.
3. What does it cost to join?
There is no membership fee or obligation to take advantage of
the discounts, deals, and rebates available to the NBG. To
participate we need to know your name, your business name and
address, home phone, and business telephone.
4. What does the NBG do?
The National Buyers Group negotiates with the hundreds of
manufacturers and distributors, of quality made foods,
beverages, tobacco, and other products to arrange rebates,
discounts, and national pricing opportunities that the
individual vendor cannot.
5. Why would I be interested in joining the NBG?
You can take advantage of national pricing and volume pricing,
which is determined not only from your purchases but also from
purchases made by blind vendors everywhere. One of the best
features of the NBG is that you do not have to change suppliers.
6. How is the NBG funded?
By utilizing a proprietary database program written exclusively
for the NBG, we will be able to achieve rebates from the already
low or national pricing you pay. These rebates are available
only through the National Buyers Group. Fifty percent of the
rebate will be distributed to participating blind vendors.=20
Fifty percent of all rebate money will be retained by the NBG to
pay for staff, salaries, rent, telephone, business expenses,
maintenance of a database, and publishing of a national
merchandising magazine.
7. How will you keep track of sales?
We are creating a proprietary software program that will include
the names and addresses of approximately 3,500 blind business
people nationwide, as well as the names of 1,200 suppliers and
more than 6,000 different products. The database will be used to
track the history of sales, sales comparisons from month to
month and year to year, descending value cases and dollars,
cyclical sales and other valuable information. With this hard
data, the National Buyers Group can approach manufacturers,
brokers, and distributors with actual proof that the program
works.
8. Do I have to buy exclusively from the NBG?
No. Since most of the discounts and national pricing are the
results of negotiation with manufacturers, you will realize the
benefit of the NBG even though you are still purchasing from
your current supplier.
9. Can I drop out of the program?
Yes, although it is difficult to understand why one would want
to avoid discounts, special deals, rebates, and refunds. It is
possible to refuse them simply by notifying the NBG.
10. How will the NBG keep in touch with vendors and
manufacturers?
We are developing a bi-monthly magazine that will be circulated
free to all vendors, state-licensing agencies, and manufacturers
in the program. The magazine will feature news of interest to
blind entrepreneurs in the food and snack business, including
such things as new products, recipes, merchandising tips, vendor
success stories, and management strategies.
The magazine will provide display advertising space for
manufacturers and classified advertising space for individual
vendors. We are also developing an audio Internet web site that
will allow us to communicate--almost instantaneously--with
members of the program.
11. How will the rebates be distributed?
Once you have registered with the NBG program it will take about
three months to receive your initial check. After the initial
waiting period, distribution will take place each quarter.=20
Checks will be issued automatically each quarter, made out to
the vendor and sent to the business address you have provided.
12. How are you going to keep track of my account?
The extensive database program developed for the NBG will permit
us to track, on your behalf, purchases made from most national
food dealers and from regional or local dealers from whom you
advise us to purchase. If you will provide a list of current
suppliers (optional) it will permit us to do the most accurate
tracking possible.
13. What if I receive a better price on a product from my
current supplier?
You should continue to buy from the current supplier. However,
if you contact the NBG about your good deal, we will try to
negotiate that same discount for all blind vendors.
14. If I join, do I have to give up my membership to any
organizations for the blind?
No. There are no membership requirements or exclusions to
participate in the National Buyers Group.
----------
End of Document
VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
|
