Intermediaries on eBay: making the right choice of company. American mediation style and Russian realities. Problems with the shipment of goods to your country

Section 1. Types of intermediaries.

Section 3. Features of activity intermediaries.

Section 4. Rights intermediaries.

Section 5. Remuneration of intermediaries.

Intermediary - it is in commerce - a person, or firm standing between the producer and the purchaser of the product and facilitating its turnover.

Intermediary - it is in jurisprudence - a person, organization or facilitating the seller and buyer in the conclusion and execution of the contract.

Intermediary - it is a legal (organization,) or physical. a person assisting in the completion of any transaction. An example of an intermediary in commerce: a broker.

trade" width="540" />

Types of intermediaries

Simple - trading companies, persons and organizations that facilitate the conclusion of contracts, but do not themselves participate in their implementation. (brokers or brokerage organizations).

Attorneys - firms, persons or organizations that are involved sellers or buyers (principals) to make transactions on behalf and at the expense of principals.

Commission agents - firms, individuals and organizations that are looking for partners and sign sales contracts on their own behalf, but at the expense of sellers or buyers (consignors), who bear the commercial.

Consignees - a kind of commission agents working on certain conditions, in particular, they accept goods to your warehouse; sell them on the market within long term; unsold goods may be returned to the manufacturer.

Agents - legal (companies, organizations) or individuals , performing certain operations on behalf of another person (principal) at his expense and on his behalf, as well as ensuring the preparation of transactions, but usually without the right to sign an agreement.

Sales - independent trade organizations involved in the sale of goods. (Merchants, resellers, distributors).

Directions in mediation

Simple: brokers or brokerage companies - they look for and bring together interested sellers and buyers, but do not invest their funds in the execution of transactions, do not appear in sales contracts as a party. They work mainly for serious markets(in Britain - market the woods).

Attorneys: their services are resorted to when businessmen themselves enter into treaty they don't know how, but they can do it. IN international trade the services of foreign attorneys are rarely resorted to. They are called differently: in the Republic of Germany - sales representatives, in Switzerland - agents, in France - sales agents.

Commissioners: concludes concessions purchase and sale on its own behalf and acts in it as (sometimes agrees with the committent on the listed technical and commercial provisions before the commission agent signs the sale and purchase transaction)

Consignees: accept goods to their warehouse; sell them on the market for a long time deadline; unsold goods may be returned to the manufacturer.

Agents: perform certain operations on behalf of another person (principal) at his expense and on his behalf; provide preparation of transactions, but usually without the right to sign an agreement.

Features of the activities of intermediaries

Simple: market research; informing about product and market development trends; meeting and providing representatives and their product with premises, transport; company of business meetings with contractors; implementation of advertising; creating a favorable opinion; informing about upcoming large purchases, auctions.

Commissioners: market research; implementation of advertising, maintenance of trade items; protection of the commercial interests of the consignor.

Consignees: the ability to raise prices for a product if it goes well sales.

Agents: in different countries are interpreted in different ways: in the USA and England - any intermediary (simple, attorney, commission agent), in the Euro-continental - simple or attorney; they can also name dealers, brokers, personal representatives, lawyers who carry out their actions with the knowledge of the principal under an agency agreement for a fee.

Sales: conclusion of sales contracts on their own behalf, both with sellers and buyers (independently); market research; advertising of goods and the manufacturer; maintenance of stock warehouses; performance of pre-sales service and pre-sales refinement of goods; creation of a stable sales network, which may include regional distributors, end sellers (dealers); technical support. maintenance of products at all levels; are responsible for all types of risks (damage, loss of the purchased product, etc.; they themselves appoint price; are themselves responsible for risks on customer loans.

Intermediary Rights

Non-exclusive right sales. The intermediary receives the right to sell products in a certain territory for a certain time. But this does not forbid the manufacturer to attract here and on the same period and other intermediaries to market this product. The manufacturer can insist on such conditions when entering a new one in order to work with different intermediaries, compare them and choose the most promising one.

