Samsung re-evaluates distributor ranks

Samsung is re-evaluating its printer distributors line-up

Samsung is re-evaluating its printer distributors line-up as part of plans to drive mid-range and SMB product sales.

National print manager, Greg Wallis, confirmed it was reviewing relationships with all printer distributors to improve channel focus across its expanding portfolio. Distributors include TodayTech, Altech, Cellnet, Ingram Micro, XiT, TopStar, Alloys International, J Mills, Leading Pacific and Westan.

“It’s more a review of how our channel and distributors will work in this [mid-range] area,” he said.

It was too early to comment on whether Samsung would cut distributors, Wallis said.

Samsung released a new series of new mid-range copier and multifunction products this month. They followed the launch of 26 products earlier this year.

“Two years ago, we were just in B2B; now we’re hitting SMB and mid-range resellers. We need to gear up [distribution] for that,” Wallis said. “We want to cut it down to primary distribution partners that are adding some value.”

He said several distributors were legacy Samsung partners from its notebook, monitors and hard drives business. In recent years the vendor has left the Australian notebook market and built up a separate laser printers and copier division.

“We will look at the business and see what makes most sense,” Wallis said. “We have larger distributors in the monitors and drives space but who are not really looking at print. We want to work on those key partnerships but focus on their strengths.”

The channel review should be completed this quarter, Wallis said.

Samsung has also been building up its channel-facing print team and recently added two business development managers as well as a dedicated product manager and additional sales manager.

Wallis said a further four appointments were on the cards, and indicated the company could look to double its total headcount going forward. All up, Samsung has 18 people covering Australian channel sales.

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