What does OEM Mean?

The acronym OEM refers to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts that are built by the company that initially made the parts.  These parts are designed and used for manufacturers who are building an original product. The OEM parts we carry are precisely the same as the part that came with your original product.

An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) traditionally is defined as a company whose goods are used as components in the products of another company, which then sells the finished item to users, such as a computer or laptop.

The company putting these products together to form a finished product that is sold to the end-user is called a Value-Added Reseller (VAR) because by augmenting or incorporating features or services, it adds value to the original item.

In the computer industry, OEM may refer to the company that buys products and then incorporates or rebrands them into a new product under its own name. Traditionally, OEMs focus on business-to-business sales, while VARs market and sell to the public or other end users.

An increasing number of OEMs are selling their parts or services directly to consumers (which, in a way, makes them a VAR). For example, people who build their own computers can buy graphics cards or processors directly from Nvidia, Intel, or retailers like DirectDeals, that stock those products.