Exclusive right to sell. Having provided such conditions to an intermediary, the producer in a certain territory at a specified time cannot sell the same goods either himself or through other intermediaries. In this regard, in an agreement with an intermediary on such terms, a number of clauses are included, for example, that the manufacturer: can sell such a product to government organizations, bypassing the intermediary; not to pay remuneration for the sale of the product under agreements concluded before the agreement; sell spare parts under contracts concluded before the contract; to sell the product bypassing the intermediary, if it is bought as a component part of another product, etc. The agreement may include the following conditions: the intermediary's obligation to sell a certain amount of the product within a certain period of time; the possibility of canceling the agreement if the previously specified condition is not met; do not trade the same product of other suppliers (and maybe trade if the goods complement each other and their joint sale helps to increase sales).

The pre-emptive right to sell (the right of “first hand”). Under this condition, the manufacturer of the product is obliged to the supplier of the product, first of all, to the intermediary, and only after his refusal, to another (without paying remuneration to the first) intermediary or to sell it independently. In an intermediary agreement with supplier list the motives for which the intermediary may refuse the product: unsatisfactory specifications; low quality; overpriced price; unacceptable payment terms.

Height="595" src="/pictures/investments/img825168_10_Otsenka_vozmozhnostey_potentsialnyih_posrednikov.jpeg" title="(!LANG:10. Assessing potential intermediaries" width="743">!}

Intermediary fees

Payment of the difference between the sale price of the product on the market and the price at which the product is transferred to the intermediary. Stimulates the intermediary to increase sales volumes, but is not interested in raising the price at which he receives the product from supplier. It can be applied when the supplier knows well the selling prices of similar goods on the market.

Calculation of an agreed percentage of the price at which the product is transferred to an intermediary and which is set at the same level as the sale on the market. Stimulates the growth of sales volumes, interests the intermediary in raising the price of the goods sold. The interests of the supplier and the intermediary coincide.

supplierfy"> Mixed form of payment: accrual of remuneration in the form Percent from Sales and Differences prices. The nominal sale of the Product and the Price at which the Product is transferred to the Intermediary are set. This method can be used if the Supplier is able to control the actual Prices at which the Intermediary sells its Product.

Remuneration in a fixed, predetermined amount. Used in calculations certain types services of the Intermediary: for a targeted Market research on a new Product; promotional event; receiving legal advice. Calculations of remuneration according to the “Cost + premium” system. In settlements for the execution of individual orders of the Supplier. The Intermediary provides documents confirming the costs, and the Supplier pays them and pays a premium calculated by the agreed method (Supplier as a percentage of costs).

Payment of additional incentive remuneration for the fulfillment of obligations. You can set, for example, remuneration for the regularity of maintenance. The costs associated with maintenance and the agreed additional remuneration are paid if the Intermediary provides documents that Maintenance produced regularly and with high quality.

Sources

bestreferat.ru - Abstracts

glossary.ru - Glossary

en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

bobych.ru - Abstracts


Encyclopedia of the investor. 2013 .

Synonyms:

See what "Intermediary" is in other dictionaries:

    Mediator- Intermediary: Intermediary legal (firm, organization) or individual, assisting in the completion of any transaction. Example of an intermediary in commerce: broker, dealer, broker. Films "The Mediator": The Mediator (film, 1968) American ... ... Wikipedia

    Mediator- (intermediary) Any person or organization acting as an agent (See: agency or broker) between the parties involved in the transaction. See also: financial intermediary (financial intermediary); independent ... ... Financial vocabulary

    intermediary- Attorney, representative, authorized, messenger, ambassador, envoy, broker, broker, commission agent, dealer, matchmaker, agent, factor; intercessor, walker, walker, elected, delegate, deputy, emissary, truce; intermediate link, point ... ... Synonym dictionary

    INTERMEDIARY- intermediary, m. 1. A person who connects, brings the seller and the buyer together or makes a deal on behalf of others, in the interests of the seller and the buyer; commission agent. An exchange intermediary is called a broker. || trans. Means of communication, communication. Mail… … Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

    Intermediary 2- Pointman Genre Comedy Starring Jack Scalia Country USA Year 1994 ... Wikipedia

The word "intermediary" appeared in the circulation of ordinary citizens relatively recently - back in relatively recent Soviet times people with this kind of activity were practically absent. It is understandable - the economy was planned, and no one cared about the effectiveness of sales. Today, however, we live in capitalism, and commercial intermediaries, for a number of reasons, play the role of almost the locomotive of the economy.

