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Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
SECTION 4
BUYER ROLE PLAY SCENARIOS
For the Two Role Play Cases (Stubb’s Bar-B-Q ® andNetSuite) at the back of the text book.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 1 Safeway—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an amiable.
Needs: Safeway has instituted a new program that requires vendors to pay for the space
their products take up in the Safeway distribution centers.
Objections:
1. I really hate to have to hit you with this right away, but we are starting to require all
vendors to pay distribution warehouse slotting allowances. I guess I just needed to tell
2. There are dozens of new upstart barbecue sauce makers out there. Why should we
carry Stubb’s?
3. What if they don’t sell as well as you say they will
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 1 Safeway—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are an analytical.
Needs: You got this job a year ago due to your skills in purchasing and negotiating, not because
you know a lot about grocery products. You don’t know very much about barbecue sauces. You
Objections:
1. How long have these sauces been on the market? How are they selling?
2. How many different configurations or flavors or whatever do you offer of your sauces? How
3. What else can you tell me about your sauces?
At the end: Don’t buy today. You want to talk it over with Susie, another buyer at corporate
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 2 Safeway—Local Supermarket (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an expressive.
Needs: To stock products that consumers are going to want to buy. You need good
merchandising, good prices and hopefully some good co-op advertising opportunities.
Objections:
1. Have you tried the new Jack Daniel’s Grilling Sauce by Heinz? Wow, is it ever great! And it
comes in four flavors.
2. I know this may sound crazy but I still don’t know a lot about grocery products. At least I
don’t know a lot about barbecue sauces. I’m learning, but it’s slow going. I don’t barbecue either,
3. You really should try that Jack Daniel’s brand I was telling you about. It’s great! I’m trying to
see if I can get it on our shelves. Of course, I don’t know if I would have room for two new
brands if I did.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 2 Safeway—Local Supermarket (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are a driver.
Needs: You’ve blown it by buying some products that salespeople promised were going to be
great sellers (and they weren’t). Now you’re very cautious. You can’t afford to make many more
bad decisions because the store is downsizing and you don’t want to lose your job.
Objections:
1. Has any other grocery store in our area sold your products? How did they sell? [Then find
2. What do your discounts look like? [let seller answer] Can’t you cut me a better deal than that,
if I purchased small quantities at first? I mean, after all, if we carry your line, you will get pretty
3. One thing I always worry about is shelf life. What is your’s?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 3 Gourmet Garage Foods (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an amiable.
Needs: You’re a very successful manager who runs a very successful grocery store. You know
exactly what your customers want and give it to them. You don’t have time to waste listening to
Objections:
1. So, I always start off with an easy question. Or two. What are you selling and how much does
it cost?
2. I can see that you’ve probably got a good set of products there. I hate to say it, but let’s face
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 3 Gourmet Garage Foods (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are an analytical.
Needs: You’re the general manager of this grocery store. Sales haven’t been as good since a
larger store with grocery products opened near you a few months ago. What has made you
successful in the past are the personal relationships you and your employees have made with your
Objections:
1. Do you make calls often in our town? [seller answers] I don’t remember you calling on me
before. Or am I mistaken?
2. Do you really think that barbecue sauces and marinates would sell that well in our store? I
3. Do you personally shop at large grocery stores or smaller ones, like ours? [seller answers]
What barbecue sauces are selling well there?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 4 Mac’s Convenience Stores (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an expressive.
Needs: You don’t remember ever having a Stubb’s salesperson call on you before (you’ve been a
grocery buyer for this regional franchise of 10 Mac’s stores for the last seven years). That’s no
Objections:
1. So, why did you guys come out with so many variations on your sauces? What makes them so
terrific?
2. I pretty much know what’s going on in the grocery market. I make it my business to know!
3. If I were to carry every one of your sauces it would break me! You just have too many
4. Who are some other convenience stores that carry your brand right now?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 4 Mac’s Convenience Stores (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are a driver.
Needs: You are a sharp businessperson who never takes a risk. Your stores already carry Kraft
original barbecue sauce, but you’re not willing to share any sales information with this seller.
You want products that will sell well and generate a substantial profit for your stores.
Objections:
1. I’ve not heard that any of our customers have ever come in asking for your sauces before.
At end: Don’t agree to anything, except to maybe read any literature that the seller leaves with
you. You don’t feel like buying today.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 5 Home Depot—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an amiable.
Needs: To sell a very limited line of grocery products that compliment your outdoor living
products like grills. You’re not so concerned about turnover, but very concerned about profit
margins. You want to make at least 15% on any grocery item you sell.
