The retailer or dealership obtains the various product lines they carry from the distributor. A distributor can be thought of as an importer, representative, or middle man of the various brands that are eventually shipped , upon request, to the retailer or dealership to replenish stock or inventory, or to fulfill a special order. You as the consumer, generally cannot buy anything from a distributor.
Tyro Audiophile with questions
I’m hoping for enlightenment on questions that I can’t seem to stop thinking about: What is the difference between a dealership and a distributor? If a particular brand doesn’t have a local dealer, what options are available if there can be no other? Background: I will be relocating from USA to Romania this summer. Once there I intend to build my close to dream music system. I’ve settled on a few brand names but I am not sure of any options if there is no Romanian dealer on the website. For example, Stenheim shows no dealer while Esoteric has a distributor but no dealer. It’s been awhile since I lived outside the States and even longer since I actually owned a real stereo system and want more understanding of what to expect. I kind of know what I want but need to know if there’s no local dealer, can I still get the product I want or should it be removed from the list as not available.