Who are they and their diversity

There are several interpretations of the term "intermediary". The first concerns the processes associated with the circulation of goods and the provision of services. In most cases, between the producers of value-added products or services and the end consumer, there is a layer of certain actors. They are intermediaries. The second interpretation of the term is a person who helps to establish links between various business entities (not necessarily a manufacturer and consumer), counterparties. One way or another, intermediaries of all types have one property in common - for some reason they know that in one place there is a manufacturer of goods, and in another there is (or should be) a buyer who is eager to purchase this product.

Thus, a person acts as a “conductor” of goods between the factory and the consumer. Intermediaries are people who can perform not only trading functions, but also some others, for example, provide the client with an additional service, the level of which, for one reason or another, is not available to the manufacturer. It is elementary - to meet the buyer and politely communicate with him, explaining the benefits of the product. Intermediaries in the market, in business are not speculators at all: they only fill with their activities a niche (trade and service) between the manufacturer and the purchaser of the goods. It is profitable to work with them for an obvious reason - a person works for a percentage and is interested in selling as much as possible.

Representatives of this specialty in trade

There is separate category- resellers, despite the fact that almost the entire scope of services of people of this profile is one way or another concentrated around sales. The key criterion that determines the direction of their work is the availability of a product or service with an established (added) value. In this way, such intermediaries differ from, say, financial brokers who work with "virtual" prices for currency or raw materials formed by the exchange. The main task that resellers perform is communication between the manufacturer of the goods and the buyer.

These people earn in two ways - by buying goods in bulk, which is cheaper, and then selling at retail, which is much more expensive, or by receiving commissions for selling the product. What are some examples of specific types of professions related to commercial intermediation? Firstly, these are brokers (the sale of goods and services for commissions, the amount of which, as a rule, is agreed in advance). This category of intermediaries includes realtors, whose commission is fixed, regardless of whether he sells apartments - new buildings or "secondary". Real estate brokers are one of the most common professions in market economies. Secondly, distributors are resellers (the sale of goods from the company to dealers, they earn on the difference in prices). Thirdly, there are traveling salesmen (universal sellers who advertise and sell goods, earn through a variety of schemes, as a rule, travel from place to place all the time). Fourthly, these are dealers (as a rule, they resell goods purchased at a reduced price directly from a distributor or from a manufacturer).

Financial intermediaries

Once upon a time, there was no particular need to conduct other transactions with money, except for buying other goods for them - the currency had a fixed (often tied to the value of gold) price. Now cash flows are a whole field for speculation. This is used by financial intermediaries. Their work is most active in the field of investment. The most demanded function of financial intermediaries here is the risk assessment of investments in a project. The investor thus entrusts the disposal of his future capital not to the object of financing directly, but to a certain person who is able to analyze how profitable the project will be, what are its prospects, primarily financial ones. Intermediaries take on the role of an entity that decides where the money will be invested.

The easiest way to understand this pattern is to look at concrete institutions. Firstly, these are trustees: having received money from clients, they decide how to profitably invest it in shares, assets, or, perhaps, lend it to someone. Secondly, these are credit unions - having at their disposal the funds of people who have joined them, they try to profitably dispose of them. Thirdly, banks can also be classified as financial intermediaries (when it comes to deposits). Fourth, this Insurance companies who, having received money from clients, use them in various savings programs. Fifth, it pension funds, which turn the funds of citizens who have drawn up an agreement into beneficial payments when a person completes labor activity. Who are financial intermediaries? These are organizations that specialize in cash flows, which can take a different form, but the content in all cases remains approximately the same.

Intermediaries in the aspect of marketing

The market is a multilevel phenomenon. The manufacturer, in order to sell his product, must, firstly, acquaint buyers with the fact of its release, and secondly, deliver the goods end user. If you can’t do it on your own, then marketing intermediaries will come to the rescue. There are several types of subjects of such activity. For example, these are companies for the logistics support of goods, companies specializing in the storage of products in warehouses, ensuring the safety of manufactured products. Most often, they are approached by manufacturers who do not have internal infrastructure resources for the mentioned types of activities or lack finances for these purposes.

Another category of marketing intermediaries are lenders (or investors) who are able to supply the business with working capital to build the necessary infrastructure or expand staff to promote the product. In addition to creditors, a businessman can turn to insurance companies that offer options for protection against entrepreneurial or commercial risks. Another category of marketing intermediaries is firms and entrepreneurs who help the manufacturer to study the market, correctly advertise the product, analyze demand and, if necessary, adjust the production process.

