Does a supplier have to sign a vendor agreement before shipping?

Not always. Kroger's agreement (January 2017) treats shipping on a purchase order as unconditional acceptance if no signed page returns in time.

Can a new supplier negotiate the terms?

Macy's says it doesn't negotiate specific vendor agreements for standard businesses. Burlington says merchant-negotiated allowances appear on the vendor agreement or purchase order.

What does a new vendor checklist cover?

Macy's November 2025 checklist lists an account number and macysnet registration. It also lists the standards, purchasing agreement and routing guide. The rest covers EDI, tickets, hangers and store-to-DC listings.

New Vendor Onboarding With a Retailer

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A new supplier onboarding with a retailer accepts a set of documents: a vendor agreement, vendor standards or a routing guide, and EDI, payment and portal setup. Those same documents later decide which of the retailer's deductions are valid.

What a supplier agrees to

A new supplier accepts the retailer's standard terms. Two retailers publish how that acceptance happens.

If no signed page returns in time, shipping on a purchase order is unconditional acceptance.

Macy's: noncompliance is consent to charges. The 2023 Vendor Standards include the Master Purchasing Agreement. They say noncompliance is consent to charges offset from vendor payments. Macy's doesn't negotiate specific vendor agreements for standard businesses, its November 2025 instructions say.
Kroger: shipping is acceptance. Kroger's agreement (January 2017) calls its terms Kroger's offer. Its exhibits are part of it, including a noncompliance fee schedule. If no signed page returns in time, shipping on a purchase order is unconditional acceptance.

What the standards and routing guides cover

Standards and routing guides are the rulebook behind the agreement. They set how goods are packed, ticketed, routed and billed.

Retailer	Document and what it covers
Macy's	Vendor Standards (2023) and a Routing Guide. The standards cover EDI, ticketing, packing, transportation and accounts payable. The Routing Guide needs a macysnet sign-on.
Burlington	Domestic Vendor Partnership Manual (May 2026). It covers EDI, shipping and scheduling, packing and labeling, floor ready, vendor relations and accounts payable.
Bealls	Domestic Routing Guide. It covers routing, freight terms and bills of lading. Its instructions are terms and conditions of Bealls purchase orders.
Kroger	Vendor Standard Routing Instructions (version 2.8, March 2025). They cover parcel, LTL and truckload routing. Non-compliance results in chargebacks or deductions.

These documents change. Macy's says its standards can change, usually on notice. Burlington says its online manual has the latest terms. See policy updates.

What a supplier sets up

Onboarding also sets up the channels a deduction later arrives through. Those are EDI, invoicing and remittance, and a portal.

Retailer	What its document describes
Macy's	Its checklist (November 2025) lists an account number and macysnet registration. It lists an EDI start-up form too. The form sets trading partner IDs. The 2023 standards require remittance advice by EDI 820.
Burlington	New vendors start on Burlington's Gateway system for EDI. They get login details in onboarding. The corporate contact named in the vendor agreement becomes a Traverse portal administrator.
Kohl's	Invoices go by EDI 810. The purchase order, invoice and verified receipts must match for automatic payment. Remittances arrive by EDI 820. A code table explains the codes.
Kroger	The agreement (January 2017) reports payment discrepancies as advice messages on check stubs. It issues no separate debit memos.
Bealls	Its Control Tower application routes distribution center shipments. Onboarding there uses a ticket, an active DUNS number, a U.S. address and a purchase order.

EDI basics for suppliers covers the EDI documents.

Why these documents decide which deductions are valid

A deduction is valid when the terms accepted at onboarding establish the charge. The agreement, standards and guides hold those terms. So their wording decides.

A deduction is valid when the terms accepted at onboarding establish the charge.

A rulebook is a set, not one file. A charge can sit in the agreement, the standards, a guide or a chargeback policy.

Macy's puts routing charges in its Routing Guide. Bealls points to its Chargeback Policy. Kroger attaches a fee schedule.

The guide on valid and invalid deductions defines the split. Policy updates track the changes. The deductions hub links the rest.

Questions

Does a supplier have to sign a vendor agreement before shipping?: Not always. Kroger's agreement (January 2017) treats shipping on a purchase order as unconditional acceptance if no signed page returns in time.
Can a new supplier negotiate the terms?: Macy's says it doesn't negotiate specific vendor agreements for standard businesses. Burlington says merchant-negotiated allowances appear on the vendor agreement or purchase order.
What does a new vendor checklist cover?: Macy's November 2025 checklist lists an account number and macysnet registration. It also lists the standards, purchasing agreement and routing guide. The rest covers EDI, tickets, hangers and store-to-DC listings.

See how your deductions line up with each retailer's terms.

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Sources

Macy's, Inc., "Macy's 2023 Vendor Standards" (2023 edition; copy retrieved 2026-09-22). PDF pp. 2 to 4 (contents), p. 6 (introduction, Master Purchasing Agreement, consent), p. 7 (changes on notice), p. 17 (EDI820 remittance advice), p. 24 (Routing Guide behind macysnet login), p. 26 (new vendor qualification audit), p. 29 (routing charges in the Routing Guide).
Macy's, Inc., "New Vendor Onboarding Instructions" (November 2025 edition; copy retrieved 2026-09-22). PDF p. 8 (New Vendor Checklist, no negotiation of specific vendor agreements), pp. 8 to 9 (checklist rows).
The Kroger Co., "Standard Vendor Agreement for Merchandise (Products)" (Version January 2017). PDF p. 3 (Kroger's offer, exhibits, unconditional acceptance), p. 6 (advice messages, no debit memos), p. 7 (Exhibit D noncompliance fee schedule).
The Kroger Co., "Vendor Standard Routing Instructions (Parcel, LTL, & TL Routing)" (version 2.8, March 2025). PDF p. 1 (scope), p. 5 (non-compliance, chargebacks or deductions).
Burlington Stores, Inc., "Domestic Vendor Partnership Manual" (May 2026). PDF p. 2 (contents), p. 3 (online manual for current terms), p. 5 (Gateway, login information), p. 24 (Traverse portal administrator), p. 26 (negotiated allowances on the vendor agreement or purchase order).
Bealls, Inc., "Domestic Routing Guide" (undated). PDF p. 2 (contents), p. 3 (terms and conditions of purchase orders; Chargeback Policy), p. 4 (Control Tower registration).
Kohl's, Inc., "Invoicing and AP Resource Guide (4/2025)". PDF p. 3 (invoicing requirements), p. 4 (remittances), pp. 6 to 7 (explanation of codes).