MCV: Tribeka to expand into games MCV article by James Batchelor: Tribeka reopening discussions with publishers to sell gaming content via in-store disc replication service.
You can find the article on page 6 of this weeks edition of MCV or online summary at MCV Magazine
PC Retail: Is this the end of boxed software as we know it? PC Retail article by Matt Grainger: In-store software publishing service SoftWide deployed by US Microsoft stores
and Tesco in UK. Parent firm Tribeka poised for store roll-outs across Europe.
You can find the article in the February edition of PC Retail or online at PC Retail Magazine
Tesco SoftWide® launch hits the headlines The press is quick to cover the launch of SoftWide® by Tesco. Please see links below: Tribeka are delighted to announce that Tesco, the largest British retailer and the third largest global retailer, will be launching SoftWide® in the UK in February. The companies will initially launch a massive range of PC software and expect to add further digital media categories to expand the offer. Daniel Doll-Steinberg says “Tesco is a fantastic partner for us with a first-rate digital media approach; we are very excited about the opportunities to become part of this strategy.” Rob Salter, Category Director Entertainment says “We are delighted to be working with Tribeka who are providing us with a hugely efficient and innovative way of expanding our product offering to customers” Now Serif enters partnership with Tribeka in the USA Serif software now available in Microsoft retail stores. NOTTINGHAM, UK & NASHUA, NH , 2009 – Serif, a leading independent design, publishing and creative software developer, is pleased to announce that its software will be sold on-demand in Microsoft’s new retail stores, through its partnership with Tribeka.
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Tribeka’s award-winning SoftWide® platform will allow customers to select Serif software, either as empty boxes on store shelves or by browsing on an in-store kiosk. Retail staff then create high-quality DVD packaging and burn a fully-licensed version of the chosen software, as the customer waits. This only takes a few minutes and significantly reduces the cost and environmental impact of shipping, storing and wastage, as well as ensuring that Serif products are never out of stock.
“Serif is excited to be partnering with Tribeka, whose unique offering allows Serif to have presence within the new Microsoft retail stores. It also alleviates us from having to manage physical inventory and means that our products are available to customers on-demand and within minutes,” says Michael Zavala, Vice President of Sales at Serif (US).
“We’re really pleased to add Serif’s high-quality creative software packages to the Tribeka assortment in Microsoft stores. Their award-winning range offers powerful features and fantastic value for consumer and small businesses alike.” says Mark Furtado, Head of DRM at Tribeka.
The Serif titles available in Microsoft’s retail stores are DrawPlus X3, PagePlus X4, MoviePlus X3, PhotoPlus X3, Digital Scrapbook Artist and WebPlus X4.
About Serif
Serif is the publisher of the award-winning software range that includes PagePlus®, PhotoPlus™, DrawPlus™, WebPlus, AlbumPlus™, MoviePlus™, PanoramaPlus™ and Digital Scrapbook Artist® and more. Founded in 1987 with the aim to develop low-cost alternatives to high-end publishing and graphics packages, Serif has been repeatedly praised for its powerful yet easy-to-use software which has put professional effects and demanding publishing tasks within the reach of ordinary PC users around the world. Now with over 6 million customers worldwide, Serif has over 200 employees at its head office, development and European sales centre in Nottingham, UK and its North American sales operation in New Hampshire, US.
About Tribeka
Tribeka’s SoftWide® platform is revolutionizing the way software and entertainment product is bought and sold, a worldwide market in excess of $50 billion. SoftWide® is currently the world’s only solution for manufacturing software and entertainment categories in store, without stock. The unique solution provides, on site, a full product that is identical to the mass-produced item and the whole process takes just two to three minutes, allowing retailers to offer their customers an unbeatable range of products that are always available.
Tribeka has secured licensing agreements with most leading publishers for worldwide delivery and users of the SoftWide® platform include Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer, in Europe, Fujifilm and Big W in Australia, and Microsoft in the USA.
Tribeka is based in London, UK.
4 December 2009
SoftWide® at Microsoft Stores: It's Almost Like a Walk-in Amazon.com
“While there are a lot of similarities between the Apple and Microsoft stores, I think that Microsoft distinguishes themselves in key ways, [with] this on-demand approach to software distribution...” See the post on James Stolp's blog
3 December 2009
Tribeka takes software to the world – with help from UKTI and British Airways
UK Trade & Investment announces how, with British Airways, they supported Tribeka’s US expansion. For more details see the UKTI press release
2 December 2009
Ina Fried cites Tribeka in her blog about Microsoft Stores
Ina Fried is a technology journalist for CNET. Ina recently blogged about the new Microsoft Stores where she includes a comment from Tribeka’s COO Stephen Precious. See it on her Beyond Binary blog: Inside the Apple, er, Microsoft Store
1 December 2009
MumboJumbo Joins Content Line Up for Microsoft Stores
Casual game developer teams with Tribeka to offer titles on in-store kiosks.
DALLAS (December 1, 2009) – MumboJumbo, leading developer and publisher of premium casual games, has teamed with Tribeka, the brains behind the on-demand manufacturing offered at the new Microsoft Stores, to distribute a five-game assortment through the stores software kiosk system. Microsoft Stores debuted in October and in-store kiosks offer on-demand manufacturing of PC titles to their customers.
