Web turnover booming for C2000

Computer 2000, the UK arm of Tech Data, has announced a huge rise in web-related turnover through electronic data interchange and its online reseller ordering service InTouch.

Computer 2000 (C2000), the UK arm of Tech Data, has announced a huge rise in web-related turnover through electronic data interchange and its online reseller ordering service InTouch.

Figures for February to July indicate that turnover generated through the website increased by almost 300 per cent. The number of registered users during this period rose by 64 per cent, from 4500 to just over 7000.

The figures confirm that resellers want to buy products online, according to Alistair Brett, sales director at C2000.

"Many of our customers are using the web for product information and stock availability, but an increasing number are also placing orders though the website. We have seen sales grow strongly over the past six months, and we would expect this trend to continue well into the new year until online sales total more than one quarter of all sales," he said.

Brett added that the growing use of ecommerce facilities, such as product information, pricing and stock availability, has also allowed C2000 to use its resources elsewhere.

"We have been able to put much more time and effort into helping resellers at the pre-sales stage. This has really been appreciated by smaller resellers targeting the SME market who would have found it hardest to get time and attention from staff in the past," he said.

Alex Tatham, commercial director at Ideal, described C2000's figures as excellent, and said they showed the potential of online sales. He added that Ideal's own website, incorporated into its range of online services, had registered 100 customers since it was launched last month. "Customers still like to use the phone to try to negotiate better deals, but we aim to have 10 per cent of sales online by the end of next year," he said.

C2000 has also announced new distribution agreements with leading USB components and cabling supplier Belkin, and with Enlight for its complete range of PC casings.