Ace Hardware MAP & IMAP Pricing

What is this?

Margin Master provides built-in support for Ace Hardware's Minimum Advertised Price Policy (MAPP) pricing data. This includes two price types:

Walk through it in the app: guide 3005 — MAP pricing for Ace stores. Margin Master can walk you through these steps live: turn on Training / Guide Mode from the Help menu, then type 3005 into the Lessons & Guides box — or ask Margin Master support to run it with you.

• MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) -- The lowest price at which a product may be advertised in-store, in print, or through other traditional advertising channels.
• IMAP (Internet Minimum Advertised Price) -- The lowest price at which a product may be advertised on a website, online marketplace, or other internet-based channel.

These prices are set by Ace Hardware at the product level and synced automatically into Margin Master through the cloud vendor data sync process. Once synced, MAP and IMAP prices are available as columns in the main data grid and can be used directly in pricing strategies to ensure your advertised prices remain compliant with Ace Hardware's pricing policies.

Important: MAP and IMAP prices represent advertising floors, not necessarily selling floors. Always consult Ace Hardware's current MAPP guidelines for the full details of the policy and how it applies to your store.

Who is this for?

This feature is available exclusively to Ace Hardware users. If your store's primary vendor is configured as Ace Hardware in Margin Master, the MAP pricing column and the MAP/IMAP strategy options appear automatically (the IMAP column is added via Edit Columns Displayed). Stores configured for other vendors (Do-It-Best, Orgill, etc.) will not see these options.

How MAP & IMAP Data Gets Into Margin Master

MAP and IMAP pricing data flows into Margin Master through a fully automated pipeline:

Ace Hardware Cloud Database
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Cloud Vendor Data Sync (Data > Update Ace Hardware Data)
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Local AceMappPricingRecords Table
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Main Table (joined by SKU)
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Available in Data Grid, Strategies, and Reports

Step 1: Cloud Sync Downloads the Data

When you run Data > Update Ace Hardware Data (Cloud Vendor Data Sync), Margin Master downloads the AceMappPricingRecords table along with the other five Ace Hardware tables (Catalog, Zone Pricing, Planograms, Store-Department-Zone mappings, and Taxonomy). The sync is incremental -- only records that have changed since your last sync are downloaded.

Each MAPP pricing record contains:

Step 2: Data Is Joined to the Main Table

After sync completes, Margin Master automatically joins the MAPP pricing data into your main pricing table by matching AceStockNum to SKU. Three columns are populated:

This join happens automatically during every sync and every data import workflow. You do not need to take any manual action to populate these fields.

Step 3: Data Appears in the Grid

Once populated, the MAP and IMAP columns appear in the main data grid for Ace Hardware users.

Viewing MAP & IMAP Data in the Main Grid

Column Display

For Ace Hardware users, two pricing columns are available in the main data grid:

Both columns display as currency values with two decimal places. The MAP Price column is added to your column views automatically when your primary vendor is Ace Hardware (or Emery Jensen); add IMAP Price yourself in View > Edit Columns Displayed if you want it on screen.

A third column, MAP Last Update, shows the date that Ace Hardware last modified the MAPP record for each SKU. This is useful for identifying recently changed pricing constraints.

Column Visibility

These columns are only visible to Ace Hardware users. The visibility is controlled automatically based on your store's primary vendor setting. If you do not see these columns and you are an Ace Hardware store, verify that your store configuration has the correct vendor selected (see Store Configuration).

Comparison List

For Ace Hardware users, MAP Price is automatically added to the comparison list used for variance calculations. It is inserted after Level 2 in the comparison column list. This means you can easily compare your current or future prices against the MAP floor without any additional setup.

Using MAP & IMAP in Pricing Strategies

MAP and IMAP prices can be used as base price levels in your pricing strategies. This allows you to build strategies that set future prices based on Ace Hardware's minimum advertised price constraints.

Setting Future Price to MAP or IMAP

In the Future Price Panel (within a pricing strategy step or SKU-level exception):

1. Open the Future Price tab
2. In the Set Future Price To list, scroll to find:
   • MAP Price -- sets the future price to the MAP value
   • Ace IMAP Price Amount -- sets the future price to the IMAP value
3. Optionally configure a Plus or Minus adjustment (percent, cents, or dollars)
4. Optionally apply a Rounding Scheme on the Rounding tab
5. Click Apply to save the configuration to the strategy step

Example Strategy Configurations

Here are common ways to use MAP and IMAP pricing in strategies:

Example 1: Set Retail to MAP Price

Set the future price exactly equal to the MAP price:

• Set Future Price To: MAP Price
• Plus/Minus: None
• Rounding: None

This ensures your advertised retail price matches the minimum advertised price exactly.

Example 2: Set Retail Above MAP with Markup

Set the future price to MAP plus a percentage markup:

• Set Future Price To: MAP Price
• Plus/Minus: Plus 5 Percent
• Rounding: Apply your preferred rounding scheme

This prices items 5% above the MAP floor, giving you margin above the minimum while staying competitive.

Example 3: Use MAP as a Minimum Price Floor

Use a Min/Max strategy to ensure your prices never go below MAP:

1. Create a primary pricing strategy using your preferred base price (e.g., Store Cost + margin)
2. On the Advanced tab of the Future Price Panel, enable Minimum/Maximum
3. Select or create a Min/Max strategy that uses MAP Price as the minimum
4. The strategy will calculate your preferred price but enforce the MAP floor

This approach lets you price naturally while guaranteeing MAP compliance.

Example 4: IMAP for Online Pricing

If you manage online pricing through Margin Master:

• Set Future Price To: Ace IMAP Price Amount
• Plus/Minus: None (or Plus adjustment as desired)

Use this when generating price files destined for your website or online marketplace to ensure internet pricing compliance.

