How to become an official distributor. Distributor of a foreign company in Russia: how to start a business not from scratch. Who is a dealer

Text by Daria Sharkova

Photo by Elena Ryazanova

For the first time in the “Success Stories” section we will talk about an alternative form of creating your own business - through distribution. Elena Lapko first became a distributor in Krasnodar, and then an official representative throughout Russia of the famous Dutch brand of accessories NOOSA-Amsterdam. Our heroine created her own network of regional distributors from scratch, overcame three financial crises in the Russian economy and learned to predict what jewelry customers in our country will like.

Elena Lapko

NOOSA-Amsterdam: the essence of the business

I am the official representative in Russia of the Dutch accessories brand NOOSA-Amsterdam. Moreover, she started as a distributor in her native Krasnodar, where she sold their products. And then she became the main partner and created her own network of regional distributors. Now I have a full-fledged business: my own team, my own channels for attracting clients and promotion, my own turnover and revenue.

My business is based on the distribution of accessories: I buy collections from the head office of NOOSA-Amsterdam in Holland, and then sell them in two ways - through distributors or in stores.

About the brand

NOOSA-Amsterdam - handmade accessories: bracelets, bags, belts, wallets made of leather. Replaceable buttons for them are made from natural materials: mollusk shells, wood, bone, resin and lava, as well as natural minerals. These items are created by hand by craftsmen in Nepal, Indonesia and Peru to order from the company. We also have a jewelry line called Relics, which features earrings, rings, bracelets, chains and pendants made of silver.

All leather accessories are decorated with removable buttons - each reflects the culture of one of the peoples of the planet and carries a sacred meaning. By choosing symbol buttons, our customers, for example, make wishes or protect themselves from what they want to avoid. The buttons are easy to attach and just as easy to remove. That is, buyers themselves create the design of their jewelry and can change its appearance at least every day.

For me, working with NOOSA-Amsterdam has always been not just a business, but a great love. If the brand’s accessories had not crossed my path in life, I would hardly have started another business.

Getting to know NOOSA-Amsterdam

I am one of those people who, in childhood and youth, never thought about the possibility of opening my own business. When I was in high school, I realized that I wanted to interact more with people, so I entered the psychology department. After university, she worked in various companies in Krasnodar. Positions include office manager and HR manager in a large Western company. At that time, as I wanted, I was in very close contact with different people. Perhaps, it was thanks to the experience of an HR manager that I began to understand how to find an approach to everyone, understand needs, and be able to listen and hear.

I met NOOSA-Amsterdam by chance. In 2012, I went to Amsterdam and met my Dutch friend in a cafe. We talked and drank coffee. I noticed on her hand a bracelet decorated with unusual buttons. The accessory captured my attention, and I realized that I simply needed to purchase the same one.

A friend took me to the store. It was a typical European multi-brand boutique, where current clothes could be complemented with various accessories. The treasured bracelets were in a display case near the cash register. When I asked the employee to show me the buttons, there were three large boxes in front of me - more than a hundred characters in total. It was a real delight! At that time I did not yet understand what all these signs meant, and I chose the replacement elements intuitively. The happiness of owning your very first bracelet cannot be compared with anything! I carried this emotion into my heart through all the years of working with the brand.

Many people who purchase NOOSA-Amsterdam products for the first time have very similar feelings to mine. I don’t want to take off my bracelet; without it, I feel like I left the house naked. The accessory becomes part of you! And so I returned to Krasnodar from that trip to Amsterdam with NOOSA jewelry on my hand.

The amount of the first purchase was 150 thousand rubles. I could choose the sales paths and channels myself

The idea of ​​becoming a brand distributor

All my friends and acquaintances, when they saw the bracelet on my hand, could not, like I did at one time, hide their curiosity and delight. This is the nature of our jewelry. They started asking me where I bought it. The interesting thing is that there was already a Russian representative office of the brand in Moscow. But few people knew about him. And after another question from a friend, the idea suddenly occurred to me that I could become a distributor of this company and tell many people about the accessories.

The amount of the first purchase offered by the brand to the distributor was (and is now) 150 thousand rubles. Compared to other retail companies, this amount is relatively small; In addition, the distributor constantly has the opportunity to make additional purchases, expanding the range and, accordingly, increasing turnover. That is, I needed to buy buttons, bracelets, belts and bags for this amount and boldly start selling them. I could choose the sales paths and channels myself.

