What term refers to the practice of a vendor's representative attempting to contact or influence a production employee without going through the purchaser?

What term refers to the practice of a vendor's representative attempting to contact or influence a production employee without going through the purchaser?

• A. Tying
• B. Back-door selling
• C. Bribery
• D. Kickbacks

Answer: (B)

Back-door selling is when a vendor’s representative tries to reach a production employee directly to influence a purchase, bypassing the purchaser and the formal procurement process. This circumvents established controls, can create conflicts of interest, and undermines fair competition and proper approval. It’s the term that specifically describes bypassing the official channel to sway the decision. Bribery involves offering money or something of value to influence the buyer’s decision, while kickbacks are illicit payments after a sale to reward someone for directing business. Tying is pressuring a buyer to purchase a secondary product as a condition of the primary sale. Each describes a different way improper influence can occur, but back-door selling focuses on circumventing the purchasing process itself.

Back-door selling is when a vendor’s representative tries to reach a production employee directly to influence a purchase, bypassing the purchaser and the formal procurement process. This circumvents established controls, can create conflicts of interest, and undermines fair competition and proper approval. It’s the term that specifically describes bypassing the official channel to sway the decision.

Bribery involves offering money or something of value to influence the buyer’s decision, while kickbacks are illicit payments after a sale to reward someone for directing business. Tying is pressuring a buyer to purchase a secondary product as a condition of the primary sale. Each describes a different way improper influence can occur, but back-door selling focuses on circumventing the purchasing process itself.