Channel Partner Types (SaaS) and their roles in the customer journey
Compare affiliate, referral, broker, reseller, distributor, and OEM partner types. Understand roles, responsibilities, and revenue models.
Channel partners play different roles throughout the customer journey, from initial promotion to ongoing support. This comparison table shows how various channel partner types differ in their responsibilities, branding approaches, and revenue models.
Channel Partner Type Comparison
| Activity / Responsibility | Affiliate | Referral | Business Broker | Reseller | Distributor | WL/OEM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing & Lead Generation | ||||||
| Promote products to potential customers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Personal introduction between contract partners | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Qualifies lead before introduction | (✓) | ✓ | ||||
| Can sell to other resellers | ✓ | (✓) | ||||
| Branding & Marketing | ||||||
| Creates own marketing material | (✓) | (✓) | ✓ | |||
| Sells co-branded | (✓) | (✓) | ||||
| Sells with vendor brand | (✓) | (✓) | ||||
| Sells with own brand | ✓ | |||||
| Sales & Customer Relationship | ||||||
| Owns the complete sales cycle | (✓) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Signs a contract with the customer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Send the invoices and charges customers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Owns the customer relationship | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Provides 1st & 2nd level support | (✓) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Revenue Model | ||||||
| Earns revenue share/commission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | (✓) | (✓) | |
| Earns margins between wholesale and sales price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Earns through selling services | (✓) | (✓) | (✓) | |||
Legend: ✓ = defining characteristic | (✓) = optional
Partner Type Definitions
Affiliates promote the SaaS solution through their own marketing channels, such as their website or social media accounts, and earn a commission on any resulting sales.
Referral partners refer potential customers to the SaaS vendor in exchange for a commission or referral fee.
Business brokers act as intermediaries between the SaaS vendor and potential customers, helping to match the right solution with the customer's needs. They may also negotiate deals and contracts on behalf of their customers.
Resellers purchase a SaaS solution from the SaaS vendor and then resell it to their customers, usually at a markup. They may also provide support and other services to their customers.
Distributors purchase a SaaS solution from the SaaS vendor and then distribute it to smaller resellers or customers. They may also provide marketing and sales support to their resellers.
White Label / OEM Partner
White label or OEM partners embed the SaaS solution into their own products or services and offer it as part of their own offering.