MumboJumbo titles that will be available for on-demand manufacturing, include 7 Wonders Treasures of Seven, Samantha Swift and the Hidden Roses of Athena, LUXOR: Quest for the Afterlife, Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy and Zombie Bowl-o-Rama. The Microsoft Store has lined up hundreds of software titles using Tribeka’s SoftWide system that customers can download using a touch-screen kiosk—the software disc, cover and manuals are then created on site in minutes for the customer to take home.
“We’re very excited to bring premium casual game content to the Microsoft Store,” said Mark Cottam, CEO of MumboJumbo. “The on-demand capabilities that Tribeka has introduced to the PC audience are cutting edge, and we’re pleased to be included in the line up.”
The assortment from MumboJumbo includes titles from their most popular franchises. 7 Wonders Treasures of Seven is a match three game that tasks players with building the 7 Wonders of the world with building blocks collected by matching colorful runes.
Samantha Swift and the Hidden Roses of Athena is a hidden-object adventure game that follows a spunky archaeologist on her quest to recover finds for the Museum of Secrets Lost. The game includes seek-and-find game play as well as puzzles and adventure elements.
LUXOR: Quest for the Afterlife is a marble-shooter action game in which players fire colored orbs to create chains of matching colors, which eliminates the orbs from the advancing chain. The player must eliminate all spheres before they reach the pyramid.
Another hidden-object adventure title offered is Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy. The seek-and-find puzzler takes players on a journey to uncover the truth behind the death of one of America’s greatest writers.
The quirky Zombie Bowl-o-Rama is a bowling game with a twist. The player must bowl down advancing zombies to save the town from a takeover by the undead.
Each title will retail for $19.95 at the Microsoft Stores, and will become available through the on-demand kiosks in the coming months.
About MumboJumbo
Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, MumboJumbo LLC™ is a worldwide publisher, developer and mass marketer of premium casual games for PC, mobile, handheld devices and game consoles. MumboJumbo games are downloadable at its website as well as key game portals, or purchased at retail through mass merchants, computer retailers and specialty outlets. MumboJumbo owns and operates studios located in Dallas and Vladivostok, Russia, and publishes and distributes software through its subsidiaries worldwide. For more information please visit our website at www.mumbojumbo.com.
About Tribeka
Tribeka’s SoftWide® platform is revolutionizing the way software and entertainment product is bought and sold, a worldwide market in excess of $50 billion. SoftWide® is currently the world’s only solution for manufacturing software and entertainment categories in store, without stock. The unique solution provides, on site, a full product that is identical to the mass-produced item and the whole process takes just two to three minutes, allowing retailers to offer their customers an unbeatable range of products that are always available. Tribeka has secured licensing agreements with most leading publishers for worldwide delivery and users of the SoftWide® platform include Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer, in Europe, Fujifilm and Big W in Australia, and Microsoft in the USA. Tribeka is based in London, UK.
24 November 2009
SoftWide® Launch in Australia Attracts Local Press Attention
The local Australian media starts its coverage of the launch of SoftWide® by Big W, Fuji and Digital Lifeware. Please see links below:
- Big W disc kiosk lets customers burn on demand
- Burning boon at Big W
- PRESS DIGEST-Australian Business News - Nov 24
- Retailer pilots on-demand software system
16 November 2009
Fuji/Digital Lifeware install SoftWide® at Big W in Sydney, Australia
BIG W PILOTS ON DEMAND SOFTWARE SYSTEM
The first Digital Lifeware® on demand software system in a retail partner store is now live at BIG W’s Winston Hills store in Sydney. Customers can “browse click burn®” the widest range of PC and Mac software available on demand in any retail store in Australia. The system creates a fully licensed disk and prints a super high quality cover and manual on the spot in minutes. These are put into a DVD case and the customer walks away with an original quality product. The catalogue has around 1,000 titles now, is always in stock and the system is very environmentally friendly. It significantly reduces the need for transportation, storage, real estate and wastage. Digital Lifeware is working with all its partners to further develop the system to include new publishers, ranges and formats, including platform games and movies.
The catalogue currently encompasses language, fun learning, games, multi-media, office software and tools. It has the widest range of language and educational games with over 100 languages available to learn. Customers select the titles they want on the FujiFilm® touch screen kiosk, pay for them at the BIG W on demand counter and the Tribeka SoftWide® on demand platform produces the product, “boxed” in a DVD case, in minutes. The product is the same as the publisher’s original, and is fully licensed and warranted by the publisher. Customers can feel safe in the knowledge that they have a legitimate product that is theirs for life and can be re-loaded in the event of any computer problems or whenever they replace their computer.
Digital Lifeware developed the retail and customer systems and integrated them with SoftWide. FujiFilm Australia developed the kiosk technology and integrated it with the Digital Lifeware systems. Tribeka developed the SoftWide platform. Other global users of the SoftWide platform include Carrefour, the second largest retailer in the world, and Microsoft.
Managing Director, Digital Lifeware, Rhett Sampson said “We are very pleased to be working with BIG W and FujiFilm Australia to provide the best possible retail content shopping experience for their customers. They join some of the biggest and most innovative retailers and software publishers in the world in using our on demand systems to revolutionise the retail content shopping experience.”
