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Exclusive Agreement Contract

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Exclusive Sales Agency Agreement

This Exclusive Sales Agency Agreement, hereinafter called the Agreement, is made on the day of , 20 , between (Name of Representative) of , referred to herein as the Representative, and (Name of Company), a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the state of (name of state), with its principal office located at , referred to herein as the Company.

I. Definitions.

A. Products initially shall mean those products listed in Exhibit A attached hereto and any such additional products that Company may manufacture or sell. Products may be changed, discontinued, or added by mutual agreement of the Parties. Representative shall have the right of first refusal to represent any additional product, including Product upgrades and modifications, represented, sold, or marketed by Company.

B. Territory means the geographic areas listed on Exhibit B attached hereto.

II. Appointment and Authority of Representative.

A. Exclusive Sales Representative. Subject to the terms and conditions herein, Company appoints Representative as Company’s exclusive sales representative for the Products in the Territory, and Representative accepts such appointment.

B. Independent Contractors. The relationship of Company and Representative established by this Agreement is that of independent contractor, and nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to (i) give either party the power to direct and control the day-today activities of the other, or (ii) constitute the parties as partners, joint venturers, co-owners or otherwise as participants in a joint undertaking, or (iii) allow Representative to create or assume any obligation on behalf of Company for any purpose whatsoever. All financial and other obligations associated with Representative’s business are the sole responsibility of Representative, Representative shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold Company free and harmless from, any and all claims, damages or lawsuits (including Company’s attorneys’ fees) arising solely out of the acts or Representative, its employees or its agents.

III. Commission.

A. Sole Compensation. Representative’s sole compensation under the terms of this Agreement shall be a commission (Commission) as provided in Exhibit C hereof on the net sales of all Products ordered, delivered or sold in the Territory.

B. The Commission shall apply to all orders to the Territory, whether or not such orders were solicited by Representative. Commissions shall be computed on the net sales amount invoiced by Company to the customer, provided no commission shall be paid with respect to charges for handling, freight, taxes, C.O.D. charges, insurance, tariffs and duties, cash and trade discounts, rebates, amounts allowed or credited for returns, uncollected or uncollectible amounts, services, and the like.

C. Commissions shall be paid in United States dollars and shall be subject to all applicable governmental laws, regulations and rulings, including the withholding of taxes.

D. The Commission for a given order shall be earned by Representative when that order is placed. The Commission on a given order shall be due and payable thirty (30) days after the end of the calendar month in which Company invoices and ships that order.

E. Company shall have the right, while this Agreement is in effect, to write off as bad debts such overdue customer accounts as it deems advisable after notifying Representative and providing Representative the opportunity to attempt to induce payment. In each such case, Company may charge back to Representative’s account only any amounts previously paid to Representative. If such accounts are paid at any time, Representative shall be entitled to the applicable commissions.

F. Company shall submit to Representative monthly statements of the commissions due and payable to Representative under the terms of this Agreement, with reference to the specific orders on invoices on which the commissions are being paid.

G. Representative shall have the right, at its own expense and not more than once in any twelve (12) month period, to authorize Representative’s independent auditors to inspect, at reasonable times during Company’s ordinary business hours, Company’s relevant accounting records to verify the accuracy of Commissions paid by Company hereunder.

IV. Sale of the Products.

A. Prices and Terms of Sale. Company shall provide Representative with copies of its current price lists, its delivery schedules, and its standard terms and conditions of sale, as established from time to time. Representative shall quote to customers only those authorized prices, delivery schedules, and terms and conditions, and shall have no authority to quote or offer any discount to such prices or change any such terms and conditions, without the consent of Company. Company may change the prices, delivery schedules, and terms and conditions, provided that it gives Representative at least thirty (30) days prior written notice of any changes; however, such changes shall not affect any existing contacts or pricing agreements. Each order for a Product shall be governed by the prices, delivery schedules, and terms and conditions in effect at the time the order is accepted, and all quotations by Representative shall contain a statement to that effect.

B. The parties shall furnish to each other copies of all quotations submitted to customers.

C. All orders for the Products shall be in writing, and the original shall be submitted to Company. Company shall promptly furnish to Representative informational copies of all commissionable orders sent by customers in the Territory.

