Samsung prepares to tackle copier channel
Electronics giant has grown its reseller base by 220 per cent in under a year
Samsung’s printer division has grown its reseller base by 220 per cent in under a year and is now preparing to push into the copier channel.
Steve Pearce, marketing product manager for multi-functional products (MFPs) and solutions, Samsung UK, told CRN: “In April 2006 we had 500 active VARs. By March 2007 this figure had grown to 1,600, exceeding our 100 per cent growth target.”
Samsung is now looking for 40 partners to embrace its new pay-per-print managed service Sam Click.
“We started going after the copier market in January when we launched our A4 copier-based MFP,” Pearce said. “There are IT VARs that are happy to chase this new channel but we are also looking for copier dealers to come on board. Ideally we’d like 20 copier dealers and 20 VARs to focus on the copier channel.”
Ricoh began targeting IT VARs last year. Chas Moloney, associate director marketing at Ricoh, said: “The business model for VARs is very different from the model for copier dealers. It is a learning curve we have gone through now and a challenge that Samsung will face.”
Bob Essex, UK & Eire office marketing manager at Xerox, added: “There are barriers to entry in both spaces. The key is coming up with the right offering for resellers.”
Samsung is also looking for ISVs to develop applications around its printer products following the signing of a technology alliance with IBM.
“Samsung now plays in the bespoke software environment,” Pearce said. “The agreement with IBM permits us to use IBM’s JScribe as an open platform enabling third parties to develop bolt-on applications for our printer products.”
Samsung will pay for ISVs to become Samsung Solution Printing Partners and claims it has invested £100,000 in this partner community.