General Manager, Hardgoods, BIG W, Charles Davey said “The Digital Lifeware on demand system from FujiFilm allows us to carry a wider range of software than ever before. We don’t have to manage inventory and we are always in stock. Customers can come to BIG W confident that they can find the widest range, always in stock, every day.”
General Manager, Imaging Networks, FujiFilm Australia, Paul Rogers, said “The Digital Lifeware on demand system combines the expertise and experience of FujiFilm Australia and Digital Lifeware in bringing innovative, quality solutions to retail.”
CEO, Tribeka, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, said “We are delighted to be partnered with Digital Lifeware in Australia and New Zealand. They are an innovative company who have helped us gain the critical mass we are now achieving globally with the SoftWide platform.”
Digital Lifeware provides integrated manufacture on demand systems and digital content to retailers and retail partners. www.digitallifeware.com.au
BIG W is Australia’s leading discount department store.
FUJIFILM Australia is a world leader in imaging, information and document technologies.
Tribeka Ltd. is the world leader in on demand manufacture through retail and distribution.
For further information contact:
Mandy Maier
MM Publicity +61 412 891 121
mandymaier@optusnet.com.au
6 November 2009
Microsoft announces that they are using SoftWide® to power their On Demand offer in new Stores
Tribeka is pleased to report that Microsoft has announced its Microsoft Stores in the USA are using SoftWide® to power their software on demand offer:
New Retail Stores Connect Consumers With the Best of Microsoft
2 November 2009
Microsoft lights up the web and is applauded for launching On Demand Manufacture in its Stores
In Store Manufacture took a giant leap forward this week with Microsoft adopting the technology for its stores thereby making the solution a must have for retailers worldwide. Please see links below:
- MS does on-demand software printing at retail
- Microsoft Store Prints Games on Demand
- On-demand PC game buying and packaging at new Microsoft store
- On Demand at Microsoft Stores
16 October 2009
GAME use SoftWide® to offer PC Software
Tribeka is pleased to report that GAME are now offering over 600 software titles, including educational, utilities, business and entertainment products, plus a range of spoken word to its customers. The products are offered through SoftWide® which is the world’s leading technology for the on-site manufacturing of software and entertainment product and produces a full retail product identical to the mass produced item in minutes.
8 October 2009
Kaspersky products are available in PC SPECIALIST via the on-demand SoftWide® service
Die Produkte von Kaspersky Lab werden seit dem 1. September von PC-SPEZIALIST über den neuen On-Demand-Service SoftWide vertrieben. SoftWide wurde von der Firma Tribeka entwickelt. Das Programm ermöglicht Fachhändlern, Software in nur wenigen Minuten zu bestellen, online zu beziehen, direkt zu brennen und zu verpacken. Der Vorteil: Mit SoftWide können Händler ihr Angebot erweitern, ohne zusätzlich Laden- und Lagerflächen einzurichten. Während der fünfmonatigen Testphase bieten die PC-SPEZIALIST Händler in Kassel, Potsdam und Schwerin den On-Demand-Dienst exklusiv in Deutschland an. Derzeit sind über SoftWide Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 & Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 zu beziehen.
“Wir sind immer offen für neue, innovative Vertriebswege”, so Daniel Gellissen, Key Account Manager e-Commerce bei Kaspersky Lab. “Daher sind wir sehr erfreut, dass unsere Heimanwender-Produkte über den neuen On-Demand-Service schnell, unkompliziert und direkt an unsere Kunden gehen.”
Weitere aktuelle Nachrichten über Kaspersky Lab erhalten Sie auch unter http://twitter.com/Kaspersky_DACH.
29 September 2009
Sony DADC and Tribeka enter a Groundbreaking Deal to integrate SecuROM into SoftWide® platform
Sony DADC and Tribeka have entered a groundbreaking deal to integrate Sony DADC’s world leading SecuROM Digital Rights Management Solution into Tribeka’s revolutionary SoftWide®
With the launch of key games titles in the pipeline, the integration of SecuROM helps take SoftWide® to the next level of delivery and SecuROM is now available to all publishers wishing to distribute their titles through SoftWide®.
“The digital distribution channel is becoming increasingly important to a broad range of companies to enhance and maintain their retail channel,” commented David Berka, Product Manager for Software Digital Rights Management Solutions at Sony DADC. “We see this partnership with Tribeka and the integration of SecuROM into the SoftWide® platform as an important step forward, as it allows publishers that use the SoftWide® platform to increase their revenues.”
Mark Furtado, Tribeka’s Head of Content, said “I am delighted to have secured this partnership with Sony DADC for SecuROM. This technology will allow us to expand our already huge SoftWide® product offer to seamlessly include protected titles on both CD and DVD. We can now move faster and more confidently into the games market with the key PC game publishers. This is another very exciting step for us and our partner publishers.”
4 September 2009
PC Spezialist now offers huge software range with no costs
PC Spezialist today announced it has launched SoftWide® the revolutionary software delivery solution.
The PC chain PC Spezialist in Bielefeld, subsidiary of the largest IT-Group in Europe Synaxon AG, launched 1 September its five-month pilot of SoftWide®. PC Spezialist has established the exclusive rights with Tribeka for SoftWide® for Germany. In the participating PC Spezialist stores in Kassel, Potsdam and Schwerin customers can choose for immediate delivery over 300 software titles over tenfold more than these stores offered. The number of titles is expected to increase to over 600 titles in the next few months.