D. All orders obtained by Representative shall be subject to acceptance by Company at its principal office currently located at the address listed for Company at the beginning of this Agreement, and all quotations by Representative shall contain a statement to that effect. Representative shall have no authority to make any acceptance or delivery commitments to customers. Company specifically reserves the right to reject any order or any part thereof for any reasonable reason. Company shall send copies to Representative of any written acceptances on commissionable orders.

E. Company shall have the sole right of credit approval or credit refusal for its customers in all cases.

F. It is expressly understood by Representative that full responsibility for all collection rests with Company, provided, at Company’s request, Representative will provide reasonable assistance in collection of any accounts receivable. In the event that Representative, with the approval of Company, purchases Products from Company and resells said Products to its own customers, Representative shall have the sole right of credit approval or credit refusal for its own customers and full responsibility for all collection for such customers rests with Representative.

G. Representative shall promptly submit to Company, for Company’s attention and handling, the originals of all inquiries received by Representative from customers outside the Territory. Product availability. Company shall not be responsible to Representative or any other party for its failure to fill accepted orders, or for its delay in filling accepted orders, when such failure or delay is due to a cause beyond Company’s reasonable control.

V. Additional Obligations of Representative.

A. Within 30 days of the Effective Date and within thirty days before the start of each subsequent calendar year, Company may assign to Representative an annual quota. Any annual quota must be fair and reasonable, taking into account factors including but not limited to sales in prior years, the competitive and economic situation in the Territory and marketplace, and Company’s market share nationally and in the Territory.

B. Representative shall, at its own expense, promote the sale of the Products in the Territory. Representative may hire or contract with sales representatives or service personnel to promote the Products and perform the duties hereunder.

C. Representative shall provide itself with, and be solely responsible for, (i) such facilities, employees, and business organization, and (ii) such permits, licenses, and other forms of clearance from governmental or regulatory agencies, if any, as it deems necessary for the conduct of its business operations in accordance with this Agreement.

D. Representative shall, at its own expense, and in a manner consistent with the sales policies of Company: (a) attend a reasonable number of trade shows as Company requests; (b) provide adequate contact with existing and potential customers within the Territory on a regular basis; and (c) assist Company in assessing customer requirements for the Products.

E. Representative shall diligently assist its customers’ personnel in using the Products and shall perform such additional customer services as good salesmanship requires and as Company may reasonably request.

F. Representative shall promptly investigate and monitor all customer and/or regulatory complaints and/or correspondence concerning the use of the Product in the Territory. Representative shall immediately notify Company of all such complaints and/or correspondence in accordance with the following: (a) Representative shall advise Company of all complaints relating to incidents of serious and unexpected reactions to the Product as promptly as possible but not more than two (2) calendar days following the date Representative receives such complaint; (b) All complaints other than those related to incidents of serious and unexpected reactions to the Product shall be reported to Company within five (5) calendar days following the date Representative receives such complaint. (c) For purposes of this Section F, a reaction shall be deemed to be unexpected if it is one that is not listed in the current package insert for the Product approved by Company and a reaction shall be deemed to be serious if it is fatal or life threatening, requires inpatient hospitalization, prolongs hospitalization, is permanently disabling, or requires intervention to prevent impairment or damage.

G. Representative shall bear the entire cost and expense of conducting its business in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

H. Representative shall not make any false or misleading representations to customers or others regarding Company or the Products. Representative shall not make any representations, warranties or guarantees with respect to the specifications, features or capabilities of the Products that are not consistent with Company’s documentation accompanying the Products or Company’s literature describing the Products.

VI. Additional Obligations of Company.

A. Company shall provide sales training to Representative’s personnel at periodic intervals, with the frequency and content of the training to be determined by Company. When possible, such training shall be given at Representative’s facilities, but it may be necessary to provide training at a geographically central location near but not in the Territory.

B. Company shall be responsible for obtaining FDA and any other approvals necessary to distribute the Products in the United States.

C. Company shall provide Representative with marketing and technical information concerning the Products as well as reasonable quantities of brochures, instructional material, advertising literature, demonstration product samples, and other Product data at no charge.

D. Company shall provide a reasonable level of telephone marketing and technical support to Representative and its representatives. Company shall use its best efforts to support Representative’s sales and marketing activities.

