"Apple-Authorized Reseller" program was originally invented for small-scale developers to be able to bundle their software and re-sell Apple computers with it, without having to buy and resell a million dollars of Apple equipment each quarter and provide certified service to the general public.
Online retailers such as B&H, Adorama, MacConnection, and similar have gravitated to that program because it is less onerous than being a bona-fide Apple Dealer. I believe a certain number of their sales must be bundled with additional items -- but these may be things such as commercial software, Printers, drives, or AppleCare packages.
If they were misrepresenting what they sold, Apple would punish them and/or they would lose their status. If Apple was not happy with the arrangement, they would cancel or modify it in some way.
These are legitimate Resellers, they are just not Full-Service Apple Dealers or "Apple Shops" like Best Buy.