SoftWide® has already been in operation since May 2009 with PC Spezialist in Luxembourg which has successfully proved this revolutionary delivery solution for software retailing where the product is manufactured in store as required.
The huge range of software is not only merchandised on shelf, but manufactured on demand or just in time for customers. This means the software does not need to be ordered and delivered in advance, just manufactured within about 2 minutes onto CD or DVD with all the packaging manufactured as required. For PC Spezialist customers this ensures an enormous choice whilst also for the PC Spezialist stores it not only increases the offer but reduces all the costs of managing the stock conventionally.
“The advantage is obvious: we increase the available software-assortment of PC Spezialist stores many times and simultaneously minimize the efforts” says Andreas Wenninger, SYNAXON´s COO. “Our customers will benefit from more choice and comfort in buying software and our stores will benefit from competitive advantages such as reduced capital commitment.”
The software offer already ranges from operating systems, office applications and utility software to commercial software and entertainment. Most key vendors support the project including Abbyy, Avanquest, Buhl Data, Kaspersky, G Data, Roxio and S.A.D.
Daniel Doll-Steinberg, CEO of Tribeka, says “We are delighted to have launched SoftWide in Germany with PC Spezialist and we look forward to these stores being the first of a rapid nationwide rollout. It has been a pleasure partnering with Synaxon to ensure that the installations were on schedule for 1 September and that the SoftWide® offered a compelling product offer of local content from day one. With their high levels of customer service and dynamic vision we will continue to work closely with Synaxon and their stores to deliver a complete solution for software, and in time movies and console games, throughout Germany.”
13 July 2009
Tribeka expands SoftWide® offer with more key products
Tribeka is pleased to announce that key titles from four new publishers will soon be available through SoftWide®, in time for its launch into Germany.
Security software specialist, G-Data; LapLink, developer of essential PC migration and remote access software; O&O Software, one of the world's leading providers of performance and data recovery software; and S.A.D, one of Germany’s principal publishers of entertainment and utility titles, will all be available on SoftWide® within the next few weeks.
Faz Suleman, Tribeka’s director of retail and content, said: “The imminent launch of SoftWide® in Germany’s PC Spezialist chain has further increased our reach and we are delighted to add these key publishers to our compelling channel”.
20 May 2009
Book retailer Borders has teamed up with Tribeka and Oki to pioneer a new way of selling CDs mirroring the trend towards on-demand book printing. See the PrintWeek full article.
15 May 2009
BitCom launches SoftWide® in Luxembourg
We are pleased to announce that today, BitCom launched SoftWide® in their flagship store in Luxembourg. Luxembourg boasts the world’s highest GDP per person meaning that SoftWide’s comprehensive product offer and green distribution model will prove well placed. SoftWide® brings a catalogue of over 1,350 software titles in English, French, German and Dutch providing BitCom with the largest range of software in Luxembourg all the time, every time.
Tribeka’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Precious said “With all my 25 years of experience in retail and distribution I am still amazed at how easily we can take SoftWide® from country to country and language to language; even in multi-language territories. My team has provided the largest, most up-to-date product range to BitCom without the need for warehouses, logistics, lorries, returns processes and intermediaries. It is no surprise that we are already operating with retailers and distributors across the globe. It is clear to me that On Demand is now In Demand.”
1 May 2009
Synaxon AG and Tribeka sign Agreement to bring SoftWide® to Germany
Tribeka and Synaxon are pleased to announce that they have entered an agreement to bring SoftWide® to Germany starting in September 2009. Synaxon will be using SoftWide® to bring a huge range of digital media – including PC software, audio books and DVD movies – to its franchise stores throughout Germany.
These stores, trading as PC Spezialist, are customer service focussed PC and accessory retailers which offer solutions and repair to their extensive consumer and business customer base. With over 1000 associated retail dealers in Germany and centralized marketing activities Synaxon is able to quickly establish new products and offers in the German market.
SoftWide® continues to establish itself as the preferred solution for retailing digital media for both retailers and publishers. The current economic climate is further inhibiting high stock levels whilst simultaneously favouring increased ranges, improved customer service and environmentally friendly delivery solutions. SoftWide® solves these issues and many more.
“Our dealers are enabled to offer a big range of media-products on relatively small floor space – without any risk of overstocks and devaluation of stock products, that`s a huge advantage of SoftWide and brings us ahead of competition ” says Andreas Wenninger, Synaxon`s Chief Operating Officer. “ We will install the innovative System this year in three franchise stores to test it and plan rollout for 2010.”
Tribeka’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Precious, said “We are delighted to be entering another major European territory with such great a partner as Synaxon and brands PC Spezialist and Microtrend. PC Spezialist is a cross market retailer and reseller addressing business to consumer, business to business and a complete support and repair operation which will ensure that the full breadth of product offered through SoftWide touches their customer and solution offer. Synaxon is another fast growing, dynamic company and we believe the synergies between the two companies will accelerate SoftWide’s success in Germany”
22 April 2009
Tribeka signs landmark deal with Eros International
Tribeka Ltd, have signed a landmark deal with the Indian media entertainment giant, Eros International PLC. Eros, with over 30 years of entertainment experience, is partnering Tribeka to bring their leading range of over 1,000 top Bollywood titles to a global market through SoftWide. The partnership consolidates Eros’ ever growing catalogue of Bollywood DVD’s to SoftWide’s rapidly expanding retail presence and Eros will start with their top 50 selling titles set to hit stores in June 2009.
