Deduction Survey

1. Deduction Survey Review of Retailer / Vendor Responses Kim Zablocky, VCF, Founder and Chairman

2. VCF in 2010 VCF is a leader in Retail and Vendor best practice solutions for supplier-retailer collaboration and is an advocate for retailer-supplier trading synchronization. VCF champions initiatives to increase strategic industry-wide productivity, profitability and growth. VCF serves a multitude of touch points in perfecting retailer-supplier execution to shorten cycle times and drive overall velocity in the supply chain.  VCF draws participation from the Nations' leading department, specialty and discount stores.

3. VCF Membership Who are our members?

4. VCF Membership TO NAME JUST A FEW… 1928 Jewelry Co. K Swiss, Inc. A & H Sportswear Company Kayser-roth Corporation A H Schreiber Co Inc. Keeco LLC A. D. Sutton & Sons Inc Kellwood Company Adidas Group Kenneth Cole Productions Inc Adjmi Apparel Group KHQ Investment LLC/LF USA All Access Apparel, Inc. Knitworks / KWDZ Manufacturing LLC All- Clad Metalcrafters, LLC Komar Distribution Services Amerex Group Inc. Lasko Products, Inc. American Innotek, Inc. Le Creuset of America, Inc. American Textile Company Leg Resource, Inc. Antigua Group, Inc. Lenox Group Inc. Applica Consumer Products, Inc. Levi Strauss & Co. Ariela-Alpha International, LLC Libbey Glass Company Arrow Plastic Manufacturing Co. Lifetime Brands Inc. Audiovox Electronics Corporation Liz Claiborne Inc. Avanti Linens Louis Raphael International BCBG Max Azria Group, Inc. Louisville Bedding Company • We are over 1300 members strong, including: • Retailers • Merchandise Suppliers • and Service Providers Who are our members?

5. VCF Membership • We are over 1300 members strong, including: • Retailers • Merchandise Suppliers • and Service Providers

6. Deduction Survey - Survey Background • Survey recently conducted by VCF and Attain Consulting • Coordinating retail and vendor surveys designed to: • Highlight areas of alignment • Provide insights into current deduction management trends • Identify opportunities for collaboration • Responding companies included: • 22 Retailers • 251 Vendors

7. Deduction Survey - Survey Background • Questions fell into 5 major groupings: • Pre-Deduction Notification Information • Remittance Information • Deduction Processing & Supporting Documentation • Disputing Deductions • Deduction Metrics • Trading Partner Collaboration

8. Vendor Participants Type of Business

9. Vendor Participants Primary Business Channel

10. Vendor Participants Annual Gross Sales Median size of responding vendor - $101 - $500 Million

11. Vendor Participants Industry (Includes Giftware, Glass, Luggage, Packaging & Containers, Photographic Equipment, Publishing, Prepaid Cards, Cable / Internet, Infant Care, Transportation Carrier) Type of Business

12. Pre-Deduction Notification Information Pre-Deduction Notification Information: Information on vendor violations or errors provided by or available from retailers before an actual deduction is taken.

13. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Retailer:Do you provide pre-deduction notification to your vendors? Vendor:How many of your top 10 customers provide / make available pre-deduction notification information? All retailers unable to provide pre-deduction notification information indicated was due to system limitations There is an opportunity for more retailers to provide pre-notification information

14. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Retailer:What method do you use to communicate this information with your suppliers? Vendor:What is your most preferred method of receiving this information from your customers? Retail Delivery Vendor Rank Option Rank #1 Email #1 #2 Postal Mail #3 #3 Phone - #4 Vendor Portal #2 N/A Doesn’t - Matter Email is the # 1 choice for both retailers and vendors!

15. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Retailer:For what types of errors / reason codes do you provide pre-deduction notification information?

16. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Retailer:For what types of errors / reason codes do you provide pre-deduction notification information (cont’d)?

17. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Retailer:How long after an order is received is pre-deduction notification information available or provided? (At invoice / PO match, debit memo is posted to Extranet; varies by type – monthly/weekly cycle)

18. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:Do you routinely review pre-deduction notification information? Vendor:How frequently do you review this information?

19. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:How do you track / manage pre-deduction notification information? Over 60% of vendors use spreadsheets or manual processes to track.

20. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:After pre-notification has been researched, how do you track / communicate the information so that it is not “re-researched” if / when actual deduction is taken? Opportunity to automate / streamline tracking & communication

21. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:Have you ever taken preventive action based on information from researching pre-notification information? For vendors, this can result in direct savings to the bottom line!!

22. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:How often can you research and “resolve” pre-notification prior to deduction being taken? Retailer:If vendor can accurately dispute pre-notification, can deduction be avoided?

23. Pre-Deduction Notification Information (continued) Vendor:What is the biggest challenge you face in trying to manage pre-deduction notification information? Both collaborative and independent opportunities exist

24. Remittance Information Vendor:How many of your top 10 customers provide payment information electronically via 820 or 812? Retailer:Does your company provide payment information electronically? Excludes “Not sure” responses

25. Remittance Information (continued) Retailer:Do you have a standard listing of deduction reason codes communicated and/or available to your vendors?

