They have a direct sales model which is more expensive to operate and exaggerates profit margin.
How would adding a middleman that also has to make profit make the company earn less? Wouldn't direct sales allow Tesla to sell for a higher price because they can sell at retail instead of a "wholesale" cost normally sold to a dealership?
People who look closely have consistently concluded that Tesla cannot really be making money, or have very narrow profit margins at best.
I'd be interested in reading more on this assertion. Do you have a source you can point me to?