How to Buy Victron in the US: Victron’s Distribution Model Explained

Before you buy Victron Energy equipment, it’s helpful to understand Victron’s organizational structure and approach to providing support for products sold. In this article, we explain how Victron’s distribution model works, why it’s great, and what we recommend to Victron users in any market and at any scale.  

Where's the Victron Help Desk?

If you've ever tried looking for Victron's help hotline, you’ll find it doesn’t exist. Why? Because Victron’s business model is to deliver sales and customer support through a network of technical distributors, dealers, and professional installers. 

‘Support’ includes pre-sale communication, design support, programming help, help setting up any advanced functionality, etc. If there’s a question or a problem down the road, this also includes troubleshooting system errors and, in the event of a component failure, warranty support. 

Based in the Netherlands, Victron is a privately owned company. It’s a very flat organization in which more than half of all employees work in R&D, working to develop and bring new products to market. In contrast, Victron’s support team is extremely small, especially for such a large manufacturer.

Of course, Victron has a market advantage in that they manufacture exceptional products known for their quality, and when installed correctly, have an extremely low failure rate. Even so, these technical products require knowledgeable support to set up and commission correctly. Victron’s business model does not offer direct customer support; rather, Victron openly credits its success as a company to its strong, global distribution network. In summary, Victron Energy expects its distributors and dealers to take care of its customers.

Do you mean that just because someone sold a product, they are responsible for supporting it and ensuring their customers understand how it works? Absolutely! Victron still believes that relationships drive innovation and help us get from point A to point B faster and with greater success. 

What does this mean for you, as an end user or a business buying Victron? It means that you get to choose who you buy from, and as we’ll discuss, who you buy from matters more than you’d think. 

Who is allowed to sell Victron? 

First, let’s take a minute to clarify terms: 

Victron Distributor: A Victron Distributor is a business that sells and supports the Victron product line, buying products in bulk and selling directly to dealers, installers, and end users, usually online and/or via a physical retail shop. Distributors are also tasked with helping to establish new Victron vendors and installers, providing the supply lines, in-person or remote training, and technical support those businesses require to be successful. 

Victron Dealers: A Victron Dealer is usually a small to large-sized business that uses Victron products, often as an OEM or professional installer. Dealers receive products, training and dedicated technical support from their Victron Distributor. 

OEMs that are focused on building the best, most robust systems for their clients are typically not interested in meeting Victron’s requirements for Distributor status (stocking a wide range of products, facilitating training for other manufacturers and dealers, and providing the timely technical support they require). 

Victron Resellers: A Victron Reseller would include platforms like Amazon and other online retailers. This is a huge market in the US, and while there’s nothing wrong with buying Victron on Amazon, it’s not necessarily cheaper to do so.

Why? Victron is very strict about distributors and online resellers respecting its MAP pricing (or Minimum Authorized Price). This means that pricing is the same online, across the board. While sales and special discounts can be offered, MAP pricing must be respected, or sellers will lose the privilege of selling Victron online. 

Resellers, of course, vary widely in their experience with Victron. It can be difficult to get answers from a company that sells a long list of inverter brands and may not have the in-house knowledge to answer a question, let alone troubleshoot a problem after the product has been installed.

Who should I buy Victron from?

Well, that’s the best part: you get to choose. We love this because it pushes Intelligent Controls, and every Victron Distributor around the world to do their very best because we are not competing for business based on price. Rather, we're competing based on technical expertise and ability to add value to the customer.

Beyond just ‘making the sale,’ a good Victron Distributor or Dealer is prepared to support you through the life of your system. They understand what you’re trying to accomplish and have your best interest at heart. If you’ve ever spend half a day on the phone with a call center to get support from a manufacturer, you already appreciate how unique and valuable this is. 

Victron’s distribution model is highly practical and regional (explore the Victron Where to Buy Map here.) You can buy and get support from someone in your state, or work with someone who has a deep understanding of your market (RVs, marine, off-grid, etc.), but at the end of the day, you can buy from whoever you want to, in any state you want to. 