At that time, I had no fear of starting a business: the reaction of my Krasnodar friends turned out to be eloquent - everyone really liked it. Without giving myself time to doubt, I wrote a letter to the head office of the brand - in the Netherlands. They, in turn, redirected me to a representative office in Moscow. I talked with the management and found out all the terms of cooperation. They also took a closer look at me and realized that I understood what I needed to do, what kind of product it was and what its target audience was.

I was endlessly inspired and confident that this was my calling and I would succeed. I made the decision to launch my first business after receiving the approval and support of other members of my family. My husband was happy that I would be able to combine business with raising children, expand my horizons, make new acquaintances, and my daily life would go far beyond housekeeping. I still thank my family for this.

The Moscow representative office received my consent and began collecting the parcel with the first order.

Interview. Womenbz journalist Daria Sharkova and entrepreneur Elena Lapko

They gave me the box and allowed me to transfer money when possible

Start of cooperation

We agreed with representatives of the brand in Russia to meet at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport, where I had a transfer: they were supposed to give me a box with my first purchase. My husband and I wanted to withdraw money from an ATM at the airport, but everything didn’t go according to plan: the first plane was delayed, we arrived late and didn’t dare run to the ATM so as not to miss the next flight.

The representative of NOOSA-Amsterdam without hesitation gave me the box with the words: “This is not a problem, take it, transfer the money when you have the opportunity.” I felt that this was another good sign when starting a business is associated with such total trust.

First sales. Going out to the shops

First, my friends started coming for bracelets, then friends of friends. Then word of mouth worked well, because in my environment there were always interesting personalities who liked unusual things. In a matter of days, the Nusa brand was on everyone’s lips and began to sell “on its own.” I had to be constantly in touch to select bracelets and buttons every day for those people who wanted to be part of the NOOSA world.

There was a great excitement, buyers wanted to purchase new items, to have products that I did not have in stock at that time, and the first purchase was immediately followed by a second. American marketer John Trout once formulated a law according to which regular expansion of the assortment will inevitably lead to an increase in sales in a short time. In my case it worked too.

I decided not to limit myself only to my circle of acquaintances. I wanted more people to know about the brand. The next step was a cooperation agreement with the CosmoStore chain of accessory stores, which, by the way, did not work under a commission agreement with third-party suppliers for many years. But for me they made an exception, because as experienced buyers they understood that unique products would attract a large number of new buyers. At first, I placed the accessories on sale terms, that is, I received money after the sale. Then, when the company's owners saw the commercial success of the brand, the network began purchasing collections. Today, like almost six years ago, the NOOSA-Amsterdam collections are widely represented in the CosmoStore flagship store in Krasnodar.

Events developed really quickly, and I asked the Moscow representative office for permission to expand the geography of sales. I began to enter into contracts with stores in Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Vladikavkaz, Rostov-on-Don. I found retail outlets through the Internet and through the recommendations of mutual friends. During that period, for about a year and a half, I worked without assistants.

I personally visited official representatives in different cities of the Southern Federal District, made presentations for sellers, demonstrated photo and video materials, shared inspiring stories and told how to work correctly with customers, offering store visitors not only a high-quality and beautiful accessory, but also a unique amulet, and a good gift for those closest to you.

It is difficult for the Dutch to understand that in Russian cities located 300 kilometers from each other, people have different mentalities, lifestyles, incomes, priorities, interests

My favorite thing was about to disappear, and, of course, I simply could not come to terms with this. I took a breath, made up my mind and wrote a letter to the head office in the Netherlands. She introduced herself, told about herself, her successes and asked to set up a meeting. A couple of months later I flew to Amsterdam.

I prepared a business plan to convince them not only with my emotions, but also with the commercial component. She talked about what has already been implemented and what is planned. She focused on the mentality of different regions - something that people in Holland cannot know. It is difficult for them to understand that in Russian cities located 300 kilometers from each other, people have different mentalities, lifestyles, incomes, priorities, and interests. The founders of the brand were convinced not only by the indicators of my business plan, but also by the fact that I want to introduce people to good taste and knowledge of the symbols of world cultures.