Service intermediaries

Services, as you know, have a number of features that fundamentally distinguish them from goods - these are intangibility, perishability, inseparability from the source of provision, as well as high volatility (variability) of quality. Due to these characteristics, the role of intermediaries in the service sector is usually limited. Since the services are intangible, the client, without trying them personally, will not be able to get an idea about their real properties, about the level of service in specific company. Intermediaries can, at best, colorfully describe the source of the provision of services, but the credibility of such actions will not always be high. The client is more likely to consider the recommendation of his acquaintance more plausible, and not a little-known person, even if he speaks very beautifully. At the same time, there is a market for mediation in the service sector, and there are firms specializing in such activities. Their common name is "service franchisor", or "service intermediary".

They enter into an agreement with the source of services and receive from it a "franchise" - exclusive rights to provide a service under a protected trademark, label, technology. The brand owner defines the basic principles according to which his services should be provided. If he decides that somewhere else there is a company or an entrepreneur capable of providing a service that meets the requirements, then he can conclude a franchise agreement with him and be sure that the client will receive approximately the same as if he came to the “head office” structure.

Retail

There is a subspecies of resellers called "retail". They buy goods from the manufacturer or distributor, in order to sell them to the final consumer at a profit. Retail intermediaries operate at end sites They have several basic functions. First, it's a selection Retail brokerage firms analyze supply chains, select the best manufacturers in terms of their business model, and compile product catalogs. Secondly, this is advertising and information work - ordering and placing commercial shows in the media, TV, the Internet, placing information about goods in shop windows, printing corporate booklets and creating other sources of product data. Thirdly, this is the placement and storage of goods in warehouses, laying them out on the counter, monitoring freshness and appearance. Fourth, this technological support transactions with buyers - acquiring, settlement and cash services, cash acceptance, exchange and return of products. This may also include lending, discount policy. Fifthly, it is the provision of various client services - delivery, work on claims, holding socially significant events.

Logistics intermediaries

The most important component of the work of a manufacturer of goods on the market is logistics. Intermediaries also exist within this area. They are divided into three main groups - 3PL providers, 4PL providers and narrow profile firms. Logistics intermediaries appeared due to the desire of manufacturers to concentrate and direct free ones to the main formats of activity. Accordingly, to solve the problems of delivering goods, factories also turn to third-party businesses (in the “outsourcing” format). Narrow profile firms related to logistics intermediaries are freight forwarders, cargo and warehouse terminal operators, transport companies. Each of them is ready to take on some of the "outsourcing" functions of the manufacturer. 3PL (third party logictics) - companies that are able to provide a comprehensive logistics service. They perform many functions, but they are all intermediaries. These are entities that are closely integrated into the business model of the manufacturer of goods. Contracts that are concluded between the factory and such organizations, as a rule, are long-term, trust-based relationships. Sometimes 3PL-providers take on liability obligations (which is rare for the "outsourcing" services market). There are also 4PL-providers - they are companies offering the most complete range of services, a kind of "reference" providers of intermediary services in the field of logistics.

Provision of services via the Internet

With the advent of online trading, the new kind intermediaries. It does not have a clear definition, let's call them "Internet intermediaries". These are people who ensure the movement of goods from the seller or manufacturer to the buyer using Internet channels. As a rule, these are legal entities or individuals who help to choose desired product(as an option - they translate the description into the native language of the buyer), control the delivery, provide exchange or return procedures. Intermediaries are connected to online trading in the following main cases. Firstly, if the online store cannot send parcels to the country where the buyer is located. Secondly, the intermediary can help deliver the goods faster than the seller would do under the standard scheme. Thirdly, the buyer may need the help of third parties if he makes purchases in different stores, and the amount for delivery is too high - you need a person who is able to "collect" different items and send them to more favorable price to one address. Fourthly, the interaction of the buyer with any way is difficult or blocked (for example, the store does not accept Russian bank cards or does not have a menu in Russian).