Faz Suleman, Director of Retail and Content for Tribeka, says “Our SoftWide® platform is the ideal solution for providing the maximum opportunities to reach customers through new and existing retail channels. Manufacturing titles instantly in store eliminates all the logistical nightmares that are ever present with physical stock and allows content owners to make their full range available all the time”.
Benjamin Bach, SVP – International Sales of Eros said “Eros International is excited about tying up with Tribeka and SoftWide® as the leading pioneers of in-store content replication. With this tie-up, we continue to focus on expanding our target groups to the cross-over audience and adding Tribeka as a strategic distribution channel on high streets and hypermarkets”.
Borders, Ingram Micro in the UK, PC Spezialist and Carrefour in Europe, and Digital Lifeware in Australia are already integrating the SoftWide® platform. Tribeka continues to build its pipeline with many of the premier retailers in Europe, South Africa and the USA for launches this year.
3 April 2009
BitCom PC Spezialist, in Luxembourg, to launch SoftWide® in May
Tribeka has today signed a deal with BitCom PC Spezialist in Luxembourg to launch SoftWide® in May 2009. By using SoftWide®, PC Spezialist will be able to offer its customers the largest choice of software in Luxembourg: with an initial range of over a 1,000 software titles from educational and business applications to entertainment products such as games, music and video.
With this further international expansion, Tribeka continues to revolutionize the way people buy and sell software and entertainment products in retail and distribution. SoftWide® is also providing an increasingly large channel for more than 225 leading brand name software publishers including Abbyy, Britannica, Bullguard, Cyberlink, Kaspersky, Microsoft, Roxio, and Sage.
Markus Terres and Wolfgang Reiss, Chief Executive Officers of Bitcom S.A, said “PC Spezialist are excited to be associated with this ground-breaking initiative. As well as CD-Rom and DVD-Rom, the technology is designed to work with standard CD and DVD formats. We believe it will transform radically both the experience and the economics of retailing software products in our Luxembourg stores. This technology will ensure that we can deliver a huge range of software products to all our customers.”
Tribeka’s Director of Retail & Content, Faz Suleman, said “we are very pleased to partner with PC Spezialist. Their considerable experience in PC retail and offering highly sophisticated retail technology solutions makes them the perfect partner for us in Luxembourg. As well as Borders in the UK, the SoftWide® platform is currently installed at Carrefour in Belgium, Digital Lifeware in Australia and Ingram Micro UK for distribution. Tribeka also has a pipeline of retail deals for 2009.
30 March 2009
Tribeka launches Spoken Word on SoftWide®
Tribeka has further developed SoftWide® to add the capability to manufacture in store Spoken Word titles. SoftWide® now expands its content offer to include audio books and has released the first range of titles into Borders.
The first titles include “The Lowdown” range published by Creative Content and the “Rapid” range published by Earworms.
“The Lowdown” titles are an instructive product set that addresses the contemporary global environment and business sphere in which we all live. These audio titles provide guidance as to how to make a great impression and how to maximise your potential in the international business world.
The “Rapid” range by Earworms are for the rapid language learning using a unique method of memory hooks which combined with rhythms, phrases and intonations work to imprint deeply into long-term memory an entire new world of words, ready for instant recall.
These are the first of many Audio book ranges SoftWide® will stock.
Hassam Iftikhar, Account Manager at Tribeka, said “This is another important step forward for SoftWide® which is quickly becoming a one-stop solution for all in-store digital content. We see DVD movies and console games as the next step on the horizon.”
For further information on the Spoken Word ranges titles visit:
1 February 2009
“Carrefour Belgium - Pioneering Software On Demand” from Gondola Magazine
Translated from French. See the original Gondola Magazine article.
Herstal, a cold day of December. Snow is on the point of falling on the carpark of Carrefour, which faces the red of MediaMarkt. The category killer seems to be a temple of the “all under only one roof”. And yet, as regards multi-media, it is the blue side which should today be visited, if a really innovative concept is to be found. I have meeting with Stephen Precious, Chief Operating Officer of Tribeka, a company from London. This name should tell you something? We briefly describe the solution which it has recently installed with the new B-Park Carrefour of Bruges. It’s called SoftWide® and is such an astonishing application that we could not make different than to present you in more detail, particularly when it also appears in Herstal and Waterloo.
“All started in 1999” explains Stephen Precious. “The current CEO of the company, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, is a visionary spirit. He conceived a system allowing the revolution of multi-media distribution, while offering with the stores the possibility of producing them on the spot, and on request. This also allows an offer of a 'virtual' catalogue both very broad, and without stock”. Back in 2000, the system was operational and had enormous interest from some chains. In Great Britain, FNAC installed 7 stores; WH Smith installed it in 12 sales outlets. In the United States, Gateway Computers took the system into 25 stores. A great start. But it was too early. If the idea was brilliant, the technology available at the time was not. The manufacturing systems were expensive, cumbersome, and only printed CDs or DVDs in black and white. “Daniel Doll- Steinberg realised at once that the idea was too early, and that it was better to stop to develop the solution”. Tribeka’s investors injected a few million pounds in R& D.