They asked me one question then: “What is the difference between you and our former partners, a company from Moscow?” Without thinking, I said: “They liked it and I love it.” Literally: “They liked it, and I love it.” And it was absolutely true. I have always treated the project primarily as a hobby, and not as a business. Until now, all this is at the same level of love for me.

The result of our meeting with the Dutch was the signing of a contract for a year. We looked closely at each other, I made regular orders for collections according to the purchasing budget, while simultaneously developing a network of distributors throughout Russia. A year later, I confirmed my status as the exclusive representative of NOOSA-Amsterdam in the country and still maintain it.

I continue to please them with numbers: for example, in 2017 our turnover increased by another 20% compared to 2016.

How to become a distributor - brand partner in Russia

Today I am creating a network throughout the country. I work with distributors in different regions. Those who want to cooperate with us, to be a representative of NOOSA, choose which method of implementation and development is closer to them. There are two such options.

1. Store or showroom. In this case, you need a platform on which the entire range of brand products will be presented. Partners buy collections and sell them locally. The retail price of products is the same in all regions of the country, while the brand has a high margin. In this format, we cooperate with boutique owners in Volgograd, Kaliningrad, Kirov and Simferopol.
2. Regional office. That is, work the same way as I started: make regular purchases of each new collection. Today, when a potential distributor comes to us who is in love with our jewelry and wants to make money with NOOSA, we tell us what promotion mechanisms can be used, share secrets, and help. In this case, accessories are sold, as in the first option, at the retail price recommended by the head office in Krasnodar. Official representatives work in 18 cities and regions of the country, as well as in Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

It is convenient for our partners in stores and regions: the entire range is available for order at any time, since our main warehouse in Krasnodar has all items, including products from the regular collection, as well as new items from limited collections.

Often distributors become people who are already familiar with our product. It is important for us to cooperate with those who value every customer and know that coincidences are not accidental. You should have intuition, believe in buttons and share positive emotions with others. The effect of symbols is not magic. This is the power of a person's faith in himself.

We do not charge the distributor upfront for future collections. We take these risks upon ourselves

Purchase of collections

I get acquainted with new collections 9 months before the start of retail sales. After the presentation of new products in Amsterdam, I pre-order accessories several months in advance and make an advance payment. For example, product orders for August and November of this year have already been placed.

My task is to predict how many bracelets, buttons, bags of one type or another we can sell in Russia, and what design options our customers will like. At the very beginning of the work, the forecast was more based on intuition, and it was also important to listen to personal taste, present the widest possible range of products and also provide the opportunity to purchase accessories from the classic collection, which is currently always available to each representative. Now, when ordering, the preferences of customers from different regions are taken into account.

It’s interesting that in Krasnodar the audience, which traditionally prefers bright colors in clothes, chooses more conceptual bracelets, bags and wallets from our brand and builds a look around them. The image is based on black, gray and blue products. And, say, ocher and wine-colored creations sell better in Siberia than in the south. St. Petersburg residents, on the contrary, often wear colored bracelets and buttons, further creating a joyful mood. “Nusamans” in Ukraine, Crimea and Kazakhstan are at the initial stage of getting to know the brand, so they prefer universal accessories that are suitable for both casual and evening wear.

While the accessories are making their way from Amsterdam to us, Russian distributors receive a new order form and form a purchase. After the appearance of the next limited collection in our warehouse in Krasnodar, we immediately send the products to representatives in the regions.

We make life easier for our distributors: we do not take advance payment for future collections. Thus, partners do not “freeze” 30–50% of the order value for several months - our company takes on these risks.

The advantage of the brand's products is NOOSA-Amsterdam accessories outside the season and time. In other words, all products are popular throughout the year and do not go out of style.

Specifics of purchasing in euros

In our country it is difficult to plan a strategy for several years in advance. Especially when the business directly depends on the euro exchange rate, like mine. Our company has already successfully survived three financial crises in the Russian economy. When the ruble weakened against the European currency, I did not make drastic decisions: for example, to stop business, immediately raise prices and thereby scare off buyers and distributors. Therefore, I kept prices at the same level for a long time. Then the increase ranged from 5 to 12% for various categories of goods. However, as soon as the situation in the economy stabilized, the ruble “created” and the sudden jumps in the exchange rate stopped, we again reduced prices.

