Operate > WebSphere Commerce Accelerator > Business relationship management > Create distributor relationships: an overview
Distributors
In WebSphere Commerce, in the context of the demand chain business model, a distributor is defined an indirect seller of products. A distributor does not sell directly to end users of the product, but only to other sellers, such as resellers. A distributor may provide its own value-add services of modifications to the products, and also may choose to group products for sale into kits or bundles differently from its suppliers.
To work with distributors, use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator.
- Manage distributor service agreements
After the distributor service agreement is deployed, the Seller Administrator or Channel Manager can perform the following tasks to manage a distributor's service agreement.
- Create distributor service agreements
Before you create a distributor service agreement, ensure that the following steps are complete.
- Changing a distributor service agreement
Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to change a distributor service agreement.
- Export distributor service agreements
Exporting a distributor service agreement removes it from the WebSphere Commerce Server.
- Import distributor service agreements
Importing a distributor service agreement uploads a distributor service agreement in XML format from the local client to the WebSphere Commerce Server and deploys the service agreement in WebSphere Commerce. Note that if you import a contract by using XML, and want to have that contract appear in the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, then have a contract description.
- Redeploy a service agreement for a distributor
Deployment of a distributor service agreement normally occurs automatically after the service agreement is imported. If deployment of a service agreement fails, you can attempt to deploy the service agreement manually. Only service agreements with a status of Deployment Failed can be redeployed.