A distributor sits between manufacturers and retailers, and carries the risk of both sides. You buy in volume ahead of demand, extend credit to shops and need to deliver on time in the weeks that matter most. Margins are thin enough that stock sitting too long or dues running late can erase the profit of a good month.
Three areas decide how well a distributor does: stock, credit and dispatch.
Manufacturer schemes can tempt you into buying more than the market will take. Plan purchases from your own sales history by product, retailer and week, and use the crop calendar for your region to time them. A good scheme on stock you cannot sell is a cost, not a saving.
Track batch and expiry for products that have them, and sell older batches first so you are not left holding expired stock.
Retailers remember the week a distributor ran out or delivered late in peak season. Keep fast-moving products at a safe level, plan delivery routes by area and confirm orders the day before. Where possible, record each dispatch with items, batches and quantities, so a retailer's query can be answered in a minute.
Margin is not just the difference between buy and sell price. Include transport, storage, credit cost and returns. Review margin by product and by retailer: some small accounts cost more to serve than they bring in.
Spreadsheets and registers struggle once you have hundreds of products and dozens of retailers. AgroDesk supports shops and wholesalers with billing, stock, customer records and credit tracking, including plans for bulk and wholesale supply.
Plan purchases from your own sales history and the regional crop calendar, track batch and expiry, sell older stock first and treat manufacturer schemes as a cost unless you are confident the stock will sell.
Give each retailer a limit and payment period, review dues by age every week, pause supply on accounts over their limit and align payment terms with when farmers actually earn.