It is obvious that most organisations use either a printer, copier and/or fax machine to produce, send and receive documents. This generates an immense demand for consumables. Bearing this in mind, Zelda Emmerick, consumables product manager at leading IT distributor SDD says that consumables are a valuable revenue generator for the channel. She explains that profit margins are higher in consumables than in hardware, and there is always the advantage that consumables represent repeat business.
Furthermore, she wants to remind the channel that SDD stocks Canon, Oki and Tally consumables. "As SDD doesn't distribute hardware of these respective brands, our customers automatically assume that that we don't stock their consumables either," she reports. Canon's consumables, in particular, offer significant cost savings for the end-user. "Their single-ink technology has separate ink tanks for each of the colours used in a printer - cyan, magenta, yellow and black. So, when you run out of one colour, you need only replace that particular colour instead of the entire colour spectrum cartridge," explains Emmerick.
There has been a move towards purchasing cheaper remanufactured grey products, which have managed to swindle their way to the end-user. She adds that end-users often don't realise that warranties immediately become null and void with the use of grey products.
Manufacturers state that total cost of ownership is reduced when using original products. "End-users must remember that costs are apportioned to research and development spend as well as cartridge recycling," she asserts.
SDD's customers can look forward to value-added service in the future as the company has introduced a walk-in centre at its Midrand premises, where dealers are able to buy fast-moving products such as consumables. "With the store making the purchasing process virtually effortless for our customers, we're sure that consumables will prove to be an even greater revenue source," says Emmerick. SDD has made the ordering process even more simple by introducing the unique SDD DealerWeb. Dealers can register online at www.SDD.com , making the entire ordering, tracking and invoicing process a breeze.
Share
SDD, the focused IT company in the Siltek Technology Chain Group, is South Africa's largest broad-based distributor of information technology. SDD encourages black empowerment opportunities and is the partner of choice of several leading vendors. It distributes a wide range of 'best of breed' hardware and software products, as well as peripherals, components and consumables. SDD configures branded hardware and builds-to-order Xylo, Vision and Fujitech, its own range of PCs. SDD has branches in Gauteng, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban, Bloemfontein, Nelspruit and Namibia. Outside South Africa, the company has partnerships in Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Siltek Limited
Siltek Limited leads the southern African technology supply chain. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1969, Siltek comprises several complementary operating companies, each of which is a key player in its niche focus area.
Siltek Limited is grouped into three main operating divisions, namely Volume Distribution, Specialist Distribution and Supply Chain Services. Companies in the Volume division are SDD, Workgroup and MemtekMMW. Specialist Distribution consists of Siltek Telecoms, Chemetrix, Siltek Healthcare Solutions, Siltek Midrange Solutions and Intelligent Systems. Imperitek, Merchandise IT and Siltek Finance make up the Supply Chain Services division.
Editorial contacts