MS list creates Lar ?nightmare?

Price list confusion is causing problems for large European resellers

European and international direct Lars have hit out at Microsoft for making their lives ?a nightmare? following the confusion with its pricing generation process. (PC Dealer, 19 February.)

For the past two months, the software giant has been unable to provide a full European Select price list, making it difficult to provide multinational customers with volume licensing information.

Under the revised system, channel partners are expected to call Microsoft in Ireland, or the relevant subsidiary, to get the price of a particular product or language version.

One industry source said: ?It is a nightmare pricing in multiple currencies and in multiple languages. Before now you could supply customers in whatever currency and whatever language they needed.

?It means it?s incredibly difficult to supply customers with a basic level of information ? like what price they can buy at.?

The problem is serious as big customers try to strike deals in the most favourable currency at any one time, because of price fluctuations. The source added: ?It means it?s unbelievably difficult to service the customers? needs. Why didn?t we get told ahead of this pickle??

A Microsoft representative admitted there was a problem, but claimed it was temporary. ?The issue is that we are unable to deliver a pan-European price for all skews for all currencies. We are not providing the best solution at the moment, but we are working very hard to do so.?

He said that 25 people across Europe were working on the situation, but was unable to confirm when it would be resolved.

This, combined with the pricing errors within Select price lists during January and February, has added to the channel?s problems.

One source said: ?This has caused a lot of grief for larger resellers, especially when they are not limited to one country.

Another source said: ?This puts the burden of currency fluctuations on the dealer.?