A deactivated link no longer directs to a webpage. Deactivating partner links means that if anyone clicks on the partners' links after their links were deactivated, they will land on a 404 page and not your website. Deactivated links are a solution for cases where you want to stop referrals or leads from a partner reaching your webpage. This is a great solution if you are concerned that the partner is referring fraudulent customers.

Deactivating links is usually done when you're in the process of removing a partner from your program.

Deal registration is a formal process common in reseller programs that ensures when a partner brings forward a new potential customer to a vendor they have the exclusive rights to pursue the sale, close the deal and earn additional partner rewards. It is a way to ensure other partners (or even the vendor themselves) do not compete with other partners by pursing already active leads.

Deal registration is a benefit to both the vendor and partner. For the vendor, it serves to incentivize their program partners to bring in new business leads and avoid conflict between channel partners and internal sales teams. For the partner, it protects their time investment as they pursue a potential customer.

Deal registration programs vary from vendor to vendor. Some deal registration programs may require that the partner has already met with a potential client or set up a meeting between the client and vendor.

A deal is a mutually beneficial business transaction between two entities, such as a SaaS providers and their business clients for the purchase or subscription of software services.

These deals typically involve the terms and conditions of service, pricing structures, and any additional features or customization required by the business. Successful B2B SaaS deals are crucial for establishing long-term partnerships, ensuring customer satisfaction, and driving revenue growth for both the SaaS provider and the business client.

A direct channel is a sales channel through which goods and services are sold by the manufacturer directly to an end user. These traditional channels don't involve partners of any sort. In direct sales, the end user can purchase the product through online marketplaces, mail order, or face-to-face sales, as long as there is no intermediary distributor or salesforce other than the original manufacturer.

Direct channel gives the manufacturer more control over the sales process of their product and often comes with lower overhead costs. That said, direct channel doesn't have the reach and revenue potential that channel sales can offer. Note that many software companies utilize both direct and channel sales in their overall sales strategy to take advantage of the benefits of both.

In SaaS, distribution refers to the channels through which a product is sold to a customer, encompassing the entities and processes that are used to deliver cloud-based software to end users.

Distribution can be performed through direct selling and selling through intermediaries, which are referred to as distributors. Direct distribution is when the vendor sells the software directly to customers. Indirect distribution involves third-party distributors or resellers to end users. Both direct and indirect distribution can be utilized by vendors as part of an overall distribution strategy.

A distributor partnership is a strategic business agreement in which a SaaS company (vendor) partners with an intermediary partner, the distributor, who acts as a go-between between the vendor and reseller (indirect distribution partnerships) or end customer (direct distribution partnerships). Distribution partnerships essentially provide an outsourced sales team to your channel ecosystem.

Related: What you need to know to drive distribution revenue.

In a partner ecosystem, a distributor or (distributor partner) is a business that serves as an intermediary between vendors and resellers in a channel partnership. These sellers can include value-added resellers and system integrators. Distributors are in charge of procurement and payment between vendors and resellers.

Distributor partners are especially important for vendors who need support running their channel program, whether because they're new to the industry or because they have a very high volume of sales to manage. Aside from payment and procurement, distributors can also take on further roles in educating resellers on products, providing presale training or demos, or assisting with contract negotiations and marketing.