What does a manufacturer's representative do?

[Bo-Ming Tong]

I am confused as to the relationship between distributors and the
manufacturer's rep. Thanks in advance for your explanation!

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Manufacturer's rep usually represents a line of complementary lines
from multiple manufacturers and helps you find what you need, and who
makes it. They arrange for you to purchase from the factory if your
orders are large enough, or point you to distributors who can fill your
needs. The distributor sells it to you in smaller quantities, although
there is some blurring of the line these days. The internet has made a
lot of the information easier to find that was only available from a rep
at one time.