Interview. Womenbz journalist Daria Sharkova and entrepreneur Elena Lapko

Preparing new collections for sale in Russia

New limited collections appear 4 times a year. Each of them produces an average of two dozen new products. We independently prepare detailed descriptions of the buttons, immersing ourselves in the culture, myths and beliefs of those countries and peoples where the signs depicted on the buttons originated. Information about all the symbol buttons released by the brand throughout its history can be found on the official website. Our company also publishes its own booklet, in which the lookbook is combined with interesting information about the philosophy of NOOSA-Amsterdam.

Retail sales and promotion

We continue to work with retail customers. They can purchase jewelry in our online store. This is a partnership project associated with our central warehouse in Krasnodar, and online prices match retail prices throughout Russia. We are currently finalizing it to create a unified retail sales platform for distributors in different regions. It is important for us to launch a portal that has a unified visual style, a system of relationships with customers and accounting for products in the warehouse.

We pay a lot of attention to social networks. In 2015 I created a full-fledged Instagram profile. Today it is a working mechanism for increasing brand awareness and retail sales. Each regional representative also has his own Instagram account, in which our partner publishes both author’s photographs and image photographs provided by us. In addition to the materials received from the Dutch, we ourselves constantly initiate professional photo sessions that convey the beauty of accessories and the philosophy of the brand.

Participation in specialized exhibitions is also important. We are convinced that such events help make the brand more recognizable. We took part in Collection Premiere Moscow (CPM), opened a corner as part of Moscow Fashion Week with the support of Mercedes-Benz. Official representatives of NOOSA-Amsterdam can be found at major regional and Moscow exhibitions, fashion markets and among partners of social events.

About buyers

Our customers are strong, special individuals. There was an opinion that the majority of “nusamans” or, as we also call them, noosapeople, are representatives of creative professions. But our accessories are also purchased with pleasure by young mothers, doctors, employees of financial organizations - in fact, everything goes deeper and more diverse.

In other words, the main thing for a person is to find a reflection of his inner world in our unusual products and choose signs that are close to his heart. Our people appreciate things with strong energy, created with soul and from natural materials, and are aware of their individual style. Having once purchased a bracelet, after a while the buyer strives to become the owner of a wallet and bag, and having attached a set of buttons to the accessory, he returns for new symbols.

Employees

At the moment, in addition to me, our team includes a PR and Marketing Director, a Development Director, and a Client Relations Manager. An accountant and an IT specialist are outsourced.

I try to motivate and encourage my colleagues. For example, for the results of their work over the past two years, two employees were awarded a trip to Amsterdam. In general, I am lucky: there is harmony and mutual understanding in our team. This is logical, because we are united by a love for such beauty.

In business, as in driving a car, the rules are the same for everyone: both men and women

Competition

In fact, all modular accessories can be our competitors. But still, our customers do not like things presented in the mass market. In addition, Nusamans will never buy a Chinese fake Noosa bracelet made of leatherette and with a plastic button.

We occupy a “niche of unusualness.” We are often compared to other stacked bracelets, such as charm jewelry, but we are very different, even in appearance. This is a completely different style and, in my opinion, a different philosophy and meaning. If you buy a charm when you want to remember something, then by choosing a button, you “write” your future.

I feel pleasure that the product we offer people brings them joy. Increasingly, bracelets are purchased as a talisman or a universal gift that carries a positive message, and to a lesser extent - as simply a fashionable item.

About women in business

I believe that in business, as in, say, driving a car, the rules are the same for everyone, both men and women. The gender of a successful businessman does not matter. In my opinion, it is wrong to believe that if you are a woman, you will be given a head start.

Owning my own business helped develop my business qualities and negotiation skills. It is important for a businessman to have a balance between the energies of Yin and Yang, because if the balance is upset, then the head of the company will not be able to use analytical thinking and intuition equally. Also, success largely depends on personal charisma.

1. Find a balance between work and family life, devote enough time and attention to those you love. Make people around you happy to get that warmth back.

2. As for risk, it is always justified! There is not a single business that does not have certain difficulties. My business, as I have already said, depends on the euro exchange rate, and I take upon myself all temporary difficulties caused by the increase in the exchange rate. There is no such thing as a smooth and sweet business. If you are not willing to take risks, owning your own business is not for you.

