Direct sales refer to the process of selling products or services directly to consumers without the involvement of intermediaries such as wholesalers, distributors, or retailers. In a direct sales model, the manufacturer or service provider interacts directly with customers to market, sell, and deliver their products or services.
Channel sales involve middlemen who sell and distribute products of the manufacturing company. You can also consider them as“indirect sales” since you’re not selling them to the customers directly.
An example of a manufacturing company that uses partner sales is Coca-Cola. You can’t purchase a Coke from the company’s website. Instead, you have to buy the product through a third-party vendor like a grocery store, a vending machine, or another sales channel.