Roscoe Medical puts retail on the map

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - Roscoe Medical has implemented a minimum advertised pricing policy to protect its Viverity brand of retail products a little over a year after acquiring it from Revolution Mobility.

The company implemented the MAP policy on June 1 for Viverity's product lines in aids to daily living, bath safety and accessories, breast pumps, mobility and personal care.

“We have an appreciation for the costs involved in doing retail, like overhead, expertise and follow up,” said Ryan Moore, vice president of sales. “That's why we need this kind of price protection.”

Roscoe Medical follows Invacare, which implemented a MAP policy in July of last year. (When contacted for an update, Judy Kovacs, Invacare's vice president of sales operations and customer service, said: “Invacare is happy with our

program, but due to regulations we cannot make any other comments.”)

Moore says Roscoe Medical already has a MAP policy in place for its pain management products. The company's dealer network sells these products to physical therapists and chiropractors.

“It's been very effective,” he said.

To give the policy teeth, Roscoe Medical has hired an outside company to track pricing, mostly online. Providers that violate the policy will have their accounts put on hold for a certain number of days and if they continue to violate the policy eventually have them terminated.

“They've been incredible at reducing the number of violations so far,” Moore said.

E-commerce expert Justin Racine says MAP policies put the emphasis on brand integrity and, more importantly, customer experience.

“If the playing field is fair, providers have to develop services that keep the customer coming back to them because pricing is not an option,” said Racine, marketing and e-commerce manager for Geriatric Medical, a supplier of wholesale medical products to long-term care, homecare and nursing facilities.

The Viverity brand has exceeded Roscoe Medical's expectations—all the more reason to protect it, Moore says. The company added to the brand in June with a pain relief pad with refillable electrode pads.

“The pads will keep customers coming back to the store,” he said. “That's where we're focusing our attention with Viverity—on products with a disposable component that keep customers coming back.”