Objections:
1. We already carry several barbecue sauce products (Kraft and Heinz Barbecue sauce). Why do
we need more?
2. To be honest, we don’t have very high sales in barbecue sauces in our stores. So it’s not a very
important product for us. Are you suggesting that if we carried your products, that our sales of
barbecue sauces would suddenly skyrocket?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 5 Home Depot—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are an expressive.
Needs: You don’t trust salespeople although you meet with them all throughout your normal day.
You’ve been burned too many times to count. The last time was a salesperson for a company you
Objections:
1. How do I do know I can trust what you’re saying? I’ve never even heard of your company
before.
2. Exactly what are your sauces made of? [if the seller says he can’t tell you the secret recipe or
claims s/he doesn’t know, act frustrated and say you need honesty!]
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 6 Home Depot—Individual Store (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an analytical.
Needs: The usual: good profit margin and pretty good turnover. Your store has carried a few
Objections:
1. I’m not a grocery fan. I mean, in grocery stores, great! But in Home Depot? Not really.
3. Looks like these would be pretty easy to steal. I mean, all someone has to do is slip it in their
pocket and be off with it.
4. What is your company doing in terms of research? Do you test on animals?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 6 Home Depot—Individual Store (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are a driver.
Needs: To sell more grills. That’s where your real profit margins are at. You currently carry two
brands: Hunt’s, and Porky’s Gourmet Historic Lynchburg BBQ Seasoning and Rub.
Objections:
1. To be honest, I’d carry fifty brands of barbecue sauce if I could. I like to sell unusual items. I
even sold NYFD sweatshirts over in the portable saws section once to get attention and interest.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 7 Whole Foods Market—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are a amiable.
Needs: To make purchasing decisions that will enhance the image of Whole Foods Market and
Objections:
1. I hate to say it, but your product might not be unique enough for our stores. After all, you sell
your barbecue at grocery stores all over the country.
2. Our retail stores couldn’t buy enough to get many, if any of your discounts. Thus, our profit
margins won’t be very high, will they?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 7 Whole Foods Market—Corporate Headquarters (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are an expressive.
Needs: You want to see your stores expand the number of items offered. But this has to be done
in some logical and systematic fashion. Just throwing in a product here and there doesn’t meet
Objections:
2. Let me taste your product. [pretend to taste some] Wow, that’s incredible. [Make the seller
3. I need to admit that personally I’m a train enthusiast. I do like to grill also, and do enjoy using
4. Give me more information that will help me make my decision easier to make.
At the end: Have the seller come back in a month. By then you should know more about the
model train situation.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 8 Whole Foods Market—Local Store (Resell Situation)
Buyer A
You are an analytical.
Needs: To make more profits. The sales and profits in this location have been down for the last
twelve months. You think it is due to your employees, but having the wrong selection of
Objections:
1. I need profits now. Can your product secure that for me?
2. Wouldn’t our sales be only in the summer months? What about the other nine months of the
year? Would you expect us to continue stocking your product?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 8 Whole Foods Market—Local Store (Resell Situation)
Buyer B
You are an driver.
Needs: To simply your life. You have so many things going on right now that you can hardly see
straight. Your spouse is going through chemo-therapy for liver cancer and that’s really hard on
Objections:
1. How much shelf space do you need?
2. Who will train my clerks to answer any questions that customers might have about your
sauces?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 9 Applebee’s Grill & Bar
Buyer A
You are an amiable.
Needs: To make money. Period. The bottom-line, that’s what it’s all about. You currently have
K.C. Masterpiece available for your customers to use during dining.
Objections:
1. Can you please help me learn how adding your product will increase my bottom line profits.
2. What other large chain restaurants use your sauce?
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 9 Applebee’s Grill & Bar
Buyer B
You are an expressive.
Needs: To generate repeat business by our customers. You currently have Heinz Barbecue Sauce
available for your customers to use during dining and you’ve heard no complaints.
Objections:
1. We currently offer our customers Heinz Barbecue Sauce. What’s wrong with it?
2. I’ve never heard of your sauce. I doubt if our customers will have heard of it either.
Section 04 - Buyer Role Play Scenarios
Stubb’s Bar-B-Q Buyer Scenario
Situation 10 Phil’s BBQ
Buyer A
You are an analytical.
Needs: To do something very unique and exciting.
Objections:
1. I wonder how unique your brand is.
4. We’re generally not a high-end sort of place here. Using Stubb’s would increase our costs.
And I’m not sure it would generate enough in profits to offset our increase in costs.
