Overview
Brand Ownership on SolarMarket is a formal recognition programme for sellers who are exclusive distributors, authorised resellers, manufacturer representatives, or regional agents for a specific solar brand. Getting approved as a Brand Owner unlocks the Brand Owner Dashboard — a live view of every seller listing your brand's products, all incoming authorization requests from other dealers, and brand-level performance data such as search rankings, live offers, and order volumes.
This guide explains who should apply, what to prepare, how to complete the application form, and what happens after your application is approved.
Who Should Apply for Brand Ownership
Brand Ownership is distinct from the basic brand authorization step in the seller onboarding checklist. The two are related but serve different purposes:
- Basic brand authorization (onboarding Step 4): any seller can submit an invoice or authorization letter proving they stock a brand. This is a minimum trust signal — it does not give you control over other sellers or brand-level data.
- Brand Ownership application: for sellers with a formal commercial relationship — exclusive distributors, authorized resellers under a dealer agreement, manufacturers/OEMs, or regional agents. Approved Brand Owners gain oversight of who else is listing their brand and can approve or decline authorization requests from other sellers.
A seller who bought 20 Felicity inverters from a Kampala distributor should complete the basic authorization step (Step 4 of onboarding) by uploading their purchase invoice. A seller who is Felicity's exclusive distributor for Uganda — with a formal distributor agreement signed by Felicity International — should apply for Brand Ownership, because they have oversight responsibility for the brand in this market.
Before You Apply — What to Prepare
- The exact brand name as it appears on the manufacturer's website or product packaging.
- Your authorization letter, distributor agreement, manufacturer certificate, or any official document on brand letterhead that confirms your relationship. At least one document is required. Up to 10 files, 30 MB each, in PDF, JPG, PNG, or WEBP format.
- The relationship type you hold: Exclusive Distributor, Authorized Reseller, Manufacturer/OEM, or Regional Agent (see definitions below).
- The name and contact details of your brand contact — the Regional Sales Manager, Distributor Coordinator, or similar person at the manufacturer who can confirm your authorization if admin follows up.
- Your company's registered legal name exactly as it appears on your trading license or certificate of incorporation.
- The geographic territory your authorization covers (e.g. "Uganda", "East Africa", "Kampala and Central Region").
Step 1 — Open the Application Form
From your seller dashboard, go to Shop > Brand Ownership or navigate directly to seller/brand-ownership. Click Apply for Brand Ownership to open the application form. The form has four sections: Brand, Your Relationship to This Brand, Company Details, and Supporting Documents.
Step 2 — Select the Brand
The first section of the form has a searchable brand dropdown showing all brands currently in the SolarMarket catalogue.
If the brand is already listed
Type the brand name in the search field (e.g. "Felicity", "DEYE", "Growatt", "Victron") and select it from the dropdown. The form will associate your application with the existing brand record.
If the brand is not yet on SolarMarket
Tick the checkbox "This is a new brand not yet on SolarMarket". A text field appears — enter the official brand name exactly as it appears on the manufacturer's website or packaging. The brand selector clears when you tick this box. Admin will create the brand record once your application is approved.
- A searchable dropdown listing all brands in the catalogue. Start typing to filter.
- A checkbox below: "This is a new brand not yet on SolarMarket" — checking it hides the dropdown and shows a free-text name field.
- You can only select an existing brand OR propose a new brand name — not both at once.
Step 3 — Declare Your Relationship Type
Select the radio button that best describes how you are authorised for this brand. There are four options:
- Exclusive Distributor — you hold sole rights to import and distribute this brand within your territory. No other reseller in your region is authorised directly by the manufacturer. Your agreement will typically say "exclusive" or "sole distributor".
- Authorized Reseller — you are an approved dealer or reseller under a valid dealer agreement, but you are not the exclusive distributor. Other resellers may exist in your region.
- Manufacturer / OEM — you manufacture this product or co-manufacture it under the brand's licence. This includes OEM and ODM relationships where you produce to the brand's specification.
