Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : Ingram Micro -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Reseller who wrote (374)	11/25/1999 5:27:00 AM
From: flickerful	Respond to of 576

System resellers strike back online By Dan Briody and Dan Neel InfoWorld Electric Posted at 3:15 PM PT, Nov 24, 1999 With mounting competition from Compaq and Dell, traditional resellers - once thought to be nearly extinct - are joining in the race to become the premier one-stop Web shopping site for all of a company's IT needs. Ingram Micro is beta-testing a Web storefront package called PrimeAccess. And MicroAge has announced a Web service called MicroAgeDirect, which will anchor the company's e-business services for clients with the added twist of offering procurement-process management software to enhance the purchasing experience and provide various levels of clearance for buyers. But for those in charge of IT procurement, many issues - including existing relationships, vendor neutrality, and services - will dictate whether they will buy through a reseller or from an OEM. "We've been partnered with our reseller for six years, because I didn't want to have to maintain relationships with different manufacturers," said Joan Miller, director of procurement for Newbridge Networks, in Chantilly, Va. "Vendor neutrality is important, because what is available between different vendors changes every minute. Using a Web site is a way to buy, but not a way to do business." Ironically, in just three years, some of the largest resellers' strongest partners have turned into their toughest competitors. Compaq plans to sell and resell IT solutions, supporting services and content from various vendors - including its competition - through its forthcoming portal. Throw in the revamped, Extensible Markup Language-driven Dell.com, and MicroAge and Ingram Micro are facing off against what used to be some of their most lucrative partners. The resellers feel that with a crowded field of companies all rushing for market share, Compaq, Dell, and others are still learning what is required in offering a multivendor solution, and they have to deal with conflicting interests. "Resellers or integrators have always been in the business of supplying multivendor solutions, but Compaq's ultimate goal is always going to be selling you their software," said Jim Scharph, group vice president at MicroAge. MicroAge officials say that MicroAgeDirect also benefits customers by managing their procurement process. By giving everyone in the organization varying levels of buying clearance and routing purchase requests appropriately, MicroAge eliminates lengthy approval cycles. MicroAgeDirect can also be customized to appear as part of a company's intranet. "We'll be building Web storefronts for customers who wish to sell through our site," said Carrie Brooks at Ingram Micro. "We also back-end our inventory through other existing sites." MicroAge Inc., in Tempe, Ariz., is at www.microage.com. Ingram Micro Inc., in Santa Ana, Calif., is at www.ingrammicro.com. Dan Briody is an InfoWorld editor at large. Dan Neel is an InfoWorld reporter. infoworld.com Please direct your comments to InfoWorld Deputy News Editor, Carolyn April Copyright © 1999 InfoWorld Media Group Inc. InfoWorld Electric is a member of IDG.net

To: Reseller who wrote (374)	11/25/1999 5:38:00 AM
From: flickerful	Respond to of 576

reseller...dale, toni & all. h a p p y t h a n k s g i v i n g [i've been following the arrows...but things are changing so quickly that as soon as i scratch the OLD surfaces, radically new ones suddenly take their place. talk about a delicate balance; the combined arts of diplomacy and negotiation will become vital.] thanks for all the help, flick

To: Reseller who wrote (374)	12/1/1999 12:26:00 AM
From: Dale Stempson	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 576

RE: TECD Earnings Report Reseller, As you pointed out, Tech Data will announce their earnings in a few hours. I will be watching closely and would guess that IM will move in sympathy. I'm not expecting a surprise either way, and suspect they'll report more or less in-line with consensus. I'm hoping we'll get some indication of what the future outlook is. Recent comments in the press seem to indicate Y2K will negatively impact next quarter's report, but the following quarter after that could be a blockbuster. Hints of stable to possibly improving margins could provide an added kicker. If this speculation is close to accurate, it will be interesting to see how the market reacts. Would it sell based on short-term issues or buy based on long-term prospects? Regards - Dale