This is borrowed from the English word has come to Russia from the beginning of the (return) capitalism.On the question of who is a distributor, the easiest way to answer the translation - a distributor.To be precise, it can be physical (individual entrepreneur) or a legal entity that provides brokerage services for the supply of products from the manufacturer (the starting point) resellers (VARs) and, ultimately, the direct purchaser.How else can you describe the who the distributor and what does he do?First of all, he is a representative of the manufacturer in a particular area.That is, it is building a distribution channel, the establishment of the network, not retail.In this it differs from a reseller.The scale of both the network and their territory, can be very different.It depends primarily on the product.The more it is massive, hottest, the more he has competition, the field of activity of the distributor (Incidentally, according to the dictionary in 2007, and may be a form of "distributor") is already more concentrated.Consider this: juice producer (dairy products, bread and the like) is interested in the fact that its product was in all retail stores, small shops, kiosks, supermarkets and shopping malls.Hence the channel must be wide or branched.And who is the distributor in this case?This wholesaler, build relationships with retailers engaged in pricing in a particular city and / or region, tracking and organizing advertising and promotions, positioning calculations.He can work as a producer, and to promote the products of different manufacturers.It can operate on its own behalf or not.But it is responsible for warehousing, bulk purchasing, pricing in the region.
Take another example that will illustrate who the distributor.Suppose a manufacturer engaged in production of fabrics for large format banner printing on five-meter printers.How can he end customers, if these machines are extremely rare, they are, at best, at one enterprise for the production of advertising in the city?In this case it better to entrust the distribution of their products distributor in the whole country or several regions at once.And there is no sense to promote it across multiple channels, because the demand for such goods is selective and sporadic.
Often, distributors of spare parts, plumbing, complex machines work on commission.For them, it assumed a certain amount of sales in the region (country, county, city, network).When it is running, they can count on the bonus compensation.But getting money from the final buyer is responsible distributor, often the assessment of its operation only after the counting of annual turnover and paid invoices.Position the manufacturer, in general, is understandable.He wants to deliver the major parties, and not to think about advertising or discounts, nor liabilities, nor of the local market.All concerns should lie on the shoulders of the distributor.That he would have to decide how, in what form, from a budget to advertise the goods, who can provide a loan, and with whom to take an advance payment.His concern is the same and where to store the products prior to delivery to the store (or the client).Therefore, the search of distributors, competent, able to build the channel, long-term partnerships with retailers, is not such a simple task.But precisely from its activities it depends, ultimately, the reputation of products in this region.