Features of working with intermediaries

The Russian economy is still developing, and the standards for the provision of many services have not yet been established. Therefore, the relationship between businessmen and intermediaries in our country is characterized by specific features. The youth of the market dictates its own realities. The main feature of the market now is that Russian intermediaries sometimes think tactically - they negotiate a profitable contract with inflated interest. This is not good for anyone. The manufacturer, realizing that he overpaid, will choose another partner, and the end consumer, due to the high appetites of the intermediary, will be forced to buy goods expensively.

IN developed countries the approach is usually different, more "strategic", and this is very welcome commercial organizations. Intermediaries there do not expect and do not strive for a one-time profit, but try to build long term relationship with product manufacturers. Largely for this reason, prices in European and American stores are lower than ours (although the factory cost may be higher). Market experts believe that in Russia the development of the market of official dealers has the greatest prospects, when the price of the goods offered to the end consumer is recommended by the manufacturer itself. The incentive for intermediaries is a discount when receiving products (which can increase if sales go well).

American Mediation Style and Russian Realities

The United States, which has the world's largest economy, is considered the benchmark supplier of professional intermediaries. The style characteristic of American dealers is showiness, "fairness". The presentations of intermediaries to clients take on the color of pathos, promises of a lot, "everything at once." This approach is actively promoted in textbooks on marketing in American universities, and more recently in Russian ones. Until now, many marketers in our country believe that the bearer of advanced negotiation practices are American intermediaries, they are the best in the world, according to gullible Russian experts, professionals in their field. In many ways, the principles of overseas origin are considered the only correct ones.

But to what extent is the style of the American mediator compatible with Russian realities? Experts believe that in a very small. Russians have developed a kind of immunity to presentations, bright, confident speeches by speakers, to intermediaries who sell goods persistently and assertively. Therefore, using American tactics, an intermediary working in Russia may not face an excessive demand for the goods being sold, but rejection. It should be noted that in the United States itself, the client is changing. Sociability, receptivity, gullibility, openness of American buyers is a thing of the past.

Very often, beginners face problems buying goods through eBay. Various difficulties arise - problems with delivery, ordering, payment, etc. I don’t want to lose the opportunity to buy a good and high-quality product because of some little thing. How to be in this situation? How to solve the problems that have arisen? In this case, you will be helped by intermediary companies that offer their services when shopping on eBay, Amazon, and many other online stores from the US and Europe.

Many who encounter intermediary companies for the first time may ask a completely logical question: “Why are they needed, because I can choose the product myself, pay for it, and receive it at the specified address. Why else pay third parties? The answer is simple - comfort. Intermediaries make the buying process as easy as in a regular store. You simply indicate which product you like, deposit the required amount to the account of the intermediary, and he does everything else for you - he corresponds with the seller, orders and checks the goods, and, if necessary, opens and conducts a dispute. You only choose, pay, receive. No extra worries.

Related article:

In this article, we will talk in detail about intermediaries when shopping on eBay. We will find out in what cases they will be very needed, consider the question of why every day intermediary companies are becoming more and more popular in the CIS.

How can intermediaries help companies?

Knowledge and skills

Buying any item on any of eBay's auction affiliates, e.g. eBay.de, eBay.com, etc. or in any online store in the US or Europe requires certain skills and knowledge. Minimum knowledge required foreign language(English, German), awareness of the specifics of the transaction on a particular trading platform, for example, eBay operates according to rules other than online stores, you need to have the skills to pay for goods online with a payment card directly or through the PayPal payment system (which has its own specifics), be aware of delivery options, etc. If you have the desire or opportunity to understand all these nuances, register, create accounts, open payment cards, etc. - No, intermediary companies will help.

Problems with the shipment of goods to your country

It happens that without the services of intermediary companies can not do. You can already be an experienced buyer, have more than one hundred transactions under your belt, but at the same time face the problem of delivering goods to your country. Sometimes sellers put restrictions on delivery to a particular region (for example, to Russia, Ukraine, or other countries), and some are generally limited only to their country of residence. Intermediary companies, as a rule, have their offices in the USA and other developed countries of the world. They place an order to their address, and then they send it to you. Thus, there is no need to order directly, and you solve the problem of the impossibility of delivery to your country.

Related article:

Problems with payment

It often happens that the payment method accepted by the seller is not available to you at the moment, and in the near future you will not be able to use it either. Then you need to turn to intermediaries who will take care of all the worries. You only replenish their account, and they deal with the seller themselves.

 

It might be useful to read: