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The three common models
| Reseller | Referral or affiliate | Sales agent or partner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who the customer signs with | You | The software company | The software company |
| Who bills the customer | You | The software company | The software company |
| How you earn | Your margin between buy and sell price | A bounty or a share for each referral | Commission on what the customer pays |
| Your work | Selling, billing, often first-line support | Sharing a link or making an introduction | Finding, demoing and onboarding customers |
| Your risk | Unpaid invoices, inventory or minimum purchases | Low | Low cost, but your time is unpaid if nothing closes |
Many companies mix these. Read the agreement, not the program's name.
Where the Territory Partner pilot fits
It is the third model. Clubs sign with Play 2 Earn Sports, which bills a per-player platform fee for each program or season. Partners find and onboard clubs and earn a share of the fee actually collected, and the share grows with volume. You don't buy licences, set prices or collect money from clubs.
Questions that separate the models
- Do I have to buy anything first? Resellers often do. Agents and referral partners usually don't. Our Territory Partners pay a one-time territory fee for an exclusive area (about CAD 5,000 in Ontario); our Sports Ambassadors pay nothing.
- Who sets the price? Resellers often can. Agents usually can't. Here, Play 2 Earn Sports sets the platform fee, and per-club changes need its approval.
- Is the commission one-time or ongoing? Referral programs are often one-time. Here, each paid registration in each season is commissionable while the agreement applies.
- What happens when a customer refunds? Look for a clear reversal rule. Here, refunds and chargebacks create offsetting entries.
- Who supports the customer? Here, Play 2 Earn Sports provides product support.
If you want to be a reseller
If you want to own the customer relationship and billing, look for programs that offer wholesale pricing, and budget for invoicing, collections and support. That is a different business from the one described here.
Questions
Is an agent the same as an affiliate?
Not usually. Affiliates mostly earn from links and content. An agent or sales partner actively sells, demos and onboards, and is paid for customers they bring in.
Can a software sales partner be a franchise?
Whether an arrangement is regulated as a franchise or business opportunity depends on its facts and on local law, not on what it's called. Our guide franchise, business opportunity or sales partner? links to the official rules.