IMAP Policy - Frequently Asked Questions
INTERNET MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE (IMAP) POLICY FAQs
Update: August 1, 2021
Following are a list of commonly asked questions related to our IMAP Policy.
What is IMAP Price?
IMAP pricing (or an IMAP) defined as the “Internet Minimum Advertised Price” of a product. IMAP is a commitment arrangement between you (the Retailer / Reseller) and Exhart that assures Exhart and other participating Retailers and Resellers that you, the Retailer / Reseller accept to only show (and are required to do so) a minimum advertised price (MAP) as the lowest possible price, despite the actual selling price of a product.
So, in short, this is a control on the advertised price, but not on the actual price of the product.
Why does Exhart have an IMAP Policy?
Answer
Exhart has an Internet Minimum Advertised Price (IMAP) Policy to protect the Exhart image and to better compete in the market as a premier brand for Garden Decor products. Exhart determined that adoption of the IMAP Policy with its Retailers / Resellers is necessary to minimize online distribution channel conflicts and to ensure that the Exhart product lines and categories are appropriately promoted and supported in the digital marketplaces that we support.
The IMAP Policy is intended to help ensure that consumers purchase from Retailers / Resellers based on loyalty and customer care expectations. If Exhart allows your company to resell its products, you must comply with the requirements and restrictions of the IMAP Policy, as may be amended from time to time and available on our website.
Does the Exhart IMAP Policy ever change?
Answer
Exhart reviews the Exhart IMAP Policy regularly to ensure that the purposes of the Policy are achieved in a way that best supports Exhart Retailers / Resellers. When changes or enhancements are deemed necessary, Exhart will update its IMAP Policy and post the revision to its website and date the revision accordingly. It is the responsibility of the Retailers / Resellers to comply with the latest version of the IMAP Policy as made available on the Exhart website.
Does Exhart monitor IMAP compliance? If so how?
Answer: Yes
Exhart uses a variety of internal and external monitoring methods that constantly monitors how our Retailers and Resellers are pricing our products online. Exhart continues to implement new methods of monitoring IMAP policy compliance and considers these initiatives crucial to the trust that our Retailers and Resellers have in us. Violations are subject to the repercussions stated in the Exhart IMAP Policy.
What is covered by the Exhart IMAP Policy?
Answer
The IMAP Policy applies to all forms of Retailer / Reseller internet marketing practices that include or refer to products covered under the IMAP Policy. The purpose of the Policy is to clearly communicate which practices are considered permitted, and which are considered violations.
Which Exhart Products does the IMAP Policy apply to?
Answer
This IMAP Policy applies to Exhart brand name products that are listed in the IMAP Product Price list. Exhart updates the IMAP Product Price list in its sole discretion. To receive a copy of the IMAP Product Price list, please email us at: ecomm@exhart.com
Call for Price
Exhart does not consider any terminology within an advertisement that says “Call for Price” or “email for price” to be a violation of this IMAP Policy, along with any other similar language, so long as a price is not listed that violates the IMAP Policy.
Who reports IMAP violations?
Answer
Exhart directly performs routine IMAP investigations to assure that its Retailers / Resellers are complying with the IMAP Policy. In addition to our own efforts, we encourage our Retailers / Resellers to submit any findings where third-parties may be in violation of the Exhart IMAP Policy as we welcome information that brings to our attention violations that we may not have detected.
To whom should IMAP Policy violations be reported?
Answer
Violations should be reported in writing to ecomm@exhart.com
How are IMAP Policy violations handled by Exhart?
Answer
Exhart will perform an investigation of the Retailer / Reseller pricing practices to determine if a violation has occurred. If it is determined by Exhart that a violation has occurred, we will enforce the terms as stated in our IMAP Policy.
If I report an IMAP violation, will I be notified when resolved?
Answer
Exhart , at its sole discretion, will do its best to confirm with you the receipt of your report, but will not communicate updates on steps taken to obtain resolution. You will know a violation has been addressed when the IMAP Policy terms are being satisfied by the original violator.
I found an IMAP Price violation. Why hasn’t Exhart stopped them?
Answer
There may be uncontrollable reasons why Exhart cannot enforce the IMAP Policy with those Retailers / Resellers.
For example, the Retailer / Reseller may not be an Exhart customer and has obtained our products without our permission or approval and have simply listed them for sale online without our approval.
For such situations, Exhart is in the process of implementing new enforcement mechanisms to track Retailers / Resellers who may be diverting Exhart products in an effort to avoid enforcement of the IMAP Policy. In these situations, Exhart will apply its best efforts to restrict the sale of its Products, but cannot guarantee expeditious removal of the violations that are .
Can we show a sales price below the IMAP price?
Answer: No
Let’s say you would like to offer one of our products for sale on your website. Let’s further stipulate that the product in questions has an MSRP of $35.99. Let’s also say that the same product has a IMAP price of $24.99.
Let’s presume your program wants to claim the following on your website: “Store wide 50% off all items”. Let’s further presume that you would like to show the 50% off MSRP price on the screen. Can you? No, because the 50% price reduction would have the resulting price be below the Exhart IMAP price of $24.99. This would be considered a violation of the Exhart IMAP policy. You might therefore determine to adjust your store claim to something like: “Up to 50% off Store wide”
