Trend Micro launches PC-cillin packs for assemblers

Trend Micro India has made its latest anti-virus packs, PC-cillin 2002,

available for systems integrators and assemblers at more than 50 percent lower

the cost of its retail packs. These "OEM" packs, as the company terms

it, will cost around Rs 400, while the retail pack is available for Rs 1,900.

However the former is valid for only one-year while the retail packs have

two-year product validity. "The reason we have come out with these OEM

packs is to create brand awareness for our products at assembler level,"

explains Ajit Pillai, Channel Manager, Overseas Business Unit, Trend Micro

India. These "OEM" packs contain a CD with the serial numbers which

assemblers can then bundle with their machine.

This product is available with its volume distributor, Ingram Micro. "As

of now, only Ingram will sell these packs. We have not included Select

Technologies, who is our value-added distributor in this program," says

Ajit. The company is working on selecting stockists who will push these

products.

Trend Micro has also introduced anti-virus boxes for less than 25 users. Till

date the company was selling only site licenses, wherein dealers would contact

distributors for a certain number of licenses who would then get in touch with

the company. "This used to take at least three weeks, and the channel

partner would realize his payment only at the end of the cycle after providing

the customer with the license number," says Ajit.

The boxes will help cut down the logistics and speed up the payment

realization process for partners. These boxes will be available for Trend Micro’s

Interscan, ScanMail, Server Protect and Office Box products. The company is also

likely to offer a price differential for these boxes vis-a-vis the site

licenses, though nothing has been finalized.

In less than two years since the company set up its Indian operations, Trend

Micro’s channel sales have risen by 30 percent. Ajit is now hoping that this

will further increase to 50 percent by the end of 2003.

VINITA BHATIA