Norwood Switches Rebates for Rewards Program
Norwood Promotional Products is phasing out its points-for-purchase rewards program, and instead will replace it with a new rebate offering.
The program’s closing comes after distributors raised concerns about the program, including that Norwood was overstepping its bounds and contacting and marketing to their salespeople, according to news reports.
“We’re committed to honoring the supplier-distributor principal relationship,” Norwood President Paul Lage said in a statement. “This program is perceived to be in conflict with that relationship and we want to do anything we can to alleviate those concerns.”
The change will take place at the end of the year, the company said.
New members have until July 20 to enroll in the program. Norwood Rewards participants will receive e-mails each month through March regarding the closing dates and program rules. The company will close all rewards accounts on April 1.
Norwood will use its funds for the rewards program to run an expanded Distributor Volume Rebate Program in 2008. Further details of the new program have not been released.
“We felt that the most fitting way to reward our customers for their business going forward was to offer a meaningful volume rebate,” Lage said. “The rebate allows distributor principals to put money back in their business however they deem appropriate.”
The company launched Norwood Rewards in 2003 to create an incentive for distributor salespeople to sell its products. The company is the largest supplier of imprinted promotional products.