The result is SoftWide®. The concept has not changed: the customer can make his choice via touchscreen from a catalogue of theoretically unlimited multi-media products. He confirms the order, prints a ticket for the check-outs in store. The ticket is read, the system does the rest: it accesses London to get the licence in 25 seconds, and in only 2 or 3 minutes the system makes the DVD, prints high-resolution covers and a handbook exactly the same as the manufactured goods. The system is installed in a small room: the technology is refined, miniaturized, and made reliable. It does not require any specific training or staff. “The SoftWide® system is a little like a plane” said Stephen Precious. “There is total redundancy: 2 CD makers, 2 printers for the cover, 2 others for the booklet…” Even in the unlikely event of a problem, specialists in Tribeka, which monitor the system, can intervene remotely. Simple? Certainly. But what efforts and money to reach the desired level of quality! “It took us 2 years to develop just the paper”. And much more to convince certain publishers of operations and validity of the solution.
Before even offering the system to retailers, Tribeka tested its effectiveness, both technical and commercial. It opened 5 stores, including at Terminal 4, Heathrow. “Success was dazzling: with average sales of 6.000 euros per day! This store was always open, and was an ideal test to continue to evaluate and refine the system. And it confirmed the power of the concept: an unlimited catalogue meant we never missed a sale! Heathrow travellers are very cosmopolitan: thanks to SoftWide® every language was available in traditional retail. Every day, we sold in Heathrow 6 to 7 of these software titles, sometimes at prices of 500 euros! ”
“Our target was not to develop our own network of stores, but to be able to offer to retailers a proven solution, which at the same time enables them to multiply their offer and to rationalize their stock.” Tribeka has shown the concept to 14 retailers. Five have shown immediate interest, in both the system and the commercial approach: “We do not tell the retailers what they must do, we adapt to the each one. In Great Britain, we have a one year, local exclusive agreement with Ingram Micro, with a network of 6000 small retailers of software. That solution is however not identical to the one in place at Carrefour, with which we signed an exclusive collaboration agreement. ”
Precisely, how do we see this system installed first in Belgium? “SoftWide® was presented to all European executives in charge of Carrefour at the technological event that Carrefour has in France. It was there that Marc Oursin discovered it. And because he wants to develop the service to his customers on his market, he started a pilot for the entire group in Belgium in Bruges, Herstal and Waterloo.”
Tribeka is not a hardware salesman. The company provides its customers a solution and is paid on the sales made. What makes sales is a growing platform and a partner motivated to use and develop the system. Because of SoftWide®, it is possible to offer a broad catalogue without having to manage stock, returns, and theft. It is also the capacity to generate add-on sales. Where only laptops were sold, one will be able immediately to propose a broad choice of antivirus. Who would have believed that Carrefour could offer the range of the Kaspersky utilities here now? Today, the catalogue comprises primarily software and learning languages.
But this choice will grow. After 5 years of discussions, Microsoft made its appearance in the list of the publishers this January 19, bringing to the system an invaluable vote of confidence. And in the long term, all the types of multi-media are potentially available: audio CD, video DVD, games… The infrastructure allows this already, the contacts are in hand, all depends on publisher desire, who are still focussed on a traditional seasonal logic of volume. It would be astonishing that this initiative by someone as important as Carrefour does not make them reconsider, especially taking into account the benefits of a model which competes with download, legal or not, from the Internet. “Consider the following example” adds Stephen Precious. “When a known artist dies, you have to rush to get out discs or films. We have the possibility of immediately offering the consumer the entire discography or catalogue of films, subtitled in any language of choice, in a physical form, and without stock shortage! ”
This time is of course not yet here. It is today at Carrefour with the pilot. But without marketing, via simple word of mouth, already the results are more than encouraging. “The system has been available for only a few days in Herstal. A woman has already come in 4 times to buy different titles”. And is this the method that made it possible for Carrefour to make the category a destination? And has Marc Oursin put his finger on a tool able to offer a new genuineness to the phrase “all under one roof”?
20 January 2009
Tribeka granted Electronic Product Returns Patent in the USA
Tribeka is pleased to announce that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved the issuance of Tribeka’s patent for processing product returns electronically.
Tribeka’s revolutionary in store delivery system, the SoftWide® platform, allows retailers to return and destroy products electronically rather than requiring them to send them back to the supplier for processing. This is yet another example of the way that the SoftWide® platform breaks the bonds of physical retail distribution and manages products more profitably, efficiently and environmentally.
Andrew B Coathup, Tribeka’s Head of Development, said: “I am excited we have obtained this important patent in the USA. Intellectual Property protection, along with constant innovation, is key to ensuring that the SoftWide® platform maintains its lead as a world class technology. As an integral part of our research and development activities, my team are working on obtaining further patent applications in the USA and Europe.”
19 January 2009
First Microsoft Titles available on the SoftWide® platform
We are pleased to announce that in December Tribeka made available the first three Microsoft software titles – Microsoft Live OneCare, Student with Encarta and Autoroute 2007 – through the SoftWide® platform in Borders and A World of Software stores in the UK.
