Buyers often ask a manufacturer for "a price list" when what they really need is to decide how they want to work with the factory in the first place. Three models dominate B2B mobility supply — wholesale, distribution and private label (OEM/ODM) — and they differ in how much you invest, how much control you get, whether your territory is protected, and whose brand ends up on the chair. Picking the wrong one costs you margin or speed. Here's the practical version.
Wholesale — buy, resell, low commitment
Wholesale means you buy chairs from the manufacturer and resell them as-is — under the factory's own brand, or unbranded/neutral — usually with no volume commitment beyond each order. It's the lightest way in: you place an order, you receive stock, you sell. There's no exclusivity, no territory lock, and typically no marketing obligation.
Best when: you're testing the category, you want to keep capital and commitment low, or you sell across many brands and don't need exclusivity. The trade-off is that anyone else can buy and resell the same product in your area, so you compete on service and reach rather than on a protected position.
Distribution — a defended position, with obligations
Distribution (or appointed dealer/agent) is a deeper relationship. In exchange for a protected territory — the right to be the supplier's representative in a defined region — a distributor typically takes on volume commitments, local after-sales responsibility, and a marketing role for the brand. The manufacturer agrees not to appoint competing resellers inside that territory, which protects your margin from being undercut by the next importer.
The concept matters more than the fine print here: territory scope, targets, and after-sales duties are defined per agreement and negotiated, not fixed. Best when: you're committed to the category long-term, you can carry stock and provide service in-region, and you want a defensible position rather than a one-off buy.
Private label / OEM — your brand on the chair
Private label means the chair carries your brand, not the factory's — your logo, colours, manuals and retail packaging. In OEM form you take a proven, already-certified model and brand it; in ODM form you also adapt the product itself — seat dimensions, battery, controller, upholstery — on the existing platform. You own the brand equity you build, and the end customer sees you, not the manufacturer.
Best when: you're building a brand of your own and want the product to be visibly yours. It carries more setup than plain wholesale, but minimums can start low for OEM. For the full OEM-vs-ODM trade-off, see our dedicated guide.
At a glance
| Wholesale | Distribution | Private label (OEM/ODM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front commitment | Lowest — order by order | Higher — volume + service commitments | Moderate — branding setup; OEM minimums can start low |
| Your control | Low — resell as supplied | Medium — you represent the brand in-region | High — brand, packaging, (ODM) the product itself |
| Territory protection | None — others can resell nearby | Yes — protected territory, defined per agreement | By agreement — pair with a distribution deal |
| Best suited to | Testing the category; multi-brand resellers | Long-term partners who can carry stock + service | Brand builders who want the chair to be theirs |
| Whose brand is on it | Factory brand or neutral | Usually the manufacturer's brand | Yours |
These models aren't mutually exclusive. A common path is to start with wholesale to test demand, move to private label once a brand is worth building, and formalise a protected distribution territory as volumes justify it.
How it works with Wanderoll
Wanderoll is a factory-direct manufacturer of ten folding power wheelchairs, and supports all three models:
- Wholesale — buy from the line direct, neutral or factory-branded, with no trading layer in between.
- Distribution — appointed distributors work defended territories, so your margin isn't undercut by the next importer; scope and terms are set per agreement.
- Private label (OEM/ODM) — your brand on any catalogue model, from low minimums, with CE / EU MDR / ISO 13485 documentation prepared under your brand.
Volume thresholds, territory scope, minimums and lead times are quoted per model and arrangement — on request, not published.
Not sure which model fits? Tell us your market, your volumes and whether you want your own brand, and we'll lay out the wholesale, distribution and private-label options side by side. → Request a quote
