| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Sales and Business Development |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Area Sales Officer |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher or up to 3 years in FMCG field sales |
Distributor Sales Representative job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Distributor Sales Representative
Department: Sales and Business Development
Reports to: Area Sales Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Distributor Sales Representative works the market for a distributor, visiting retail outlets on a daily beat to book orders and drive secondary sales of the company's products. They cover shops, ensure availability, push the range and build retailer relationships. A good distributor sales representative keeps the beat covered, grows outlet orders and reports the market honestly. The role is a front line field role in FMCG distribution, reporting to a distributor or the company's area sales officer or manager.
Key responsibilities
- Visit assigned retail outlets daily on the fixed beat and journey plan.
- Book secondary sales orders from retailers for the distributor's stock.
- Ensure product availability, freshness and display at every outlet.
- Push the full product range and new products to retailers.
- Explain schemes and offers to retailers and drive their uptake.
- Build friendly, trusted relationships with shopkeepers on the beat.
- Collect orders and payments as per the distributor's policy.
- Add new outlets to the beat and reactivate dormant ones.
- Record visits, orders and outlet data in the sales app.
- Report daily orders and market feedback to the reporting officer.
Requirements
- Higher secondary or graduate in any discipline
- Field sales experience is preferred
- A two wheeler and willingness to travel the beat
- Fresher or up to 3 years in FMCG field sales
KRAs and KPIs for a Distributor Sales Representative
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Secondary sales | Secondary sales value meets the monthly target |
| Beat coverage | Outlets covered per the beat plan each day |
| Productive calls | Share of visits producing an order kept above the target |
| Range selling | Focus products placed across the target share of outlets |
| New outlets | New outlets added and activated as per the plan |
| Data accuracy | Visit and order data recorded accurately in the app |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Sales force automation app, Smartphone, Distributor order book, Product samples.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Sales Officer, Area Sales Officer, Territory Sales Officer
Interview questions for a Distributor Sales Representative
- How do you plan and complete your daily beat?
- How do you convince a retailer to stock a new product?
- How do you grow orders from a regular outlet?
- How do you handle a shopkeeper who refuses to pay on time?
- How do you push a scheme to retailers?
- Tell me about a shop you converted into a good customer.
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What does a distributor sales representative do?
A distributor sales representative works the market for a distributor, visiting retail outlets on a daily beat to book orders and drive secondary sales. They ensure availability and display, push the product range, explain schemes and build retailer relationships. They collect orders and payments, add new outlets and record their visits, keeping products moving from distributor to shops.
What is secondary sales in FMCG?
In FMCG, primary sales is stock the company sells to the distributor, and secondary sales is stock the distributor sells onward to retail outlets. A distributor sales representative drives secondary sales by getting shops to order and stock the products. Healthy secondary sales show that products are actually selling through, not just sitting in the distributor's godown.
Is distributor sales representative a good starting job?
Yes. It is a common front line entry into FMCG and distribution sales, often open to freshers. It teaches beat coverage, order booking, retailer handling and how products move through the market. Doing it well leads to sales officer and territory roles, building a foundation for a field sales and distribution career.