APD Webinar | Improving Supplier Collaboration During Cost Negotiations: Insights From the 2026 MEMA Survey

Turn Cost Discussions Into More Collaborative Supplier Negotiations.

Cost negotiations are one of the most challenging parts of buyer-supplier relationships.

Purchasing teams need to achieve competitive costs, while suppliers need to protect their ability to invest, innovate, and support customer expectations.

When handled effectively, cost discussions create alignment. When handled poorly, they can reduce trust, limit transparency, and make future negotiations even more difficult.

In this focused 30-minute session, APD founder Jeoff Burris will discuss findings from the 2026 MEMA OE Sales Executive Council Cost and Collaboration Survey and what they reveal about negotiation behavior, cost sharing, cost models, and the shift toward more competitive automotive negotiations.

Whether you work in purchasing, supplier sales, or supplier management, you’ll gain insight into what is happening across the negotiating table and how both sides can approach cost discussions more effectively.

What You’ll Learn in this 30-Minute Free Webinar

You’ll explore key findings from the MEMA survey and what they mean for buyer-supplier relationships:

1. Why Automotive Negotiations Are Becoming More Competitive

Understand what has changed since 2018 and why negotiations often shift from collaborative discussions toward more competitive behaviors.

2. The Role of Cost Sharing and Cost Models

Explore how cost breakdowns and cost models impact negotiations, trust, and transparency between buyers and suppliers.
Learn why cost information alone does not automatically create collaboration.

3. How Buyer and Supplier Behaviors Impact Collaboration

Review how negotiation approaches, buyer-to-buyer variation, and quoting consistency influence the effectiveness of cost discussions.
Learn what both purchasing teams and suppliers should consider when working toward better negotiation outcomes.

Why This Matters

Cost negotiations become difficult when:

• Cost information is shared without clear expectations
• Suppliers are unsure how customers will use their data
• Buyers receive inconsistent or unsupported cost details
• Negotiation approaches vary from person to person

Collaboration does not mean eliminating cost pressure.

It means creating discussions where both sides can make better decisions using facts, cost drivers, market realities, and business needs.

More effective cost discussions can support:

• Greater transparency
• Better negotiation preparation
• More consistent cost discussions
• Stronger long-term supplier relationships

The strongest teams know when to compete and when to collaborate.

Who Should Attend?

This session is designed for:

Purchasing Leaders looking to improve supplier collaboration and negotiation consistency
Buyers & Sourcing Professionals responsible for supplier cost discussions and negotiations
Supplier Sales Teams working with customers on pricing, quoting, and cost transparency
Automotive Professionals interested in the latest findings from the 2026 MEMA Cost and Collaboration Survey

You’ll Walk Away With

• Key insights from the 2026 MEMA OE Sales Executive Council Cost and Collaboration Survey
• A better understanding of how automotive negotiation behaviors have changed since 2018
• A clearer view of how cost sharing and cost models impact collaboration
• Considerations for improving cost discussions between buyers and suppliers

Reserve Your Spot

Join us for this free 30-minute session and explore what the latest MEMA survey findings reveal about cost negotiations, supplier collaboration, and the shift toward more competitive negotiation behaviors