Express Online throws paper to the wind

IT distributor Express Online is preparing to usher its reseller partners into the 21st century with a new digital product catalogue optimised for tablets, smartphones and other handheld devices.

The redesigned catalogue is the first digital reseller tool from the distie. Previously, its resellers chiefly relied on printed materials to sell products.

"In the past, we never had anything in a digital format, apart from our website, so it all had to be printed out and it quickly became out-of-date," said Gavin Troxler, Express Online's general manager of product marketing.

"[The new platform] makes it a lot easier to update our catalogue and ensure our resellers can deliver the latest info to their customer's fingertips. It also puts it all in one place, instead of having a bunch of different product briefs and fliers."

The redesigned catalogue is part of Express Online's revised go-to-market strategy that will focus on three core solution areas (mobility, enterprise and consumer) delivered by a more mobile sales force.

Resellers will also be able to use email and social media platforms to share content directly through the digital catalogue.

Express Online managing director, Danny Moore, said that the new catalogue was chiefly "about making life easier" for resellers and their customers.

"All prices are displayed in end-user friendly RRP, so our resellers can easily search and share our entire product range anywhere, anytime and on any device," Moore said in a statement.

Troxler told CRN the catalogue would deliver specific solution tools in the future, following the "first phase" which is product focused.

"Many vendors we partner with, such as Cisco and Western Digital, are focused in the area of the connected home, for example," Troxler explained.

"Resellers will be able to detail the 'connected home story' through the catalogue, instead of just having a list of products." 

Future updates will include the ability to add customer-facing logos, URLs and other personalised information to the catalogue.

"One of the exciting things is that resellers will soon be able to re-skin [the catalogue] with their own branding," Troxler said.

"The reseller will be able to do this themselves via an interactive portal which will contain certain aspects they can alter for a personalised touch."