Softbank Shifts Distribution Of Software To Internet
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Softbank Corp. (9984) has switched its software distribution business to one operated entirely through the Internet, effective from Monday, company sources said.
Softbank Commerce Corp., Softbank's Tokyo-based software distribution subsidiary, has developed an online trading system at a cost of some 1 billion yen.
Softbank Commerce's 45,000 software users, as well as the 10,000 major suppliers and retailers with which it does business, will now use "IT Exchange," which is based on an international electronic commerce standard developed by U.S. nonprofit organization RosettaNet. It is the first adoption of the standard in Japan.
A total of some 100,000 products, including software, personal computers and peripherals which Softbank Commerce handles, are registered in the system. Retailers can search for items, check inventories as well as confirm orders and deliveries online, around the clock.
After receiving customer orders, the system also enables retailers to ask Softbank Commerce to make delivery for them.
By introducing the system, Softbank Commerce plans to lower the ratio of marketing and administrative costs to sales, to 3.5%. It also aims to improve the inventory turnover rate from three times a month to four times a month.
(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Monday evening edition |