3. It is very important to have a safety net in the form of a reserve of financial resources and support from loved ones, to have the willingness and fearlessness to stay afloat, no matter how stormy the environment is.

Each of us has heard the word “distributor” many times, but not everyone has had to think about how to become a distributor. We are all looking for ourselves in this life, and the profession of a distributor presupposes freedom, including financial freedom.

A distributor is a trading company that purchases products from manufacturers on favorable terms and sells products on regional markets. The distributor company is the second link in the trade chain, it comes immediately after the manufacturer.

How to become an official distributor?

The secret of the distributor's profit lies in the fact that he works with manufacturers on the most favorable terms, receiving privileges and the maximum possible discount on products.

What are the responsibilities of a distributor? He must conduct active sales according to a well-chosen work scheme. The key to success will be energy, enterprise, and the ability to conduct and conclude profitable deals. Here is the main list of distributor responsibilities:

• active search for clients;
• conducting product presentations;
• signing contracts and concluding transactions.

What does it take to become a distributor?

Anyone who has the necessary natural qualities and has a burning desire to earn good money by working for themselves can master this profession. If you wish to become a distributor for a specific company and are already an individual entrepreneur, you must simply submit an application to the manufacturer. Attention, you should choose companies for cooperation carefully! Give preference to the most well-known companies with extensive experience, length of service, and a good reputation. Don’t be lazy to compare the terms of cooperation, calculate the benefits and economic effect, look for pitfalls. Choose the best, this is the only way you can get ahead of your competitors and offer your to potential customers the highest quality products at reasonable prices.

When your application is reviewed, you will receive a response. If the decision is positive, the company’s specialists will contact you and they will clarify all the details of the cooperation. Collaboration can be regular or remote. Normal cooperation takes place within one locality or district, and remote cooperation occurs within different regions or when searching for clients through a.

Now you know in more detail about how to become a successful distributor. Work, move forward, learn and act, and then success, luck and financial well-being will definitely become constant companions of your business!

Instructions

First, you should find a leader who can create a large sales system under him. Give up the dream that some ideal distributor will work for you, being content with a small reward, and you can do nothing at all. Finding a key distributor is finding a partner, and you need to know what you can give him in exchange for active work.

The most important thing is to be able to interest a person in your work. Your distributor must be personally interested in the success of your business - only then will he work to his full potential. Young people are ready to work for bonuses, gifts, small percentages of sales, but a good specialist is unlikely to agree to such conditions.

If you decide to make a wide sales network, place search ads distributors in various sources. Finding partners through the media is effective: newspapers and television. You can also post vacancies on job boards and online job sites. Advertisements are also effective in crowded places: at bus stops, at entrances, on advertisement stands. Some of the people who responded to your ads will drop out, but some will remain and cooperate with you, bringing you profit.

Think about how you can motivate your potential distributors. Keep in mind that many people are already disillusioned and prefer to work for a small but guaranteed salary. You can offer gifts, bonuses, discounts on travel around the world and other opportunities. Stories about real people who have achieved success online are effective. It is also important to make the responding people believe in your products, in their high quality, and in their significance for everyone. Distributing good products is easier and more enjoyable than distributing low-quality ones.

When talking to people about joining as a distributor, try to be honest, not promising mountains of gold, but give hope of success. After all, without receiving what was promised, the person will not only leave you soon, but will also spread rumors that are destructive for the company. Be honest with your partners! Think about how you can help these people, what you can give them, and you will get what you yourself are seeking.

Video on the topic

In recent years, the number distributors worldwide is steadily increasing. Being an official distributor is beneficial not only for companies, but also for individual entrepreneurs. Why is distribution so relevant and widespread these days?

