Split air conditioners look similar between suppliers. What differs is what happens after the first container: who covers a failed board, who owns the model code, what the price list means in month nine, and whether a spare part arrives with the next shipment or by air at your cost. Almost every dispute in this trade traces back to a clause that was never written down.
This is not legal advice: have the text reviewed by your own counsel. What follows is the commercial checklist a distributor in Africa or the Caribbean should settle with a supplier before the first deposit.
A territory clause that means something
“Exclusive distributor for the country” is a sentence with at least four unanswered questions.
- By geography or by channel? A national territory is not a channel: hotel projects, government tenders or online sales may stay outside your retail territory, and you should know which one you are buying.
- Exclusivity earned against what? A common structure ties exclusivity to an annual volume target reviewed each year, and states what happens if it is missed: renegotiation, loss of exclusivity or a cure period.
- Passive internet sales? Goods sold into your territory by another distributor, or shipped to an online seller, undermine your pricing. Ask for a written rule.
- Sub-distributors and projects. If you serve hotels, installers or contractors, state it in writing. A supplier who serves project business directly will otherwise compete with the market you built.
Targets, price validity and the adjustment clause
A price list without a validity period is an invitation to a negotiation you will lose. Settle the following in writing:
| Item | What the agreement should state |
|---|---|
| Volume target | The unit count or value, the period over which it is measured, and the review date |
| Price validity | How long the quoted price holds, and what triggers a revision |
| Adjustment basis | The reference used for revision, for example raw material, exchange rate or freight |
The revision clause matters more than the opening price. A supplier who quotes low and revises without a stated basis costs you margin at the worst moment: after you have sold forward at your own retail price.
Brand, model codes and who owns what
- Supplier brand. Fastest to launch, but customers can price compare your stock against any other importer of the same brand.
- Private label or OEM. You own the model name and the market recognises your brand. Settle who owns the packaging artwork, the trademark filing and whether the model codes stay yours if you switch supplier.
- Model exclusivity. If you pay for a distinct model code, get a written commitment that the same specification is not sold to a neighbouring market. Without it you are funding someone else’s price competition.
The warranty split: factory defect versus installation
This is the clause that decides whether after-sales service is a business or a permanent loss. The working principle is to separate the three causes before the equipment leaves the warehouse.
- Factory defect. A board, compressor or fan motor that fails through a manufacturing fault. The supplier should cover the part, and the agreement should state whether labour is included.
- Installation and electrical fault. Wrong charge, poor vacuum, missing flare torque, unstable voltage. In most markets this is the distributor’s responsibility, which is why installation standards and technician training matter commercially.
- Environment and wear. Corrosion in coastal installations, dust in dry regions, filters never cleaned. Document site conditions and maintenance history, or this becomes a factory-defect claim in the buyer’s opinion.
Agree the mechanics: the evidence required for a claim, the response time, whether parts ship with the next container or by air, who pays the air freight, and how long you must stock spares. Put those terms in the contract, not in a chat message.
Spare parts and the service promise
A distributor who cannot repair is a warehouse, not a partner. Three items make the difference:
- A critical parts kit in the first container. Boards, capacitors, NTC sensors, fan motors and remote controls, proportioned to the volume you ordered.
- A published parts list with prices. It lets you quote a repair before opening the unit, which is what a commercial customer wants to know.
- Availability after a model change. Ask how long parts will be produced or held after a platform is updated, and get the answer in the agreement.
Keep one platform across your stock: one parts set covers every capacity, and technicians learn a single diagnostic logic. The wide voltage WN-EL12K from Hubei Wunuo Technology Co., Ltd is a platform built that way.
Payment, documents and the delivery clock
- Payment structure. Deposit and balance, letter of credit or another structure: state the trigger for the balance payment and the evidence the supplier provides first.
- Documents. Invoice, packing list, bill of lading and certificate of origin must carry identical model codes, capacities and refrigerant. A mismatched label loses days at clearance.
- Delivery chain. Production slot, shipping date, transit and clearance are four separate clocks. Ask for the chain in writing per model, and plan the season on the link you control least.
- Local conformity. The importer is responsible for the energy label or approval that applies in the destination market. The agreement should state that the performance data needed to build that file is provided at quotation, because capacity, power input and efficiency are measured in tests.
A pre-signature checklist
- Territory defined by geography and by channel, with the treatment of project and online sales written down.
- Exclusivity tied to a measurable target, with a defined consequence if it is missed.
- Price validity period and the basis for revision, in the contract rather than in an email.
- Model codes, packaging artwork and trademark ownership assigned explicitly.
- Warranty split, claim process and freight responsibility defined, with a parts kit in the first container.
- Local conformity obligation assigned, with performance data promised at quotation.
Choosing the manufacturer
Hubei Wunuo Technology Co., Ltd builds split systems for distributor and private label programmes, including wide voltage inverter platforms and outdoor units with a T3 option. One example from the catalogue: the WN-EL12K is declared at 198-242V / 50-60Hz, with R32 refrigerant, an outdoor operating range of -15 C to +48 C and an airflow of 620 m3/h. The WN-OU outdoor unit covers 9,000 to 36,000 BTU, with an IP24 rating and service ports on both the high and low pressure sides. Declared certifications (CE, CB, ROHS, ISO 9001) are confirmed per model and per order.
The useful question is not who quotes the lowest first container, but who ships the same specification, on the same terms, on the third. Confirm capacity, voltage version, refrigerant and packaging with the sales team: MOQ, lead time and price depend on model, quantity, branding and destination.
Setting up a distribution agreement for your market? Contact us at inquiry@unitechgrupo.com or on WhatsApp at +86 159 2631 2664.