At Method, we are committed to maintaining a trusted, transparent, and compliant marketplace for both our clients and distribution partners. Central to this commitment is ensuring that all products available through the Method Marketplace are sourced through authorized, reputable channels. By upholding these standards, we protect the integrity of the supply chain and help our clients make confident, informed purchasing decisions.
Gray market goods are products that are sold outside of a manufacturer’s authorized distribution network. While these products may be genuine, they often bypass manufacturer oversight, lack valid warranties or support, and can introduce inconsistencies in pricing and supply chain reliability. In some cases, these goods may also be distributed through channels not approved for sale within certain regions, including the United States.
The presence of gray-market goods in a centralized marketplace poses significant risk—particularly for unsuspecting buyers. Practices may unknowingly purchase products from suppliers who are not authorized to distribute those items, which can lead to issues with product authenticity, lack of manufacturer support, warranty limitations, or regulatory concerns. Method’s responsibility is to eliminate this risk within the shared marketplace by ensuring that all globally listed suppliers meet strict authorization standards.
Method does not allow suppliers offering gray market goods to be listed in the general (global) marketplace. This policy is designed to protect clients from unintended risk, safeguard manufacturers and authorized distributors from channel disruption, and maintain fairness and consistency across the platform.
Importantly, this policy does not restrict what individual practices can purchase. Method provides the flexibility for practices to create custom suppliers and custom products within their own private environment. This means that while gray market suppliers are not available in the shared marketplace, practices retain full autonomy to source and purchase from any supplier of their choosing outside of the global marketplace structure.
The distinction between the Method Marketplace and custom purchasing is intentional. The global marketplace is a curated environment where all suppliers are vetted for authorization and compliance. In contrast, custom suppliers and products are controlled entirely by individual practices, allowing them to manage their own sourcing decisions without restriction.
This approach ensures that the marketplace remains a safe and trusted environment for all users, while still preserving flexibility and control at the practice level. By separating these two experiences, Method minimizes risk at the platform level without limiting purchasing autonomy.
To uphold these standards, Method applies a strict, near-zero-tolerance approach to gray-market activity in the marketplace. During vendor onboarding, we verify the manufacturers and product lines each supplier represents and cross-check offerings against manufacturer websites and authorized distributor lists.
We also continuously monitor marketplace activity for pricing inconsistencies, anomalies, or listings that may indicate unauthorized sourcing. Significant pricing discrepancies, in particular, may signal potential gray market activity and are subject to review.
If potential gray market activity is identified, Method will take appropriate action at its sole discretion to protect the integrity of the marketplace. This may include, but is not limited to, requesting product removal and/or taking action regarding the vendor’s participation on the platform. Method reserves full authority to determine the nature and timing of any enforcement action based on the circumstances.
All vendors participating in the Method Marketplace are expected to sell only products sourced through authorized channels, maintain transparent and consistent pricing practices, and fully cooperate with any compliance reviews or requests from Method.
By enforcing this policy, Method ensures a level playing field for authorized distributors, reliable product quality and support for clients, and long-term trust in the marketplace. At the same time, we continue to provide flexibility for practices to make independent purchasing decisions through custom suppliers and products—balancing control, compliance, and autonomy across the platform.
