Which policy describes a vendor contacting a production employee without the purchaser's approval?

• A. Back-door selling
• B. Upselling
• C. Reciprocity
• D. Collusion

Answer: (A)

Back-door selling describes a vendor bypassing the official purchasing channel by directly contacting someone inside the buyer’s organization, like a production employee, to influence a purchase without the purchaser’s approval. This bypasses procurement controls, undermines transparency and fairness, and can create conflicts of interest. It’s considered unethical and risky for the organization.

Upselling is simply trying to sell a higher-priced option within the approved process. Reciprocity involves giving favors in exchange for business, which is also improper but in a different context. Collusion is a secret agreement to undermine competition. The scenario specifically describes bypassing the purchaser’s authorization, which is the hallmark of back-door selling.