by Simon Quicke14 October 2008
Microsoft has signed an exclusive deal with PC World to
bring its Equipt package to the UK
after running the scheme in the US
through retailer Circuit
City.
The vendor has reacted to the common misconception that a
new computer comes with Office as standard and included it in the Equipt
package along with security and system updates as part of a £59 annual fee that
gives the option to licence three home PCs.
PC World has exclusive rights to sell Equipt from next
Monday (20 October) in its stores and Curry’s outlets and will be backing the
arrival of the package with in-store promotion and national advertising.
Peter
Duncombec, trading director at DSGi, said that the timing of the launch was
important because it gave Microsoft a run at the busy Christmas buying season.
“We do very
good standalone business of security and Office software but there is not a lot
of customers that buy both products at the same time,” he said.
“This is an
opportunity for incremental business as you can put the one product in and away
you go,” he added.
Bryson
Gordon, Microsoft Equipt group product manager, said that as part of the annual
subscription any updated versions of Office would be included.
He said
that the experience of running Equipt in the US was that it had been different
customers that purchased the package and it did not cannibalise its existing
Office buying base.
Although a retail product the spin-off benefits for the
channel could be a reduction in piracy rates as some users miffed that they
have not got Office on their machines turn to pirate copies.