26. Remittance Information (continued) Vendor:For those customers where you receive detailed remittance information electronically: Have you “mapped” codes so that deductions are created in your system with appropriate code? Has mapping streamlined the deduction management process?

27. Remittance Information (continued) Vendor:Has your cash application department been given any training to understand customer specific remittance information?

28. Supporting Documentation Vendor:Do you find it easy or difficult to get documentation from your customers to support the deductions they have taken?

29. Supporting Documentation (continued) Retailer:If you send documentation to support deductions, when is it available? Retailer:How long after check is received should support be available / received?

30. Deduction Management Vendor:Do you have a time limit beyond which you will not honor a deduction claim? If so, what time limit?

31. Deduction Management (continued) Vendor:Do you have a time limit on how long a deduction can remain open before it is written off? If so, how long?

32. Deduction Management (continued) Vendor:Do you require that all deductions be supported by a detailed customer claim or debit memo?

33. Disputing Deductions Retailer:If a supplier would like to dispute a deduction, is there a time limit to submit information to submit? If so, when does the “clock” start?

34. Disputing Deductions Retailer:If a supplier would like to dispute a deduction, is there a time limit for information submission? If so, when does the “clock” start?

35. Disputing Deductions (continued) Retailer:How long does a supplier have to dispute a deduction?

36. Disputing Deductions (continued) Retailer:Does your organization have a documented process that suppliers can follow to dispute deductions?

37. Disputing Deductions (continued) Retailer:If so, where can documentation be found? Behind the numbers: “…there is some information on our website, but no formal documentation…” “…only documentation for some types of deductions…” “…we are rolling out a new process…”

38. Disputing Deductions (continued) Retailer:Do you have specific forms vendors are required to complete when disputing deductions? Retailer:Can these forms be submitted electronically? Behind the numbers: “…disputes can be submitted on our web portal…” “…at this time, we can only accept requests via email or mail…”

39. Disputing Deductions (continued) Retailer:How long after receiving a deduction dispute and supporting documentation from a supplier will your organization respond?

40. Retailers Vendors • EDI / ASN • Concealed Shortages • Ticketing / Labeling • Early / Late Delivery • Freight / Routing • Full Carton Shortages • EDI / ASN • Ticketing / Labeling • Freight / Routing • Full Carton Shortages • Concealed Shortages • BOL Tied for 1st Tied for 4th • Deduction Metrics Top compliance deduction reasons based on number of deductions? Both retailers and vendors reported the same reasons for 5 of the top 6 reasons

41. Vendors Retailers • EDI / ASN • Early / Late Delivery • Freight / Routing • Concealed Shortages • Ticketing / Labeling • Fill Rate • EDI / ASN • Early / Late Delivery • Freight / Routing • Ticketing / Labeling • Full Carton Shortages • Concealed Shortages • Fill Rate • Substitution Tied for 2nd Tied for 3rd Tied for 4th • Deduction Metrics (continued) Top compliance deduction reasons based on number of deductions? High correlation between retailer and vendor responses

42. Deduction Metrics (continued) Vendor:What % of total deductions are ultimately allowed ? 12% reported > 90% Median was 61 – 70%

43. Deduction Metrics (continued) Retailer:What % of vendor disputes were reversed in last 12 months? • 70% of retailers reported that they reversed 10% or less • 24% of retailers reported that they reversed 20 – 50% • 1 retailer reversed 90% or more

44. Deduction Metrics (continued) Has deduction volume increased over the past 12 months? Retailers Vendors

45. Deduction Metrics (continued) Have deduction dollars increased over the past 12 months? Retailers Vendors

46. Deduction Metrics (continued) Vendors: Have post audit deductions increased over the past 12 months?

47. Trading Partner Collaboration Retailer:Do you have a “preferred vendor” or “cross-dock” program? 2nd most important element – shipment matches order (67%)

48. Trading Partner Collaboration (continued) Retailers: When a supplier asks to set up a customer / vendor meeting to review compliance issues or performance, how is this request perceived?

49. Trading Partner Collaboration (continued) Behind the Numbers Retailers:Please briefly explain your response to the previous question? “ … we like proactive vendors …” “ … we look at this as an opportunity to address business and process issues and enhance our working relationship …” “ … we want to help our vendors succeed and not have the costs associated with the violation …” “ … we encourage visits to the DC to review and discuss corrective actions …” “ … we view all chances to meet or talk as opportunities to make the process better for everyone …” “ … if we can be proactive in our efforts in resolving issues, both parties benefit … it is a win – win situation…”

50. Trading Partner Collaboration (continued) Behind the Numbers (continued) “ … if a vendor is willing to come visit us, we are more than willing to set up a meeting with them …” “ … face-to-face meetings are beneficial, help the supplier understand our payment / dispute process and allows us to education them on the use of the tools available to them…” “ … we are willing to work with all of our vendors to improve the way they ship. In the long run, it will help our DC’s to become more efficient…” “ … there are 2 sides to every situation … the important things is to resolve the issue going forward …” “ … we look at this as a chance to education the vendor on their issues …” “ … we value our partnership with vendors, these meetings have been very successful when looking to reduce deductions and compliance issues …”