We value Business Management program managers who have in-depth knowledge of the retail industry. How would you define the vendor-reseller relationship, and how is it supported by ERP systems?

Remember to provide an easy to understand example of how a vendor-reseller relationship would be supported by an ERP solution in addition to a basic definition. Program managers are expected to explain complex technical concepts easily from a business perspective. This question offers the perfect opportunity to demonstrate excellent communication skills in addition to industry knowledge.

"A vendor-reseller relationship occurs when a vendor sells its products to consumers through a reseller party. Amazon is well known for excellence in this model. Vendors use the reach and the branding of Amazon to extend their customer base by selling their products through Amazon. For example, imagine a furniture sells their products in their stores and through their own website, but they also make their products available to Amazon customers as well. In this case they would sell them directly to Amazon and ship them to the Amazon warehouse for resale by Amazon.

ERP systems support the vendor-reseller relationship by integrating the systems between the reseller and the vendor. For example, the quantity of the products available for purchase by the vendor is kept up to date through ERP integration between the two parties. Additionally, transactional data for sales and payments to the vendor are handled by ERP solutions as well."