The sale of a good or service via a third-party, such as a partner or affiliate, rather than by a company's employees, is known as indirect sales. Indirect sales can be utilized in conjunction with a company's direct sales efforts or instead of recruiting sales personnel. Resellers, such as specialty businesses and big-box retailers, are frequently used to make indirect sales. Instead of having to distribute yourself directly, why not use 3rd parties and their customer base and reach into local markets?

When and how to apply Indirect Selling:

Sales made by a third party, such as an affiliate or sales partner, are indirect sales. Companies frequently combine indirect and direct sales to increase their profits. In order to save money, a business may employ indirect sales rather than hiring additional sales personnel. Indirect sellers consist of resellers such as secondhand stores, specialty shops, and large retail chains.

Companies use indirect sales to either bolster their existing direct sales or replace their need for sales staff by taking on indirect sales. Companies that may use indirect sales to further their product sales include:

• Hardware companies

• Software companies

• Specialized retail chains for household items

• Companies selling to other nations

Companies often use indirect sales to:

• Sell a product with such high demand that they can't hire sales professionals fast enough

• Increase profit by using both direct and indirect sales

• Sell to another country

Well-known companies that use this pattern are Visa and Patagonia.