- Regional Agent — you act as the brand's representative in a specific region under a formal agency or commission agreement, but do not import or hold inventory under your own account.
Scenario A: You are the sole importer of DEYE inverters into Uganda with a signed country-exclusivity agreement from DEYE China — select Exclusive Distributor.
Scenario B: You are a registered Growatt dealer with a dealer certificate but there are other Growatt dealers in Uganda too — select Authorized Reseller.
Scenario C: Your company assembles solar charge controllers branded as "SunMax" and you own the SunMax brand — select Manufacturer / OEM.
Scenario D: A South African brand appointed you their Uganda country representative on a commission basis — select Regional Agent.
Territory / Coverage Area
Enter the geographic area your authorization covers. Be specific if your agreement limits you to a region. Examples: "Uganda", "East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania)", "Kampala and Central Uganda only". If your agreement does not specify a territory, leave this blank.
Step 4 — Enter Company Details
This section establishes the business identity making the application and provides a contact at the brand for admin verification.
Company Legal Name (required)
Enter your company's registered legal name exactly as it appears on your certificate of incorporation or trading license. This must match the name on the documents you upload. Example: Green Power Uganda (U) Limited, not "Green Power Uganda" or "Green Power UG Ltd".
Brand Contact Name, Email, and Phone (optional but recommended)
These three fields identify the person at the brand or manufacturer who can verify your authorization. This is typically your Regional Sales Manager, Distributor Coordinator, or Head of Trade Sales at the manufacturer's office. Admin may contact them if your documents need clarification.
- Brand Contact Name: "James Oduya, East Africa Regional Sales Manager, Felicity International"
- Brand Contact Email: james.oduya@felicityintl.com
- Brand Contact Phone: +254 700 XXXXXX (Kenya office number for the regional manager)
Providing these details speeds up admin review significantly because they have a direct verification channel. Missing contact details may delay the process if your uploaded documents raise questions.
Step 5 — Upload Supporting Documents
At least one document is required. The form accepts up to 10 files, each up to 30 MB, in PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, or WEBP format. For each file you add, you label its type from a dropdown:
- Authorization Letter — a letter on manufacturer or regional distributor letterhead stating that your company is authorised to sell or distribute the brand in your territory.
- Distributor Agreement — a signed contract between your company and the brand or their regional distributor establishing your distribution rights, territory, and terms.
- Other — any other supporting document (certificate of appointment, OEM agreement, purchase contract, etc.).
File 1 (Authorization Letter): signed letter on Growatt letterhead dated within the past 24 months, addressed to your company name (matching your legal business name exactly), stating you are an authorised reseller for Growatt products in Uganda. File 2 (Distributor Agreement): the signed dealer agreement between your company and Growatt's East Africa distributor confirming your pricing tier and authorized product lines. Together these give admin two independent pieces of evidence confirming the relationship.
- The company name on the document differs from the Company Legal Name you entered in the form — admin cannot confirm it is the same business.
- The authorization letter is expired (check the validity date on the document).
- The document is a screenshot or heavily compressed photo — unreadable text causes rejection. Upload a PDF scan or a clear photo with all text legible.
- The document shows a different brand than the one selected in the Brand section.
- The document is a receipt or purchase invoice only — this proves you bought the products but not that you hold distribution or reseller authorization. An invoice alone is acceptable for basic brand authorization (onboarding Step 4) but may not be sufficient for Brand Ownership.
Step 6 — Add Notes (Optional)
Use the Notes field to add context that supports your application but is not captured by the form fields. Useful notes include: years of partnership with the brand, countries or regions you cover, upcoming exclusive product launches, sales volume evidence, or why your relationship qualifies as exclusive when the document alone may not make that obvious. Example note: "We have been the sole importer of DEYE inverters into Uganda since 2020 under an exclusivity clause in our annual distribution agreement — the current agreement is attached. Our previous two agreements (2021 and 2022) are available on request."
