How to distinguish between all the different names for a supplier?
It can definitely get confusing with all the different terms out there to describe a supplier. You may come across the following terms:
- Brand
- Wholesaler
- Distributor
- Manufacturer
Essentially the overarching term we use for companies that are selling their products to our type of business is a supplier.
A supplier can also be known as a brand, wholesaler, distributor or manufacturer depending on how involved they are with the rest of the supply chain.
When we are looking to sign a supplier, it doesn’t really matter too much how involved they are with the rest of the supply chain they are. No matter how they present themselves, just look to see whether they are working with your direct competitors and you can work out how they operate once you have signed them up and uploaded their products.
For additional info and help understanding the various terms, the following short definitions give you an idea how the terms tend to be used:
- Brand - if the supplier's company name is front facing and perhaps displayed on the products, they may be referred to as a brand
- Wholesaler - often a company that specialises in only selling to retailers and not the end consumer
- Distributor - may be selling more than one brand or they may be the UK branch of a supply chain
- Manufacturer - if they are the company themselves that manufactures the products