Declining a vendor

I've waited for their next follow up call to say, "Thank you but we've chosen a different vendor." and hung up.

If someone has spent time talking with you or meeting with you the nice thing to do is to call them and let them know you chose someone else. There really is no need to be rude to someone who is just acting your supposed interest. OR to ignore them. We're human beings too.

I get your uncertainty on how to best address the situation, but as stated, just remember that they too are human. It's part of their job to seem interested and follow up, they really aren't trying to guilt you or make your life hard. I may be a bride, but I also work for a rental company. We're just people, and we desire the same respect you'd like to be given. No pressure!

This just reminded me that one of my vendors that I didn't choose emailed me a week ago while I was on vacation and I had forgotten to respond. Eeek. I'm glad I saw this post!

I declined a vendor over email, but my only contact with her had been over email. It would have seemed odd to me to ask for her phone number, only to call her and decline.

After I book each vendor, I follow up with other vendors and tell them I have chosen to go with someone else and thank them so much for their time but I wanted to let them know.

Thank you all for your thoughts. I wanted to be sure emailing wasn't an issue....and it seems to be ok.

One time I forgot to tell a venue we looked at that we decided to go with a different venue and she emailed me to follow up a month or so later. I felt so bad that she had to follow up so now as soon as the contract is signed and the check is cashed with my chosen vendor I email (or whatever the primary form of contact was) the others to thank them for their time and let them know we decided to go with someone else.

So I emailed the 2 vendors I declined to go with and now I feel horrible because the one is asking a million questions as to why I didn't choose them and how could we have worked something out. The sad part is they were my favorite and it was a matter of what each included and now he is stating he would have gladly worked with us. So upset and frustrated. GRRR

I just say we have chosen someone else and thank you for their time.

That one is probably just looking for feedback. I did have one vendor who, when I told him we were going with someone else, slashed his prices 3 times and told me our other vendor wasn't going to work out. I did stop replying to that guy.

I emailed them and just said "Thank you very much for your time. We have decided to go a different direction."

It's not ok for a vendor to badger you, but if they ask what the main reasons were, it's helpful for them to know your honest but kind answer. You don't have to go into specifics, but some info like if it was budget related, stylistic reasons, etc. it helps to know.

If they were a finalist, i.e. someone who made the time to sit down with us for an in-person interview, I sent a followup email thanking them and reiterating how much we admired their work. In most cases, it was just that fiance and I had to compromise, and my favorite vendor wasn't always his.

Call or email to say thank you and you appreciate them but sorry coz you have decided to who you will have this thing be up.

I always went back to every vendor who responded to me and let them know of my decision. That is the least I can do.

I don't usually ask people why they didn't pick me; I'm used to not being the perfect fit because none of my officiants are particularly 'vanilla'.....but if it's a price issue, I do send a letter about why it costs what it costs and leave it at that.

Badgering isn't good. That email, I'd ignore.

Jay I would decline a vendor if they spoke to me the way you speak to so many people here. Including calling out another user because you didn't like their tone.

Jay, I have shit to do and I'm sure the even busier-than-I-vendors would appreciate being able to move on to customers that are actually going to use their resources. I am in no way rude to them, but I am straight to the point. I don't make small talk or chit chat with many people, I've been called abrasive for that and IDGAF. If the role was reversed, I wouldn't want someone wasting my time telling me all about why someone else was better than I and deserved their business more.

And Mrs Wino is right, the way you talk to people on these forums, there's no way I'd hire you.