E. Company shall use its best efforts to fulfill delivery obligations as committed in acceptances.

F. Company shall promptly inform Representative of new product developments relating to the Products.

VII. Trademarks. During the term of this Agreement, Representative shall have the right to indicate to the public that it is an authorized representative of the Products and to advertise (within the Territory) such Products under the trademarks, marks, and trade names that Company may adopt from time to time (Trademarks). Representative shall not alter or remove any Trademark applied to the Products. Except as set forth in this Article VII, nothing contained in this Agreement shall grant to Representative any right, title or interest in the Trademarks.

VIII. Confidential Information. Representative acknowledges that by reason of its relationship to Company hereunder it will have access to certain information and materials concerning Company’s technology, and products that are confidential and of substantial value to Company, which value would be impaired if such information were disclosed to third parties. Representative agrees that it will not use in any way for its own account or the account of any third party, nor disclose to any third party, any such confidential information revealed to it in written or other tangible form or orally, identified as confidential, by Company without the prior written consent of Company. Representative shall take every reasonable precaution to protect the confidentiality of such information. Upon request by Representative, Company shall advise whether or not it considers any particular information or materials to be confidential. In the event of termination of this Agreement, there shall be no use or disclosure by Representative of any confidential information of Company, and Representative shall not manufacture or have manufactured any devices, components or assemblies utilizing any of Company’s confidential information. This section shall not apply to any confidential information which is or becomes generally known and available in the public domain through no fault of Representative.

IX. Indemnification. The Company shall be solely responsible for the design, development, supply, production and performance of its products and the protection of its trade names and patents. The Company agrees to indemnify, hold the Representative harmless against and pay all losses, costs, damages or expenses, whatsoever, including counsel fees, which the Representative may sustain or incur on account of infringement or alleged infringements of patents, trademarks or trade names resulting from the sale of the Company's products, or arising on account of warranty claims, negligence claims, product liability claims or similar claims by third parties. The Representative shall promptly deliver to the Company any notices or papers served upon it in any proceeding covered by this Indemnification Agreement, and the Company shall defend such litigation at its expense. The Representative shall, however, have the right to participate in the defense at its own expense unless there is a conflict of interest, in which case, the Representative shall indemnify the Company for the expenses of such defense including counsel fees. The Company shall provide the Representative with a certificate of insurance evidencing the Representative as an additional insured on the Company’s product liability insurance policy. This provision shall survive and remain in full force and effect after the termination or nonrenewal of this Agreement.

X. Term and Termination.

A. Term. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for a period of three years from the date above, unless terminated earlier under the provisions of this Agreement. Thereafter, this Agreement shall be renewed automatically for successive additional three year terms under the same terms and conditions unless either party chooses not to continue the relationship and provides written notice 180 days prior to the natural expiration of the existing three-year term.

B. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by as follows:

1. By Company if Representative fails to achieve its annual quota requirement.

2. By either party if the other party becomes insolvent or bankrupt, or files a voluntary petition in bankruptcy, or has had filed for an involuntary petition in bankruptcy (unless such involuntary petition is withdrawn or dismissed within ten days after filing) in which event termination may be immediate upon notice; or

3. By either party if the other party fails to cure any breach of a material covenant, commitment or obligation under this Agreement, within 45 days after receipt of written notice specifically setting forth the breach from the other party; or

4. By either party if the other party is convicted or pleads to a crime or an act of fraud that materially impacts on its performance or its fiduciary duties hereunder, in which event termination may be immediate upon notice.

C. Return of Materials. All Confidential Information and other property belonging to Company shall remain the property of Company and will be immediately returned by Representative upon termination. Representative shall not make or retain any copies of any Confidential Information that may have been entrusted to it.

D. Return of the Products. Upon the termination of this Agreement, Company shall repurchase any inventory and instrumentation of the Representative at Representative’s cost.

XI. Severability. The invalidity of any portion of this Agreement will not and shall not be deemed to affect the validity of any other provision. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, the parties agree that the remaining provisions shall be deemed to be in full force and effect as if they had been executed by both parties subsequent to the expungement of the invalid provision.

XII. No Waiver. The failure of either party to this Agreement to insist upon the performance of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, or the waiver of any breach of any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, shall not be construed as subsequently waiving any such terms and conditions, but the same shall continue and remain in full force and effect as if no such forbearance or waiver had occurred.

XIII. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of (name of state).

XIV. Notices. Unless provided herein to the contrary, any notice provided for or concerning this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given when sent by certified or registered mail if sent to the respective address of each party as set forth at the beginning of this Agreement.

