Who they are
- Regional software vendors bundling your product into a wider stack.
- Managed service providers who resell and then operate the product for their clients.
- Systems integrators with a book of enterprise accounts and procurement already in place.
How they earn
A margin on every seat or contract they sell, usually recurring for as long as the customer stays.
What they need from you
Predictable margin
They are building a business on your pricing. Changing the margin without notice ends the relationship faster than anything else.
Deal protection that holds
They will not invest a sales cycle into an account your direct team might close next month. The registration has to mean something.
Real product depth
Demos, sandbox access, and someone technical to call. A reseller who cannot answer the second question loses the deal.
When to build this channel
Build a reseller channel when your product needs configuring for each customer, when you sell into regions or segments your direct team cannot cover, or when buyers prefer to purchase through a vendor they already have on paper.
When to be this kind of partner
Become a reseller when you already own the customer relationship and the product deepens what you can sell them. It is the most work and the most margin.
The thing that kills it
Channel conflict, unmanaged
The fastest way to lose a reseller is for your direct team to close an account they registered. Registration and conflict rules exist to make that impossible rather than impolite.