WatchGuard clamps down on transatlantic web resellers

Security vendor moves to protect UK resellers against threat posed by US e-commerce outfits

Flagged up: WatchGuard has responded to complaints that its US partners were targeting the UK market

WatchGuard has launched a crackdown on US web resellers targeting the UK.

The security appliance vendor has tweaked its terms and conditions for US partners in a move it claims will protect the health of its UK channel.

Mark Romano, director of global channel marketing at WatchGuard, admitted there had been several recent incidents of US web players selling into the UK.

“It hasn’t been a huge problem but we have seen other manufacturers not focus on it and it can cause a huge problem,” he said. “We need to ensure our UK resellers stay healthy."

Romano laid the blame at the door of smaller, overly aggressive US resellers getting into e-commerce for the first time, rather than the heavyweight web shops such as CDW, Dell or Insight Enterprises.

Romano said there were two ways in which WatchGuard – which has about 75-100 active higher-level Expert and Professional partners in the UK - had adjusted its model to stamp out the trend.

“We have rewritten our channel programme for the Americas so resellers would now be violating the programme if they sell outside of the Americas," he explained.

He added: “We have also adjusted our e-commerce programme.

"In the US we have two programmes – the WatchGuard Secure Partner Programme and the National Reseller Programme [which is for e-commerce outfits]. Some of the WatchGuard Secure partners have moved to more of an e-commerce model which has led to some marketing across the ocean into the UK. We have now moved them into the National Reseller Programme.”

Separately, Romano confirmed that Jamie Pearce has taken the reins of WatchGuard’s UK operation.

“Jamie came over with BorderWare when we acquired it last August,” he said. “Previous to that he worked with [distributor] Sphinx so we have a good head driving the UK team.”