Benjamin Moore Ends Billing Through Do it Best After Co-op Makes Deal with Sherwin Williams

Benjamin Moore photo

By Craig Webb

Benjamin Moore halted its bill-through relationship with the Do it Best Group not long after the co-op entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Sherwin-Williams, the co-op has confirmed.

"Benjamin Moore chose to discontinue the bill-through program, even though we believed strongly there was growth opportunity within the channel for another national brand," a Do it Best spokesman told Webb Analytics. "Our retailers who choose to continue their program are being guided to contact their BM rep for guidance on a direct bill program."

Benjamin Moore has not as yet responded to requests by Webb Analytics for comment. Do it Best hasn't had any conversations with Benjamin Moore since it ended the bill-through relationship, Do it Best said.

Benjamin Moore photo

Bill-through programs run by distributors like Do it Best are popular for both dealers and vendors. That's because both sides benefit from the convenience and savings involved in writing just one check to get the myriad of products that the distributor provides. Bill-through programs also may include extra benefits for dealers, such as a lower price for products and the opportunity to receive rebates. Meanwhile, vendors benefit because they get one check covering orders from hundreds dealers, thus eliminating the need to chase payments from individual stores.

The Do it Best spokesman said Benjamin Moore held a relatively small but growing share of the co-op's overall paint sales. That relationship was rocked June 9 when Do it Best Group and Sherwin-Williams signed a long-term agreement.

"As part of the agreement, Do it Best Group will retain ownership and management of the EasyCare and Best Look paint brands, including quality standards, marketing, promotions, and commercial stewardship," Do it Best's announcement said. "EasyCare will remain exclusive to True Value retailers, and Best Look will remain exclusive to Do it Best members.

Sherwin-Williams will assume manufacturing responsibilities for EasyCare products and continue manufacturing Best Look products, providing greater long-term production continuity and operational resiliency.

"The agreement also includes the acquisition of the Majic and Shur-Line brands by Sherwin-Williams, with exclusivity preserved for Do it Best and True Value retailers within the independent and owned hardware channel," Do it Best added.

Industry reaction was mixed when this story was published on LinkedIn. "It is my understanding mostly True Value dealers that carried BM alongside EasyCare [a brand produced by True Value's paint factory, now owned by Do it Best]," one commenter wrote. "Where this might be interesting is those dealers that do have some volume are likely to take a hard look at their paint program. It would probably be Easy Care vs BM. It wouldn't surprise me if many choose BM."

Wrote another: "Halting their bill through program is punishment, not a strategic move by a supplier. If Ben Moore thinks that's the prudent thing to do, what do they believe the response is going to be from Do It Best, reverse their decision? It just pushes DB to be even more committed to SW, and like I pointed out, without the details of the program, and Im pretty sure DB won big from a cost perspective in this deal."

A third regarded Do it Best's embrace of Sherwin-Williams as "a foolish move--especially since SW will never give them their SW branded paints. Ben Moore does a fantastic job with the independent dealers and their brand resonates with both painters and designers. Big miss in my opinion."