Peter Freuchen, Tribeka’s Director of Technical and Operations, said: “We are delighted that the SoftWide® platform is now able to deliver some of Microsoft’s key software titles. My team and I worked closely with Microsoft for several months to establish that our processes and systems are both rigorous and advanced enough for this. I now look forward to working with Microsoft on future projects so that we might add more key titles and in more territories.”
As well as Borders and A World of Software in the UK, the SoftWide® platform is currently installed at Carrefour in Belgium, Digital Lifeware in Australia and Ingram Micro UK for distribution. Tribeka also has a pipeline of retail deals for 2009.
16 January 2009
Tribeka and Creative Content sign groundbreaking deal
Tribeka Ltd, the innovator behind the SoftWide® platform, a revolutionary approach to the retail selling of digital content through in store manufacture which eliminates both inventory and logistics, have signed a groundbreaking deal with new audio download publishing company Creative Content Ltd to sell CC’s business and self improvement titles in a worldwide deal. The four launch titles are two Business Etiquette titles for China and Russia and two “Improve Your Speech” titles aimed at both native and non-native English speakers of British and US English.
Creative Content’s partners, Ali Muirden and Lorelei King, said “We are delighted to have signed with Tribeka to sell our titles worldwide in this innovative ‘on demand’ format. We are keen to work closely with Tribeka in order to respond quickly and flexibly to their customers’ requirements”.
Mark Furtado, Tribeka’s Head of Content, said “We are convinced that Spoken Word is a great addition to our existing offer and the retailers we work with. I am delighted that Ali Muirden, who is so highly regarded in the industry, is such an early adopter in this category”.
Creative Content have six further titles planned for publication in 2009.
Borders and Ingram Micro in the UK, Carrefour in Europe and Digital Lifeware in Australia are already piloting the SoftWide® platform and Tribeka is in discussions with retailers in Europe, South Africa and the USA for launches this year.
For further information on their titles you can visit www.creativecontentdigital.com
5 January 2009
Tribeka appoints new Director of Retail & Content
Tribeka is pleased to announce the appointment of Faz Suleman as Director of Retail & Content. In this new role, Faz will bring together Tribeka’s Digital Rights & Retail teams to ensure the SoftWide® platform success with current and future retail partners through content delivery and in-store operations.
With an impressive retail background at Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U and Dixons Stores Group, Faz brings a strong retail understanding of the PC and telecommunications areas.
Faz Suleman commented: “I am delighted to be joining Tribeka. The SoftWide® platform is an amazing technology and with my retail and buying experience I will help to ensure Tribeka fully realises its full potential throughout Europe and Worldwide starting with the SoftWide® platform already installed at Carrefour in Belgium, Ingram Micro and Borders in the UK and Digital Lifeware in Australia as well as those in the pipeline.”
Stephen Precious, Tribeka’s COO, said: “With our excellent current partners, the pipeline of deals for the next few months and with conventional delivery proving more and more out of place in today’s retail environment, 2009 looks set to be a huge year for us. Faz will be an instrumental member of Tribeka’s management team as we grow to meet this increasing demand.”
24 October 2008
Carrefour launches the SoftWide® platform
On Thursday 23 October Carrefour launched the SoftWide® platform in its new Brugges hypermarket, the first of three hypermarkets Carrefour plans for the SoftWide® platform before peak trading this year.
Carrefour is to use the SoftWide® platform to deliver its total software offer both for on shelf merchandising and on demand manufacture. With a range of over 500 titles already available, and with a further 300 in conversion, Carrefour has dedicated an entire area to the SoftWide® platform delivered software, situated in the middle of the PC, electronics and media department.
Tribeka also continues development to add other categories such as DVD movie, PC games and console software so that the SoftWide® platform can migrate to being the total delivery mechanism for all Carrefour’s entertainment and media offering.
Carrefour is the world’s second-largest retailer and the largest in Europe with sales of over €100 billion. The group currently operates over 15,000 stores in four main formats: hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount and convenience stores.
21 October 2008
Digital Lifeware takes the SoftWide® platform to Australia
A new concept in digital content retailing has opened in Westfield Bondi Junction. Digital Lifeware is Australia’s first Manufacture on Demand (MOD) software store. Based on world leading technology from Tribeka Ltd in the UK, Digital Lifeware takes content shopping to a whole new level.
The Managing Director of Digital Lifeware, Rhett Sampson, said “When I first saw the Tribeka the SoftWide® platform in the UK in August of 2007, I was struck by the range of fully licensed, high quality software and the efficiency in terms of space, stock and staff of the retail operation that it enabled so much so that we negotiated the exclusive rights to the retail technology for Australia and New Zealand. What followed was 12 months of intensive work with Tribeka and our strategic advisers in technology, retail, rights, branding and marketing to develop the concept that is Digital Lifeware, customised for the Australian environment.”
“The other great appeals of the system” continued Mr. Sampson “are that it is never out of stock, there are no returns or wastage of unsold product and it is kind to the environment. We are moving the manufacturing of quality digital content as close as physically possible to the customer: the shopping mall. This completely eliminates the entire manufacturing, distribution and stock chain, as well as drastically reducing the size of the store. That has to be a good thing for everyone.”
When asked what the plans were for the concept and the technology, Mr. Sampson said that Digital Lifeware are looking to a mix of owned stores, store-in-store with retail partners, “white label” or possibly even franchises. “Developments will depend on reaction from the market and potential retail partners” Mr. Sampson said “all feedback so far has been extremely positive. We have been in discussions with local retail partners and content owners and these are going extremely well. Both retailers and content owners see the benefits of the system.”
