Stories by Tom Allen

E-Store heading for $3 million a month

A year after opening its e-doors online retailer E-Store is staring at its first million-dollar month, according to managing director Steven Spilly.

Ninemsn grabs a piece of Ozbuy.com

Ninemsn has announced it is to take equity in one of its ecommerce tenants, etailer ozbuy.com.

Consumer desktops underpin PC growth: IDC

Despite a slowdown in corporate spending in the second half of the year due to the Y2K lockdown, the Australian PC market still managed to grow 17.1 per cent on the previous year. This was the summary of IDC Australia analyst Logan Ringland in its review of the Australian PC market for 1999.

Epson extends laser reach

Epson has broadened its range of laser offerings, both entry level and for the workgroup, while also announcing a new flatbed scanner it claims to be the first in Australia with FireWire connectivity.

FishTech hooked

FishTech & Partners, the former Notes specialist application developer and integrator, has fallen to the seemingly endless Solution 6 acquisition machine. But as he prepares to bank the reported $19 million in Solution 6 scrip, founder and CEO Nick Fish said it represents "an enormous move forward for us".

Camtech calms customers

- Adelaide based e-commerce solutions developer Camtech has announced a program for its resellers where e-tailers can display a "secured by Camtech" logo to reassure Internet shoppers about the security of buying online.

Epson extends laser reach, jumps into FireWire

Imaging vendor Epson has broadened its range of laser printer offerings for both entry level and workgroup printers, while also announcing a new flatbed scanner it claims is the first in Australia with FireWire connectivity.

Gattari moves solely into etail

IT retail trailblazer Tony Gattari has revealed that his "consulting days" are over and it's now time to carve out a piece of the universe for himself.

Mercury rises to support CHA

- The star is rising for The Mercury Group (TMG), which comprises integrator Mercury IT, reseller Laptop Land and Mercury Services Group. In a unique arrangement with distributor CHA, Mercury's services group will take over the management of its service centres in Melbourne and Perth to create what CEO Derek Merdith believes to be the biggest, if not only, independent national service group in Australia. And the channel services message is not lost on him

SA computer retailers shock ASIC

- One-third of computer retailers in South Australia were unable to produce financial statements when requested by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). And further investigations are believed to be going on in relation to the legitimacy of several SA resellers.

Bargain modems - if they're up to scratch

In the face of increasing demand for access to the Internet and downward price pressure for modems, retailers need to ensure a bargain product is indeed a bargain.

Creative sets up new Australian suit

Distribution arrangements for Creative Technology multi-media products in Australia are set to be revised following the decision by the Singapore head-quartered vendor to establish a new subsidiary in Australia.

Apple fights off channel concerns

As the dust settles from the collapse of one of its long-established AppleCentre operators (ARN December 8 Page 6), Apple has moved to allay potential reseller concerns about its channel strategy.

Leave it to Gleave

Back in August, data storage vendor Hitachi Data Systems heralded its intention to embrace the channel, and the person charged with establishing the right partnerships in Australia and New Zealand is Graeme Gleave. Tom Allen talked to Gleave about the challenges he faces under the new business model

ASI passes $50 million Health check

Australian PC assembler ASI Solutions has scored a $50 million bonanza after being awarded a contact for the supply of desktops as one of the key SME partners to IBM Global Services Australia in the Federal Health Group Contract awarded last week.