The Retail Whammy

Solution providers that ignore the fast-moving and innovative retail computer market are doing their customers a disservice and putting their livelihoods at risk.

	STEVEN BURKE
Can be reached via e-mail at sburke@everythingchannel.com.

The retail tail has always wagged the computer market dog. That is, retail has always been the place where the hottest technology shows up first. Nothing new there. What is new is that retail is having a greater impact among small businesses and even the mind-set of midsize and enterprise customers. That's because customers of all stripes are demanding proven ROI and increasingly holding up technology products on retail shelves and e-commerce Web sites as a measure of just how much bang they can get for their IT buck. And savvy customers are checking everything from vendor Web sites to e-tail sites and then making the trip to big-box retailers like Best Buy and product warehouses like Costco.

Never before has there been so much conflict in the retail trenches with the bread-and-butter products and services being offered by solution providers. Vendors themselves and retailers are both competing with VARs head on. And not just in simple, long-established products, but in emerging product offerings like subscription-based Software-as-a-Service (for example, Microsoft, with Windows Live OneCare) and in managed services (Dell with its managed service offerings and its new premium support service for consumers that allows you to pay for the right to get the same dedicated technical team each time you call).

Solution providers are not stupid. They are increasingly sourcing from all manner of retailer and online e-tailer to get their customers the most for their money. They are shopping at the likes of Best Buy, Newegg, TigerDirect and even eBay. The point is solution providers need to get their retail vision checked. And Everything Channel, which publishes CRN, is going to help them. With the recent purchase of Vision Events, which counts the Retail Vision events among its portfolio, we are stepping up our retail coverage. Check out our list of the 25 hottest products at Retail Vision 2008 at www.channelweb.com.

Solution providers that ignore retail are going to find the rug pulled out from under them by savvy customers determined to get the best value. Don't let the retail whammy get you. Make sure your retail vision is 20/20. The next Retail Vision in the United States is being held from Aug. 25-28 in San Diego. See you there.

Are you getting hit by The Retail Whammy?
E-mail me at sburke@everythingchannel.com.