Good Week/Bad Week
Who is raising a glass and who is crying into their beer this week?
Good Week
SCC
Parting is such sweet sorrow, a certain Mr Shakespeare once said. But that doesn't seem to be the case with Birmingham-based integrator SCC.
The firm waved goodbye to its distribution arm SDG recently as it starts its life with new owner Tech Data.
But instead of looking at old photos of its time together and playing some kind of nostalgic 80s love song in the background, SCC is already planning how to spend all that lovely lolly. With its sights firmly set on growth, it hasn't ruled out acquisition as well. If only all break-ups were so smooth.
Top VARs
Did you know, the revenue growth of the UK's top 10 resellers this year could pay the country's cider and beer duty bill for a month? Well neither did we, until we crunched the numbers of this year's Top VARs report - our second annual rundown of the UK's top 100 resellers by revenue.
Though it's undoubtedly tough times right now for Johnny reseller, the combined turnover of the top 50 outfits rose 12 per cent on last year's top 50, to £8.19bn, with the top 100 pulling in a cool £9.5bn.
The 100th-placed VAR, Total Computer Networks, turned over £16.6m - roughly what Sunderland paid for hotshot striker Darren Bent.
It's a big old industry alright, and it's growing. So let's all have a beer.
iPads
No matter how quickly Apple releases new products, its loyal base of fanbois is ready and waiting to snap them up, as proved by the three million tablets the firm shifted in just three days.
Apple was keen to announce that the dual launch of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad was twice as successful as the March launch of the iPad 3, which sold only 1.5m devices in its opening three days (is that all?).
Now correct the CRN newsdesk if we're wrong, but surely doubling the number of devices in a launch would lead to double the number sold?
Bad Week
Japanese vendors
It looks like nasty ol' Europe is giving some Japanese giants a hammering, with two of them blaming the ongoing eurozone crisis for a black hole in their financials.
Sony suffered its seventh consecutive quarter of loss as sales plummeted and Panasonic lamented a weak Europe for its projected second-quarter loss. Fujitsu has also recently had a pop at Europe for its flat Q2 performance.
Unfortunately, many potential buyers in Europe are currently trying to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, so buying a 3D TV or 92in flatscreen has kind of slipped down the priority list.
But hey, look on the bright side - Christmas is now on the horizon. Who knows, maybe things will look up!
Comet
Comet may have failed to move with the times, but you'd have to be made of stone not to feel some sympathy following the demise of a firm that has graced our high streets for 79 years.
While the fate of its 6,500 staff hangs in the balance, suppliers with stock tied up in Comet are ruing their decision to continue trading with a retailer many considered a basket case following February's OpCapita takeover.
But as our Spotlight piece on p4-5 explores, the bricks-and-mortar model may not be dead yet. Let's hope administrator Deloitte salvages as much from the Comet wreckage as possible.
Systemax
Systemax didn't let the grass grow after announcing that it posted a loss of $1.9m (£1.2m) in its Q3. In the same breath, it said it was dropping two brands, leaving the system builder market and shipping its European jobs further east to save costs.
Just a year ago, the company enjoyed $19.3m profit, but blamed poor consumer sales for this year's loss, as its revenue in the area dropped by 19 per cent.
Despite the turnaround, Systemax remained positive that its 2013 relocation to eastern Europe will ease the troubles, with its admin and back-office functions centre aiming to "drive operational efficiencies".