What is exact meaning of "business partner"?

Question

English is not my mother tongue, so I have some trouble understanding the exact meaning of some quite common terms. Please help me to understand this: does the term "business partner" ever includes customers/buyers and suppliers/subcontractors? My understanding is that you will treat someone as business partner only if you share some activities, risks or profit with him, therefore I would never speak of my client as of my "business partner" as we do not share anything. On the contrary: he will try to pay me the minimum price, I would try to get the maximum. I don't see any partnership there. Well, perhaps out of courtesy in a public speech I might address him in that way...

Thanks for helping me!

Avangi · Accepted Answer

There are many kinds of partners.

"Business partners" usually refers to the participants in a legal entity known as a partnership.
It is not generally used to describe a casual or temporary relationship.
Exceptions could be a couple of kids with a lemonade stand.
If it's not a legal entity, the "business partners" would at least be on equal footing.

You could say, "We were partners in that deal," but it would be unusual to say "We were business partners in that deal," unless there's some context to indicate that the deal was a long-term arrangement.

I can't imagine a situation in which you'd refer to your client as your business partner.
I suppose your business partner could be your client in a separate relationship, but that would need to be specified in some way. Eg, we own a bar together, which is a legal partnership. I'm also a lawyer, and I'm going to handle my partner's divorce. So he is also my client.

Englishinc · Answer

I can't speak for every industry, but in the technology sector the word partner is used to imply a close relationship that will continue long after the sale.  You may hear software and hardware vendors use phrases like "let us be your technology partner".

What is exact meaning of "business partner"?

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