My business partner's handshake deal backfired hard last month

I trusted a supplier I'd worked with for 3 years on a $12,000 order without getting anything in writing. They delivered half the product and said the rest would come in 60 days which killed my holiday sales. How do you guys handle getting written agreements without ruining a good working relationship?

3 comments

3 Comments

dixon.iris18d ago

My neighbor runs a small bakery and had the same thing happen with her flour supplier last fall. She started sending a quick "here's what we talked about" email after every phone call, just to have a paper trail without making it weird. I've noticed this pattern where people think a written agreement means you don't trust someone, but really it just protects both sides from bad memories. A simple "per our conversation" note or a text confirmation can save you a lot of headache without feeling like you're getting lawyers involved.

taylorellis18d ago

Did you try the old "my dog ate the receipt" excuse to get your supplier to speed things up? Jokes aside, a simple email summary after every phone call has saved me more times than I can count. It keeps things friendly but gives you something to point to when their "memory" conveniently forgets the delivery date.

matthewmartin17d ago

Wait, wait. 12 grand and no paperwork? That blows my mind. I can't believe you trusted a supplier for a full three years without a single signed thing for an order that big. @taylorellis has it right though, a quick email summary after each call has saved my butt too. I'd rather send a boring "just confirming" email than lose another holiday season again.