"Distributor" has several meanings. In the broadest sense of the word, a distributor is one who carries out trading and, often, marketing activities. Distributors are enterprises that have the right to purchase and sell certain products (most often cars, various equipment, software, etc.) in regional (including foreign) markets. has expanded significantly. Nowadays, the concept of “distributor” is most often mentioned in the context of multi-level marketing, meaning a representative of a company who independently sells products using the direct sales method. In America, the first distributors appeared already in the 30s. last century. Then Karl Rehnborg, a chemist by profession, founded a company engaged in the production and sale of dietary supplements. Each product buyer became a distributor of the company and had the right to receive a percentage of sales upon successful involvement of new customers in the sales network. And, I must say, Rehnborg’s business turned out to be very profitable; the company managed to reach fairly decent turnover in a short time. Further, the distribution system was further improved by the fact that the company’s distributor made a profit even from the sales of those distributors who joined the trading process not personally, but at the suggestion of those once attracted by him distributors. In the 90s Russian citizens were robbed by many pyramids that positioned their activities as distributors. But then people simply did not know that a distributor should not begin his career ascent with any entry fees. Today, distribution is an absolutely legal business scheme. How

Many people dream of becoming a distributor. This is not surprising, because a person holding such a position usually receives a fairly high salary, works on a flexible schedule, travels a lot, does not sit in one place in the office, and even decides for himself exactly how to do his job. As you can see, this profession has many advantages.

There is only one minus, and it is that not everyone knows what exactly the job of a distributor is, and most importantly, how to become one.

To begin with, it is worth understanding that the distributor, no matter what company he works for, is engaged in building a sales market for this company. Well, becoming a distributor is not difficult.

Below is what is required and where you can start.

What does it take to become a distributor?

In fact, anyone can become a distributor. All that is needed for this is a desire to work, and at least a rough understanding of the functioning of the market for goods and services that the company is targeting. And, of course, it goes without saying that you need to start the path to becoming a distributor by choosing an organization whose products you want to distribute.

You can choose both direct manufacturers and intermediary companies. For example, you can be a distributor of a specific Lipton tea, or some wholesale tea store, then you can distribute products from different companies.

In order to choose who to work for, you just need to think about what things or services you would be most happy to sell.

Don't know how to become a company distributor? Follow our advice!

When you have chosen a company whose products or services you want to sell, you should first find out how things work with distributors in this company.

Sometimes it happens that the company itself hires distributors, and sometimes the recruitment of people for this position is carried out by an intermediary company engaged in personnel selection. This information can be found on the Internet, or as a last resort, you can write a letter directly to the company.

Usually the number of distributors is not limited, although there are situations where a company appoints only one wholesale distributor for a particular area.

In any case, you can get into this position even if there are no open vacancies. To do this, you can write a letter to the company, or call the phone number designated for contacts on cooperation issues. However, it is very important to prepare to be competitive. To do this you need:

• Get acquainted with the company's product range;
• Familiarize yourself with the market and the current situation in the sale of company products;
• Develop several proposals to increase sales of the products offered by the company.

How to become a distributor of a foreign company

It is very convenient to work as a distributor in a foreign company, because such companies rarely have a good sales market in our country, therefore, there is a large field of activity, and considerable prospects open up.

In order to become a distributor of any foreign company, you must

• first choose a company,
• get acquainted with its assortment,
• learn about the current situation in sales of the company’s products
• be ready to offer your solution to improve sales.

When contacting a foreign company, you must describe why you are ideally suited to be a distributor abroad, that is, in your region, and how exactly you can help this company expand its sales market.

Step-by-step instructions on how to become a clothing distributor

If you like clothes, becoming a distributor for a company that produces or sells them is a great solution. You can work on both wholesale and retail sales.

After you choose a specific company whose products you want to distribute, and get a job as a distributor, showing your familiarity with the market and competitiveness, you can start working according to the following scheme:

• Assess which category of the population may like the company’s clothing;
• Find stores in the city, including online, that are aimed at selling clothing to a category of people who may be interested in the company’s products;
• Write down the main advantages of your company's clothing, prepare a catalog of its best products, and with this all go shopping, describing how profitable it will be for them to sell the clothing you offer.

The easiest way to get a job as a food distributor is because there are a huge number of food companies, and they constantly need to expand their sales market.

Follow this plan:

• Find a suitable manufacturer or large wholesale store;
• Check out the range;
• Propose your candidacy for the role of distributor, preparing some interesting ideas for more effective product sales;
• Find retail stores that don't already stock your product and convince them to distribute it;
• Go to catering establishments, offering to order your food products.

By acting as described above, you will become not just a distributor, but a good distributor.

How to become a distributor - who is he and what does he do + 7 detailed steps + recommendations for cooperation with foreign companies.

