The Old Hand: what is a modifier?

What exactly is a modifier you should ask? Well apparently, a modifier is a company appointed by Samsung to officially modify their product when imported from one region to another and ensure that product to be compliant for the receiving region.

According to Samsung, it equates to an unofficial modified product. Note the word “unofficial” in this statement taken from their website: “A modified product is one that has, without Samsung’s or the end-user’s permission or knowledge, been opened prior to its sale to an end-user and has had one or more changes made to it. These changes may include:

If I understand this correctly, then Samsung create a product, register and own the intellectual property of that product, set up and run an extremely sophisticated supply channel for that product consisting of vetted and appointed distribution companies, and then insist that those companies adhere to their extremely strict and confidential contracts referring to the flow and distribution of that product.

Are Samsung now saying to their official distributors that they no longer need their services, and for the future they will be using the services of modifiers to distribute their product? Let’s say I am an officially appointed Samsung distributor in the UK and my sales channels are retailers, networks and grocers. Officially these outlets can’t purchase Samsung product from anywhere other than an officially appointed distributor.