XV. Mandatory Arbitration. Any dispute under this Agreement shall be required to be resolved by binding arbitration of the parties hereto. If the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator, each party shall select one arbitrator and both arbitrators shall then select a third. The third arbitrator so selected shall arbitrate said dispute. The arbitration shall be governed by the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in force and effect.

XVI. Entire Agreement. This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement between the parties and any prior understanding or representation of any kind preceding the date of this Agreement shall not be binding upon either party except to the extent incorporated in this Agreement.

XVII. Modification of Agreement. Any modification of this Agreement or additional obligation assumed by either party in connection with this Agreement shall be binding only if placed in writing and signed by each party or an authorized representative of each party.

XVIII. Assignment of Rights. The rights of each party under this Agreement are personal to that party and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person, firm, corporation, or other entity without the prior, express, and written consent of the other party.

XIX. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

XX. Compliance with Laws. In performing under this Agreement, all applicable governmental laws, regulations, orders, and other rules of duly-constituted authority will be followed and complied with in all respects by both parties.

XXI. Property Rights. Representative agrees that Company owns all right, title, and interest in the product lines that include the Products and in all of Company’s patents, trademarks, trade names, inventions, copyrights, know-how, and trade secrets relating to the design, manufacture, operation or service of the Products. The use by Representative of any of these property rights is authorized only for the purposes herein set forth, and upon termination of this Agreement for any reason such authorization shall cease.

WITNESS our signatures as of the day and date first above stated.

(Attach Exhibits)

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What the Exclusive Agreement Contract Is and When It Applies

An Exclusive Agreement Contract is a written agreement where one party grants another sole rights to sell, distribute, license, or represent specified goods, services, or intellectual property within defined parameters. Typical elements include clear parties, scope (product or service), territory, term length, renewal mechanics, consideration, and termination conditions. Well-drafted exclusivity provisions limit competing arrangements for the covered subject matter and allocate remedies for breach. These contracts are used across sales, licensing, talent representation, and distribution arrangements and are commonly executed electronically when parties follow applicable e-signature rules.

Why Use an Exclusive Agreement Contract

An Exclusive Agreement Contract creates predictable commercial rights, reduces channel conflict, and documents compensation and performance expectations. It protects revenue streams by clarifying exclusivity scope and termination triggers, and it reduces disputes by assigning specific remedies and notice procedures.

Why Use an Exclusive Agreement Contract

Who Typically Uses an Exclusive Agreement Contract

Legal counsel, contracts managers, and procurement teams usually review these agreements to ensure enforceability, compliance with governing law, and alignment with commercial strategy.

  • Manufacturers and distributors managing regional sales and dealer networks.
  • Technology companies licensing software or platform access to resellers.
  • Talent and literary agents securing exclusive representation for clients.

Typical Signers and Decision Makers

Licensor — General Counsel

Licensors are often represented by in-house or outside counsel who review scope, IP assignment, and indemnity. They verify that exclusivity limits do not unintentionally block other strategic channels and confirm governing-law choices before signing.

Licensee — Head of Sales

Licensees or distributors sign on behalf of commercial operations and confirm territories, minimum purchase or performance obligations, and termination remedies. They ensure execution authority and financial terms are documented clearly.

Core Components Every Professional Exclusive Agreement Should Include

A complete Exclusive Agreement Contract addresses the who, what, where, when, and how of exclusivity plus remedies and administrative provisions that support enforcement.

Parties

Full legal names and entity types for each signatory, including authorized signers and mailing addresses for notices; precision limits later disputes.

Grant

Clear description of the exclusive right granted (sale, distribution, licensing) and any reserved rights for the grantor or third parties.

Territory

Geographic or market limits explained precisely; undefined territories are a frequent source of disagreement and enforcement problems.

Term & Renewal

Start and end dates, automatic renewal terms or renewal notice windows, and conditions that trigger early termination.

Consideration

Payment, minimum purchase commitments, royalties, or other compensation tied to exclusivity; include reporting and audit rights.

Remedies & Termination

Remedies for breach, injunctive relief language if appropriate, cure periods, and post-termination rights such as wind-down sales.

Step-by-Step: From Drafting to Signed Agreement

Follow these four sequential steps to prepare, review, and execute an Exclusive Agreement Contract reliably.

