So I am just starting to sell my cookies. Someone is reselling them at his icecream/cafe. I give him a few dozen once a week and told him to only sell for 3 days. Come to find out the ones I gave him last friday he still has out, and wanted to know why they were hard and not chewy.
I told him they only last 3 days, I guess he wants to get his money worth. I am charging him 70 cents a cookie, he is charging 95 for them. Now he says he is marking them down to 50 just to sell the few that are left. He is a new business owner and doesn't get much traffic yet especially in the winter. Just wondering what to do. I am not really making much money on his orders because they are only a few dozen a week and I am delivering. My hope is that business will pick up as does the orders in the spring.
Any suggestions on how to handle. Part of me just wants to say forget it. Too much work to deal with this.

I would put a big sticker on the back of the wapper stating the expiration date.

You may want to consider selling him fewer cookies. It may solve the problem of having too many leftovers.

I agree with the expiration date sticker idea. I would also give the shop owner some "day-old" stickers to let people know that the reason they're getting discounted cookies is that they're old and not up to your normal freshness standards. If the owner argues, tell him he's damaging your business and reputation by leaving the cookies out too long and selling them as if they're fresh. If he refuses, I wouldn't do business with him anymore.

Yes, great idea with the sticker!

I'd give it a little while for business to pick up, and if it doesn't then drop him! You never know, he might end up being one of your best regular customers!

In most states, the regulations for re-sale require a 'sell by' date. If you name is on them, and he is selling them, your reputation is at hugely at risk.

I don't think a few dollars a week is worth that risk.

mandze: I was kind of in a similar situation. I sell cakes to an area restaurant & they were serving them for waaaayyy too long. They said they were still moist & tasted good, but there has to be a limit that you serve cakes. Now, I don't have my name listed on the menu, but when people ask where the cake comes from they will tell them. I suggested that instead of ordering 1 time a week, that they order as needed.
For example they would order 2 on Monday...if its a slow week for them then it would take them awhile to go through those cakes. I told them that maybe they should order 1 on Monday & another on Thursday so they didn't have a cake just sitting around.

Maybe you could sell him 1 dozen at a time. Maybe suggest to him that if they don't sell in the first 2 days to do a 2for1 deal on them.

I think the sell by sticker is a must. Maybe you can go in there on the day you know they are out of date and pick them up and stock new ones? I don't know...

The other thing is that when things are packaged for resale the guidelines are more strict. You are suppose to have a complete ingredient list and things like that. I don't know where to find out that information, maybe you already have it.. ?

I agree with the date sticker. Also, sell him fewer cookies more often so they are fresh. You definitely don't want your reputation damaged by him selling stale cookies.

The sell by date sticker is a great idea. Could he freeze the type of cookies that you are selling and take a couple out every day or as needed?