The concept of “distribution” is familiar to many, although this branch of activity is relatively new in post-Soviet countries.

But despite this, many are interested in the question how to become a distributor.

In fact, it is not difficult, but before choosing such a profession, you need to familiarize yourself with its features and operating principles.

Who is a distributor?

Before moving on to considering how to become a distributor, it is worth finding out who it is.

The word “distributor” is of English origin (distributor) and translated means distributor, distributor.

Speaking in the language of economics, this is an individual (in the form of an individual entrepreneur) or legal entity (enterprise) that purchases goods at low prices directly from the manufacturer for the purpose of their further sale to buyers, dealers or other sellers.

To put it briefly and simply, a distributor is between the manufacturer and the buyer or sellers.

There are several schemes for the movement of goods:

with one or more dealers

Manufacturing company → Distributor → Dealer → Retailer → End consumer

without a dealer

Manufacturing company → Distributor → Retailer → End consumer

direct sales (most often used in network marketing)

Manufacturing company → Distributor → End consumer

As you can see, in the chain of movement of goods from the manufacturer to the final consumer, no matter how long it is, the distributor will be in second place.

He can sell products to dealers, or he can immediately provide them to customers.

The main difference between a distributor and other intermediaries is that he is the official representative of the manufacturer and has the exclusive right to distribute products in a certain territory.

At the same time, a contract is concluded between them, which will describe the terms of cooperation, including the pricing policy.

The distributor's income, in turn, is a discount provided by the manufacturing company.

What types of distributors are there:

• general - has the fundamental right to distribute the goods on his own;
• exclusive - has the sole right to distribute the product in a certain territory. Most often, such distributors form a network of official dealers and sell goods through it.

One manufacturer may have several distributors, and those, in turn, may be representatives of several companies.

What is the difference between a distributor and a dealer?

Many people confuse a distributor with a dealer, because both act as intermediaries and sellers of goods.

The main differences between them are not stated anywhere in law, because the terms of their cooperation will be specified in contracts.

But generally speaking, the distributor sells goods only in wholesale quantities, and the dealer most often works for small wholesale and retail.

How to become a distributor and what does it do?

• expansion and expansion of the sales network;
• constant monitoring of the sales market;
• promotion, with whom he collaborates;
• searching for new dealers and retailers;
• conducting an analysis of demand for goods in your region;
• providing marketing services to dealers;
• when purchasing electronic or household appliances and equipment, installation, configuration and warranty service.

Step-by-step instructions on how to become a distributor

So, if you are interested in how to become a distributor, then you should know that an agreement will be concluded between you and the manufacturer, which is called a “distribution agreement.”

It will state:

• rights and obligations of both parties;
• conditions for the purchase and sale of goods;
• pricing policy.

Sometimes the manufacturer requires that the future distributor undergo a probationary period.

During this time, he can demonstrate his professionalism in the field of sales.

If everything goes well, then the distributor receives a certificate from an official or exclusive representative of the company.

Now let's move on to step-by-step instructions on how to become a distributor:

Choose the direction you want to work in.

This could include food, household goods, household or electronic appliances, cars and much more.

To do this, analyze the market; perhaps some niches are not yet occupied, but there is a demand for them.

Also consider new companies that are not yet present in your area.

To do this, visit thematic forums and post advertisements.

Passive search for buyers can be done by creating your own website.

Perhaps potential clients will find you on their own.

Travel independently around the region in search of sales points.

To do this, you need to take samples with you and travel around your region with offers of cooperation.

It is important to be able to use your communication skills here.

Create a marketing and sales department.


If you are not ready to work alone, then hire several good marketers and sales people who will have a client base in their track record.

For these purposes, you can use the Internet (social networks, thematic sites), outdoor advertising, and advertisements in local print media.

You will learn from the video what mistakes distributors often make in their activities:

If you are looking for an answer to the question: “ How to become a distributor?”, then decide for yourself how much time you are willing to devote to such activities.

Your income will directly depend on your desire to work.

If you are a student or a young mother, you can choose network marketing, in which case you will only spend half your working day.

And when collaborating with large manufacturers who produce expensive products, you can have millions in turnover at your disposal.

Therefore, choose a direction according to your capabilities and get to work.

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