McAfee stung by reseller?s rebuff

Reseller International Data Security (IDS) is snubbing antivirus supplier McAfee by recommending packages from its arch-rival Dr Solomon?s.

IDS was McAfee?s leading agent in the UK until the US-based company increased its direct marketing presence in this country 18 months ago. While IDS continued to resell McAfee products, the manufacturer eventually dissolved the reseller agreement.

An IDS representative said: ?We will continue to recommend other McAfee products and will provide its antivirus software to clients who ask for it. However, we believe the Dr Solomon?s product simply works better.?

IDS? endorsement for Dr Solomon?s was seen as a blow for McAfee as the bitter turf war grows between the two antivirus companies.

UK-based Dr Solomon?s is trying to increase its market share in the McAfee-dominated US market, while McAfee, in turn, is trying to cut into Dr Solomon?s 70 per cent UK market share. A series of lawsuits has ensued in the US alleging patent infringements.

McAfee marketing manager Caroline Kuipers was reluctant to comment for legal reasons on IDS? sudden change of heart. ?McAfee is taking legal action against IDS to recover money owed to it,? she said.

The action relates to financial issues that arose following McAfee?s decision to end its reseller agreement with IDS.

Mike Hill, Dr Solomon?s marketing director, said the company had been negotiating with IDS for some months to persuade it to become a corporate reseller for the antivirus firm.

?IDS is well known in the UK and is very good at what it does. It had done a tremendous job promoting McAfee and I am really pleased that we have it on our side.?