It comes with the territory. Vendors who deal with retail buyers on a regular basis get to hear their products critiqued, sometimes quite harshly. While it isn't a pleasant experience, vendors could take some solace in knowing the buyer's unfavorable opinion was not going to be widely circulated. That may no longer be the case, at least in dealing with Wal-Mart, as the chain has let its buyers loose to discuss all sorts of issues on the company's Check Out blog (www.checkoutblog.com).
An example is a review posted on the Wal-Mart blog about Microsoft's new Vista operating system.
Alex Cook, the merchandise manager for Wal-Mart's entertainment division, wrote, "Is it really all that and a bag of chips? My life has not changed dramatically - well, for that matter, it hasn't changed at all."
For Mr. Cook and other buyers writing on Check Out, the key is to remain authentic and not get into the cheerleading that fills up space on typical uninspiring and ineffective corporate blogs.
"Readers can tell if people are being genuine," Mr. Cook told The New York Times.
As for Microsoft's response to his unflattering public review of Vista, Mr. Cook said, "It was not any different than what I said to Microsoft. If it was something that would be a surprise, it might be different."
Discussion Questions: Is Wal-Mart management onto something with its hands-off approach to the Check Out blog? Is the consumer perception of Wal-Mart's expertise in various product categories such as computers, entertainment, etc. enhanced or diminished by the Check Out blog? How do you expect this to affect its trade partnerships?