Quark focuses on specialised resellers

With the release of QuarkXPress 8, the software vendor has a new focus on reseller partners that specialise in the design industry.

Dan Logan, senior product manager at Quark, told CRN, that version 8 has an interface developed for page layout; print, Web and Flash authoring tools; design-driven typography; and global publishing capabilities.

“Quark helped to revolutionise desktop publishing,” said Logan

“We went to designers asked them what they wanted in publishing software.”

According to Logan, the vendor has also internationalised the software.

“Previous versions of Quark aren’t compatible in an East Asian market like China, Korea and Japan,” he said.

“What we did was skip version 7 in those countries and globally released version 8, so those countries will be globally compatible.”

With a new version of Quark, there will also be a new version of the vendor’s channel program, due out in the fourth quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2009.

Alex Nemeth, regional business director A/NZ at Quark, said when he joined the vendor he went and asked its channel partners what they wanted in terms of support from a vendor.

“We used that information to come up with a new channel program,” he said.

“It won’t be for every one of our resellers (which was around the 90 mark). I would say only a handful will be interested.”

Nemeth said the vendor wanted to target resellers specifically focused on the design market to help promote the product, up-skill their sales force and help with marketing.

“We want to bring really good solid activity to reconnect with end users and this is where really excited resellers can help,” he said.

“While we are targeting around 80 percent of our resellers, we won’t stop partners that sell the product as a one off.”

He claimed resellers can expect to make around 18-25 percent margin on products, with the potential on an incurring revenue stream through services.

QuarkXPress 8 will be available to purchase directly from Quark and through Quark resellers worldwide within the next 60 days.

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