reseller, distributor, partner

We provide services and currently have both a reseller and a distributor
program. In addition, we are considering a partner program.

Reseller - Directly resell services under your own name.

Distributor - Provide link on your Web site and get a cut.

Partner - More of a general header.

Do you think this is too confusing to have several programs like that?

--
Robert Anderson

In article <cujhhi0g06@enews2.newsguy.com>,
"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote:

> We provide services and currently have both a reseller and a distributor
> program. In addition, we are considering a partner program.
>
> Reseller - Directly resell services under your own name.
>
> Distributor - Provide link on your Web site and get a cut.
>
> Partner - More of a general header.
>
> Do you think this is too confusing to have several programs like that?

No ethical business person would deal with someone who does
both distribution and resale. If I sign up as a reseller,
I will have you be my competition. Who knows what you will
do to take away my customers or to screw up my sales. It also
gives you the ability to under-cut my retail prices. A
distributor can never be in a position to sell to the end user
if they want to keep a resale channel viable.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

In article <cujhhi0g06@enews2.newsguy.com>,
"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote:

> We provide services and currently have both a reseller and a distributor
> program. In addition, we are considering a partner program.
>
> Reseller - Directly resell services under your own name.
>
> Distributor - Provide link on your Web site and get a cut.
>
> Partner - More of a general header.
>
> Do you think this is too confusing to have several programs like that?

No ethical business person would deal with someone who does
both distribution and resale. If I sign up as a reseller,
I will have you be my competition. Who knows what you will
do to take away my customers or to screw up my sales. It also
gives you the ability to under-cut my retail prices. A
distributor can never be in a position to sell to the end user
if they want to keep a resale channel viable.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

John A. Weeks III wrote:
> In article <cujhhi0g06@enews2.newsguy.com>,
> "Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote:
>
>
>>We provide services and currently have both a reseller and a distributor
>>program. In addition, we are considering a partner program.
>>
>>Reseller - Directly resell services under your own name.
>>
>>Distributor - Provide link on your Web site and get a cut.
>>
>>Partner - More of a general header.
>>
>>Do you think this is too confusing to have several programs like that?
>
>
> No ethical business person would deal with someone who does
> both distribution and resale. If I sign up as a reseller,
> I will have you be my competition. Who knows what you will
> do to take away my customers or to screw up my sales. It also
> gives you the ability to under-cut my retail prices. A
> distributor can never be in a position to sell to the end user
> if they want to keep a resale channel viable.
>
> -john-
>

I wish you could have told that to LaGarde Software! They make an
e-commerce application called StoreFront; their primary customers for
that app were developers, as it isn't an easy out-of-the-box solution.

They now offer development services themselves.

Why should I as a developer recommend a third-party application whose
source will become my strongest competitor? Needless to say, I
recommend a different app to my clients now.

Win
--------------

--
Win Day
Wild Rose Websites
"You dream it. We make it work."
-----------------------------------------------
Building affordable websites : http://www.wildrosewebsites.com
NEW! Website Design Kits : http://www.wildrosewebsites.com/services/kits.asp
-----------------------------------------------

John,

You wrote: "No ethical business person would deal with someone who does
both distribution and resale".

What do you see as the difference between what Robert is proposing and
the business models that use multiple channels. Eg: (in the UK)
insurance companies sell direct as well as via independent brokers and
wholly/partly-owned estate agents, all effectively in competition with
each other. Or to give a specific example, Sony sell their products
direct (via their website) but also distribute to large national chains
and local computer shops for resale.

Steve

Hi Robert,

What type of product are you reselling and distributing? The "partner"
category is a little vague. It would help to understand the type of product,
as "reseller" and "distributor" have different and same meanings depending
on the context.

Kay

"Robert Anderson" <rbanderson@nospamnwlink.com> wrote in message
news:cujhhi0g06@enews2.newsguy.com...
>
>
> We provide services and currently have both a reseller and a distributor
> program. In addition, we are considering a partner program.
>
> Reseller - Directly resell services under your own name.
>
> Distributor - Provide link on your Web site and get a cut.
>
> Partner - More of a general header.
>
> Do you think this is too confusing to have several programs like that?
>
> --
> Robert Anderson
>
>
>