The CISG only applies to sales of goods between merchants, not sales to consumers, and does not generally apply to services arrangements.
An international distribution agreement is a legal contract between two parties that authorizes one party to sell or distribute the other's products. This type of arrangement usually benefits both businesses because it makes the process more efficient and can help each company increase its customer base.
As discussed in the Fact Sheets on Dealings in the Supply Chain, exclusive contracts between manufacturers and suppliers, or between manufacturers and dealers, are generally lawful because they improve competition among the brands of different manufacturers (interbrand competition).
The CISG is intended to apply to commercial goods and products only. With some limited exceptions, it does not apply to personal, family, or household goods, nor does it apply to auctions, ships, aircraft, or intangibles and services.
Thus, the question of whether a distributorship contract is governed by the UCC will depend on the exact nuances of the contract. To determine whether the UCC applies, “courts generally examine the transaction to determine whether the sale of goods predominates.” Princess Cruises v. GE, 143 F. 3d 828, 833 (4th Cir.
The CISG does not apply to distributorship agreements: Helen Kaminski Pty. Ltd. v. Marketing Australian Products, Inc.
An exclusive distribution agreement is an agreement between a distributor company and a supplier company that grants the distributor exclusive rights to sell the suppliers goods. This means that the supplier agrees to now allow another distributor to sell its goods for the duration of the agreement.