Dealers are a type of customer trading partner, common in equipment, automotive, building products, agriculture and other industries where products need local sales, installation, parts or service. A manufacturer’s dealer network is the group of dealers authorized to sell and support its products, usually under agreements that set territories, pricing tiers and service obligations.
Dealer ordering covers more than finished goods. Dealers order stock, special orders, replacement parts and warranty items, often against contracted or tiered pricing. Many dealers are independent businesses without EDI, so orders arrive by phone, email, spreadsheet or PDF, and someone at the manufacturer keys them into the ERP. That creates delays, pricing errors and a lot of status calls.
For the manufacturer, the dealer network is often the face of the brand. Accurate catalogs, correct dealer-specific prices and reliable order status make it easier for dealers to sell, and lower the cost to serve each account. Poor dealer ordering has the opposite effect: dealers lose confidence in stock and pricing information and may shift sales to brands that are easier to order from.