Strategy Execution Behavior

When a strategy step uses MAP or IMAP as the base price level:

1. Margin Master reads the Ace_MapPriceAmt or Ace_ImapPriceAmt value from the main table for each SKU
2. The value is set as the Future Price for that SKU
3. Any Plus/Minus adjustment is applied
4. Rounding is applied (if enabled)
5. Min/Max constraints are checked (if enabled)
6. The No Decreases rule is checked (if enabled)

If a SKU does not have a MAP or IMAP value (the field is null or zero), the future price for that SKU will not be set by that strategy step. Subsequent steps in the strategy can still set a price for those SKUs.

Keeping MAP & IMAP Data Current

Sync Frequency

MAP and IMAP prices are updated by Ace Hardware and made available through the cloud sync. To ensure you are working with the latest pricing constraints:

Tip: Sync your vendor data (Data > Update Ace Hardware Data) at least daily, or before each pricing session. This ensures your MAP and IMAP values reflect any recent changes from Ace Hardware.

Identifying Recent Changes

The MAP Last Update column (Ace_MapLastUpdate) shows when each SKU's MAPP record was last modified by Ace Hardware. You can sort or filter by this column to identify SKUs with recently changed MAP or IMAP prices.

Soft Deletes

When Ace Hardware removes a product from the MAPP program, the record receives a DeleteDate rather than being physically removed. During the main table join, these deleted records are excluded, so removed MAPP items will show null/empty MAP and IMAP values in the main grid.

Workflow: Setting Up MAP-Compliant Pricing

This section walks through a complete workflow for setting up pricing that respects MAP constraints.

Prerequisites

• Your store is configured with Ace Hardware as the primary vendor
• You have performed at least one cloud vendor data sync (Data > Update Ace Hardware Data)
• MAP and IMAP columns are visible in your main data grid

Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Sync your vendor data

Go to Data > Update Ace Hardware Data to download the latest catalog and MAPP pricing data. Wait for the sync to complete. The status bar will show progress.

2. Review your MAP and IMAP data

After sync, scroll to the MAP Price and IMAP Price columns in the main grid. Verify that data is populated for your SKUs. You can sort by MAP Price descending to see your highest-MAP items first.

3. Create or edit a pricing strategy

Go to Strategy > Manage Strategies to open the strategy manager. Create a new strategy or edit an existing one.

4. Add a strategy step using MAP pricing

Add a new step to your strategy. In the Future Price Panel:

• Select MAP Price (or IMAP Price) from the price level list
• Configure any desired Plus/Minus adjustment
• Apply rounding if desired
• Click Apply

5. Use conditions to target specific products (optional)

Use the strategy step's Conditions to apply the MAP-based pricing only to specific departments, classes, or custom groups. For example, you might apply MAP pricing only to department 10 (paint) while using different pricing for other departments.

6. Add a Min/Max safety net (recommended)

On the Advanced tab, enable Min/Max and configure a minimum strategy based on MAP. This ensures that even if your primary pricing formula calculates below MAP, the final price will be raised to at least the MAP floor.

7. Execute the strategy

Go to Strategy > Execute to run the strategy. Review the results in the data grid, paying attention to the Future Price column compared to the MAP Price column.

8. Export your prices

Once satisfied, export your updated prices to your POS system through the appropriate export method (FTP Export, file export, etc.).

Common Questions

Q: What is the difference between MAP and IMAP? A: MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) applies to traditional advertising channels -- in-store signage, print ads, flyers, and similar. IMAP (Internet Minimum Advertised Price) applies specifically to online channels -- your website, online marketplaces, and other internet-based listings. In many cases the values are the same, but they can differ.

Q: Are MAP and IMAP prices the same as the minimum I can sell for? A: Not necessarily. MAP and IMAP are minimum advertised prices, not minimum selling prices. The distinction depends on Ace Hardware's current MAPP policy. Always consult the latest Ace Hardware MAPP guidelines for your specific obligations.

Q: Do all Ace Hardware SKUs have MAP and IMAP prices? A: No. Only SKUs enrolled in the MAPP program have MAP and IMAP values. SKUs not in the program will show blank/empty values in the MAP Price and IMAP Price columns.

Q: What happens if a SKU has a MAP price of $0.00? A: A value of $0.00 typically means the SKU is in the MAPP database but does not have an active minimum advertised price constraint. Treat it the same as a blank value for pricing strategy purposes.

Q: I don't see the MAP Price and IMAP Price columns. What's wrong? A: These columns only appear for Ace Hardware users. Verify that your store's primary vendor is set to Ace Hardware in the store configuration (File > Options > Store Information). If you recently changed vendors, you may need to restart Margin Master.

Q: How often does Ace Hardware update MAP and IMAP prices? A: Ace Hardware updates MAPP pricing on their own schedule. Margin Master downloads these updates each time you run the cloud vendor data sync. The MAP Last Update column shows when each record was last changed.

Q: Can I use MAP pricing in a Min/Max strategy? A: Yes. Both MAP Price and IMAP Price are available as base price levels in Min/Max strategies. This is the recommended way to enforce MAP as a price floor while using a different formula for your base pricing.

Q: Will MAP pricing work with Emery Jensen stores? A: Yes. Emery Jensen stores share the same Ace Hardware data pipeline and have access to the same MAPP pricing data and features.

Q: Can I see which SKUs recently had MAP price changes? A: Yes. Sort or filter by the MAP Last Update column to identify SKUs where Ace Hardware recently modified the MAPP record. This helps you proactively review items that may need pricing attention.