  • 01
    Gather Information: Collect legal names, territory, term, and compensation details.
  • 02
    Draft Terms: Write clear grant, limitations, and termination mechanics.
  • 03
    Review Legally: Have counsel check enforceability and compliance.
  • 04
    Execute and Store: Sign by authorized parties and retain final copy securely.

Typical Digital Workflow Settings for Online Completion

Configure workflow fields and authentication to preserve intent, attribution, and a reproducible record for e-signed contracts.

Field Configuration
Signature Method E-signature with visible signature and audit trail
Authentication Email link plus optional SMS code
Routing Order Sequential or parallel signer routing
Retention Format PDF with audit log and embedded metadata

Platform and File Requirements for eSigning

Ensure the chosen solution produces tamper-evident signed PDFs, captures an audit trail, and stores completed agreements in a secure repository that meets your compliance needs.

  • File Formats: PDF, Word DOCX supported
  • Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced methods

How Electronic Execution Typically Works

Electronic signing follows a predictable sequence from upload to a completed audit record.

  • Upload Document: Sender uploads contract file to the signing platform.
  • Place Fields: Define signature, date, and initial fields.
  • Send to Signers: Platform emails signer links or uses direct invite.
  • Capture Audit Trail: System logs timestamps, IPs, and actions.

Critical Timing Elements to Include in the Agreement

Specify precise timeframes for notices, cure periods, renewals, and performance milestones to avoid ambiguity.

Effective Date:

Date obligations commence, entered as MM/DD/YYYY.

Notice Period for Nonrenewal:

Commonly 30–90 days before term end; specify exact days.

Cure Period:

Time to remedy breach, often 10–30 days.

Performance Milestones:

Dates for deliveries, reporting, or minimum purchases.

Termination Effective Date:

Date termination takes effect after notice or cure period.

Typical Milestones from Negotiation to Post-Termination

A numbered milestone sequence helps teams track the contract lifecycle and trigger duties at each stage.

01

Negotiation Complete

Term sheet finalization and internal approvals obtained.

02

Execution

Authorized signers execute the final agreement.

03

Performance Phase

Active exclusivity and delivery obligations observed.

04

Post-Termination

Wind-down, final accounting, and record retention triggered.

Common Drafting and Preparation Pitfalls

  • Vague territory or product definitions that leave enforcement uncertain and invite disputes.
  • Missing or ambiguous termination and renewal language that creates inadvertent perpetual commitments.
  • Unclear performance metrics or minimum commitments that make obligations unenforceable or unmeasurable.
  • Failure to confirm signing authority, resulting in ratification disputes or invalid execution.

Legal and Financial Risks of a Defective Exclusive Agreement

Breach Damages: Monetary liability for lost profits and contract losses.
Injunctive Relief: Court orders may halt competing sales or distribution.
Loss of Exclusivity: Court may void exclusive grant for vagueness.
Reputational Harm: Partner disputes can damage market relationships.
Contract Rescission: Entire agreement could be rescinded for fundamental defects.
Increased Legal Costs: Litigation and enforcement expenses increase overall cost.

Exclusive vs Non-Exclusive Agreements: Quick Comparison

A concise comparison highlights how exclusivity changes commercial rights and obligations.

Criteria Exclusive Non-Exclusive
Enforceability
Revenue Impact higher risk/reward lower risk
Term Flexibility often fixed term more flexible
Typical Use Cases territorial distribution multi-channel sales

eSignature Vendor Pricing Snapshot Relevant to Contract Execution

Basic pricing and capability differences across common eSignature vendors to consider when executing exclusive contracts electronically.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day trial Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Real-World Examples of Exclusive Agreements in Use

Two illustrative customer scenarios show how exclusive contracts support business operations across industries.

Optica Ventures LLC

Optica needed consistent exclusive agreements for partner transactions to standardize workflows and reduce execution delays.

  • Reduced execution time and clearer partner duties.
  • The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.

Xerox — NetSuite Operations

Xerox required flexible signing formats and integration with enterprise systems to manage exclusivity at scale.

  • Integration enabled automated routing and storage.
  • airSlate SignNow provides us with the flexibility needed to get the right signatures on the right documents, in the right formats, based on our integration with NetSuite.

Frequently Asked Questions About Exclusive Agreement Contracts

Answers to commonly asked legal and execution questions to help avoid enforceability and operational problems.


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