Commercial sale

In commercial sales , the service generally changes hands several times after production along the so-called retail chain . On the other hand, there is direct sales , in which the service on the distribution channel between manufacturer and importer only changes hands once.

Classic commercial distribution

Especially in the B-to-C area with the inherent necessity of an area-wide distribution of large quantities ( physical distribution / logistics ) and in international trade , the sales risk and costs, but also the overall profit and service availability, vary along the chain distributed by authorized dealers towards the end user .

Examples of this are the retail chains of the Metro Group or the Rewe Group , the textile trade or some car manufacturers ( Daimler and BMW sell their products through dealers as well as through company branches).

Trading companies in the B-to-B market are not so strongly represented, as the products are often adapted or made to customer requirements. This makes the intermediate trade less useful here. There are exceptions, however: international distributors that primarily with the - and export deal, supplier of semi-finished , steel , construction -, auxiliary - or supplies , as well as relatively simple machine tools , truck - or office equipment suppliers .

Examples that are not commercial sales

The number of vicarious agents or intermediaries involved in direct sales ( salespeople , travelers or commercial agents , even with large companies of their own) sometimes blurs the definition of commercial sales . Ultimately, however, it does not change the accuracy of the definition itself. To the customer it often looks as if a "dealer" was standing between the provider and him and service providers such as B. travel agents , insurance companies or marriage brokers also appear with agents who run their own businesses (see commercial agents ).

Nevertheless, direct sales must be used here because the service is not temporarily sold. Since the insurance benefit, the travel service or the partner contact clearly do not pass into the property of the agent between development and use, one cannot speak of commercial sales here, even if the agent runs his own business.

Should the provider replace personal advice, for example, with an Internet portal or telephone advice, the term “direct sales” is often used. In this case, it can be assumed that the colloquial dilution of the original conditions in favor of an effective image statement while saving personal mediation. However, since this does not affect any performance promise and no other competition law provisions are violated, this is generally accepted.