Step 7 — Submit the Application
Click Submit Application. If you have not attached any documents, the form blocks submission and shows an alert — add at least one supporting file before submitting. After successful submission, the application appears in your Brand Ownership Applications list with status Pending. You will receive an email notification when admin reviews it.
After Approval — The Brand Owner Dashboard
When your application is approved, a new Brand Owner section appears in your seller dashboard navigation. The Brand Owner Dashboard shows:
- Pending Requests — other sellers who have applied for authorization to list your brand's products, waiting for your review or admin approval.
- Authorized Sellers — the number of sellers currently authorized to list your brand across the marketplace.
- Live Offers — total number of active product offers carrying your brand, across all authorized sellers.
- RFQs Sent and Successful RFQs — buyer request activity for your brand's products.
- Brand Orders — orders fulfilled for your brand's products.
- Authorized Sellers by Region — a breakdown of your authorized seller network by Uganda district or region.
- Top 5 Most Searched — the five products from your brand generating the most buyer searches.
- Top 5 Best Selling — your brand's five highest-volume products by units ordered.
- Offers by Product — every product in your brand's line with the offer count, lowest buyer price, and highest buyer price across all authorized sellers.
Reviewing Authorization Requests
When another seller applies for basic authorization to list your brand's products (via their onboarding Step 4 or a standalone authorization request), that request appears in your Pending Requests queue. Click Review Requests to open the requests list. You can approve or decline each request. Approving a seller grants them the authorization badge on their listings for your brand. Declining a request removes them from consideration — admin is notified of both actions.
An exclusive distributor for DEYE in Uganda approves 8 regional resellers via the Brand Owner Dashboard, each confirmed with a dealer invoice from the distributor's own records. Three more sellers apply with invoices from unknown sources — the Brand Owner can decline these, blocking them from displaying the DEYE authorization badge. The dashboard's "Authorized Sellers by Region" panel then shows: 3 in Kampala, 2 in Mbarara, 1 each in Gulu, Jinja, and Mbale. The brand owner can spot under-served regions and recruit authorized resellers there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for Brand Ownership for more than one brand?
Yes. Submit a separate application for each brand. Each application is reviewed independently. Once approved, all your owned brands appear together in your Brand Owner Dashboard with a combined performance view and separate request queues.
What is the difference between basic brand authorization and a Brand Ownership application?
Basic brand authorization (onboarding Step 4) proves you legitimately stock a brand — you upload an invoice or a simple authorization letter. Brand Ownership is a deeper commercial relationship — exclusive distribution, full dealer agreements, or manufacturing rights. Brand Owners gain the ability to review and approve other sellers' authorization requests for their brand, and get access to brand-level analytics in the Brand Owner Dashboard.
How long does the Brand Ownership application review take?
Admin typically reviews applications within 2–5 business days. Applications with complete documents and a reachable brand contact are reviewed faster. You receive an email when the decision is made. If your application is rejected, the rejection reason is shown in your applications list — you can correct it and reapply.
What happens if my Brand Ownership application is rejected?
The rejection reason appears in your Brand Ownership Applications list — hover over the rejected badge to see the reason. Common rejection reasons: documents do not confirm the relationship type selected, company legal name mismatch, expired authorization letter, or the brand does not exist in the catalogue and a proposed brand name was not provided. Correct the issue and submit a new application with updated documents.
Can I approve other sellers' authorization requests before admin does?
The Brand Owner Dashboard gives you the ability to review requests from other sellers. Your approval signals to admin that you endorse the seller as a legitimate reseller of your brand. Final marketplace authorization is confirmed by SolarMarket admin, but your review significantly informs and speeds up that decision.
I am a reseller, not a manufacturer or distributor. Can I still apply?
Yes — select Authorized Reseller as your relationship type. Upload a signed dealer agreement or authorization letter from either the brand directly or from the brand's regional distributor. If you only have purchase invoices, those are better suited to the basic brand authorization step rather than a Brand Ownership application.
