NPDTechworld Launches Distributor Track

NPDTechworld, a division of The NPD Group, Inc. has recently launched Distributor Track, the authoritative source for distributor sell-through data on information technology products.

Until now, the industry has had little information for making fact-based decisions on the commercial IT space. As it is the only source for distributor point-of-sale data, NPDTechworld Distributor Track enables IT vendors to benchmark against competitors, react to market trends and adjust marketing and sales strategies. Information technology (IT) manufacturers, resellers and the financial community can now ascertain the true pecking order between value-added resellers (VARs), retail, online and end-user sales with an unparalleled level of data-driven assurance.

'Prior to this service, it was impossible to understand the buying patterns of smaller businesses, so they were all but ignored in broad-based marketing efforts that tend to reach only larger players,' said Stephen Baker, director of IT research, NPDTechworld. 'Distributor Track enables subscribers to focus on the important small and medium-sized end-sellers who purchase small quantities of products from many different suppliers, in order to better reach them with targeted marketing initiatives.'

By tracking IT product sales through distribution, NPDTechworld Distributor Track enables analysts to monitor the customer category (or destination channel) into which distributors are selling. These destination channels include: retail, direct marketer, corporate reseller, value added reseller (VAR), original equipment manufacturer (OEM), consultant and e-commerce.

NPDTechworld Distributor Track product information is compiled and reported monthly by product category down to the SKU level by customer segment and is the result of an agreement between NPDTechworld and the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC). Earlier this year, the organizations agreed to launch this new service which provides market information for the technology industries.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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