Why is this good news? Rather than trying to get you off the phone as fast as possible a good Distributor is personally invested in solving your latest design challenge, answering your question, or troubleshooting a time-sensitive issue. Intelligent Controls customers know that they have a technical partner who understands their system design and can jump in and be tremendously helpful when needed. When our customers grow their businesses, we win as well.

Why you should talk to a real person before you buy? 

Every week, we are contacted by someone who purchased Victron products on Amazon or other online resellers and either bought the wrong product the first time or bought the right product but needs support and isn’t able to get answers from the original supplier. 

As a Distributor, our primary goal is to ensure Victron customers have the best possible experience with their products. The best way we can ensure that is to discuss the application via email or phone before a purchase is even made. 

Surprisingly, 70–80% of the individuals we talk to modify their design and component choices after consulting with our support team. Why? Because there are lots of products to choose from and a lot of ways to get it wrong, even in a ‘simple’ system design. Increasingly, online shoppers don’t expect to receive or ever have access to expert guidance from real Victron specialists, let alone develop a relationship with a US-based company they can count on for ongoing support. 

When buying a single solar charge controller for an R&D project, this advantage may not matter to you. However, when purchasing 100 controllers each month while growing a business—with customers to impress and production schedules to meet—the conversation shifts from "Can we get one of these on Amazon?" to "Which serious company can we partner with?" Having someone to call when you need help might seem trivial now, but it becomes critical when issues arise.

Can you buy Victron direct? 

Businesses that ask to buy direct are, for the most part, redirected to one of Victron’s US distributors or vendors. Why? Again, Victron’s business model does not support one-on-one support services to businesses or individuals.

Its extremely small North American sales team has tasked Distributors like Intelligent Controls with providing the support and services that businesses of all sizes need to succeed and grow with Victron. The more direct accounts Victron takes on, the less support they can provide to any one customer. 

Even so, many companies insist on buying direct, assuming this relationship will secure better pricing and service. Due to Victron's business model, these companies disadvantage themselves by forcing a direct relationship that Victron doesn't actually want. We see this mis-match manifest in several ways: R&D teams become frustrated and lose trust in the product when they have poor initial experiences without clear support channels, and poorly conceived designs reach the market only to require costly redesigns later. 

This is why Victron encourages companies to work with an experienced technical distribution partner. It’s also why some of the largest and most successful Victron customers purchase through distribution. To get the most value out of Victron components, you need to be backed up by people with deep expertise who can provide quick recommendations and tailored support. 

In summary, businesses gain no inherent advantage from going direct. That’s intentional and built into the Victron business model—volume discounts and dedicated technical support are made available through Victron Distributors. 

Are all Victron Distributors basically the same? 

No. Do they all have the ability to support you? No. 

In the US, the term ‘distributor’ is almost a dirty word, associated with ‘middlemen’ who don’t add real value to the products sold. Having a good Victron Distributor on your team, however, can make or break your experience with the Victron product line. 

A good Distributor can be a tremendous resource on the front end (system design, product selection, reducing parts count, making full use of the equipment you have). 

And, once you have a proven product or approach, it’s important to keep learning because there is always more value to discover when working with Victron equipment. 

That’s why it’s important to develop a relationship with your Victron supplier. The better you know them, and the more they understand your needs, the better your experience will be. 

Ready to work with Intelligent Controls? 

No matter the scope of your project or business, we’re here to help at every stage in your journey with Victron.

Many of our customers are manufacturers working to bring new products to market or to hybridize existing designs. Our expert advice and assistance integrating Victron into their builds has helped dozens of OEMs fast-track their R&D process and avoid costly mistakes. 

Our fastest-growing customers are actually small to medium-sized businesses that are able to grow their business and their profits because they’ve selected a great product mix (Victron) and a great partner (Intelligent Controls) to function as an extension of their team, available to review a system design or ship a replacement product on short notice. F

What’s going to move the needle for your business? We want to know, and we want to help you get there.

To start a conversation with our team, fill out our Become a Victron Vendor form. We’ll follow up to learn more about your business and how we can best serve you.

To learn the story behind Victron Energy, watch the video below.