Buying Cars and Other Vehicles From Multiple Suppliers

Many companies sell vehicles and accessories from their own premises. This is often convenient for the consumer, since many consumers like to see a showroom from which they can make informed decisions about which car they want. The practice of offering vehicles for sale from the company’s own retail outlets is also often called direct sales. Wholesale and direct sales are typically not identical, however, as in certain circumstances businesses may use wholesalers or distributors to deliver vehicles directly to customers. Not all of these distributors and wholesalers of vehicles and accessories to work through the same kind of organization; a thorough search of the Yellow Pages should help to determine the source of goods.

Providers of vehicles and accessories are categorized by the type of goods that they provide, such as automotive, business, recreational, luxury, military, commercial, medical, government, commercial fleet, or any other category of goods. For example, distributors who offer vehicles are suppliers , wholesalers are retailers, and dealers are intermediaries. Business supply providers are generally merchants. In addition, providers of vehicles and accessories may be found in-house, out-sourced, or contracted with third party providers.

For an insurance provider, a wholesaler, or a seller of business products, there is usually only one type of customer, and they are the business owners who use the goods or services. Distributors and suppliers are often located in different areas of the country and may be seen in trade publications or on the Internet. Some providers of vehicles and accessories to purchase vehicles directly from manufacturers or other automobile manufacturers, and only sell them to distributors or wholesalers. If a distributor provides vehicles directly to the business owner, the distributor is considered a supplier of business goods.