Is there still such a thing as "restraint of trade"?

[kenny1]

All this talk about Sub-Zero service changes and no help for the dedicated services they have hurt! Why is it that a Sub-Zero distributor dictate to other manufacturers such as Asko, Scotsmen, Best and others not to sell an independent dealer. How can Sub-Zero get away with promises to certain dealers to protect territories and strong arming other dealers? How about when a loyal 20 yr + dealer takes on an obscure brand, such as maybe Fabia , and gets told either get it off your floor or we pull Sub? Bullies need to be punished.

[The Advisor]

There’s lots of Restraining of Trade in the appliance business (UMRP for one), but it has been the decision on high, that most it is legal.

[Appliance Stallion]

kenny1..I feel your pain. When I branched off with my own company I was told by distributors and dealers that if they took my product some of the other lines would drop them. I was told the same thing by suppliers. Unfortunately as Denzel Washington so aptly explained  ” it is not what you know but what you can prove ” It is a dirty way to do business but probably has happened for years. I don’t know what the situation is with SZ and I am not saying they did anything nor am I implying. I am just telling yoiu my experience and it happens all the time. I was forced to use second and sometimes third level customers and it eventually broke me because they did not pay and did a lousy job of selling in most cases. Some even went to jail for other issues they had. I got past that and I can only say there is a dirty part of the business that some people don’t ever want to talk about. Good luck.

[Author]

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