The CEO of Tribeka, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, said “we are very pleased to partner with Digital Lifeware. Their experience in designing, building and marketing highly sophisticated retail technology systems makes them the perfect partner for us in Australia and New Zealand.”
21 July 2008
PC Retail reports: Tribeka signs Carrefour for on-demand
PC Retail reports: Deal sees Carrefour, world's second largest retailer, using the SoftWide® platform as Ingram Micro and Microsoft back technology.
You can find the full article at http://www.pcretailmag.com/news/30207/Tribeka-signs-Carrefour-for-on-demand
8 July 2008
PC Retail interview: The Future of Software
PC Retail interview: David Burton, EMEA marketing director for Roxio talks about the SoftWide® platform powering the on demand revolution.
You can find the full article at http://www.pcretailmag.com/hot-topics/151/The-future-of-software
19 May 2008
Microsoft selects Tribeka as key partner for its European Investor Summit and SME Day
Microsoft has selected Tribeka as key partner for its European Investor Summit and SME Day in Brussels on 11 and 12 June.
The two-day European Investor Summit and SME Day event is an opportunity to gain significant insight into Microsoft strategy and see some of the cool technology in the marketplace today. Tribeka will be showcasing its groundbreaking the SoftWide® platform system to policy makers, senior Microsoft executives and leading European VCs and Investor Groups, and Daniel Doll-Steinberg, Tribeka’s CEO, will lead the Voices For Innovation policy event.
Registration is free at http://www.smeday.eu/2008/default.htm
14 April 2008
PC Retail reports Tribeka and On Demand manufacture will change UK retail
PC Retail, the influential magazine for the UK’s PC retail industry, today reported that Tribeka and On Demand manufacture is likely to change the face of UK retailing.
Using information collated by Screen Digest for their March report on the future of entertainment retailing, PC Retail estimates that on demand retail is set to explode in the UK and that the DVD movie side of the industry alone will be worth $1 billion within 4 years.
You can find the full article at http://www.pcretailmag.com/news/29681/On-demand-will-change-UK-retail4 April 2008
Daniel Doll-Steinberg, CEO Tribeka, to present at PEVE 2008
Tribeka’s CEO, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, has been asked to present on the role of manufacturing-on-demand (MOD) in extending the Long Tail for DVD movie content at PEVE 2008 on 17 April 2008 in Paris. Tribeka’s SoftWide® platform is the only manufacturing on demand system proven for high-volume retail operation and Daniel will be explaining how this model works for an entire range of entertainment content and the importance of working with the retail store environment.
PEVE is an annual event which brings together executives from all sectors of the industry and from more than 20 countries. Other speakers include Ron Sanders - President, Warner Home Video; Robin Truchy - Director, Xbox Live Europe, Microsoft; Matt Brown - Exec VP International, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Christophe Geoffroy - International Non Food Director, Groupe Carrefour.
For more information please see www.peve.screendigest.com
10 March 2008
Tribeka joins Primera Technology at CeBIT
Primera Technology, manufacturers of award winning automated DVD and CD replicators, invited Tribeka to demonstrate its world leading SoftWide® platform at CeBIT in Hannover using Primera solutions.
The thousands of visitors to Primera’s stand were shown how the SoftWide® platform can provide a complete entertainment offering in a few hundred feet making it ideal for retailers worldwide.
Stephen Precious, Tribeka’s COO, commented “The reaction to the SoftWide® platform, which must be one of the most obvious retail purchasing decisions, was incredible. With Primera we secured a number of significant retailer and publisher leads including interest from around Europe, the USA and Australasia. We are delighted to be working with Primera and found their technology easy to integrate into the SoftWide® platform.”
7 March 2008
Tribeka appoints Andrew B Coathup Head of Development
Tribeka is delighted to announce it has appointed Andrew B Coathup Head of Development within the Engineering team at Tribeka. Andrew was part of the team that proved the SoftWide® platform model and technology for retail. Andrew will be responsible for managing the development team to deliver additional product categories and the additional enhancements for customized retailer integration.
Before Tribeka, Andrew was at Nortel, and RLM Systems. Andrew brings strong software engineering experience gained from both the telecommunications and defence industries. Andrew has an Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Information Technology where he was awarded best student by the faculty.
4 February 2008
Tribeka and its concession partner, On Demand Retail, today launched the world’s first on-demand store-in-store at Borders' flagship store in Oxford Street, London.
With an area of some 400 square feet the SoftWide® platform catalogue of over 1,600 software titles is now available to the 250,000 customers shopping at Borders Oxford Street store every month.
Tribeka's Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Precious said “This launch further establishes the SoftWide® platform as the world's leading on demand solution for software and entertainment product. We are delighted that Borders have demonstrated the foresight to be the first retailer in the world to enter this space. I consider software to be an ideal complement to the Borders offer and that it is through the non-specialist retail channel that we will attract a whole new customer to this fantastic and growing product category. With Audio Books, DVD Movie and the other entertainment categories we have in the pipeline Borders will become the destination for entertainment product on the high street.”
22 January 2008
Ian Pearson, Minister for Science and Innovation, invites Tribeka CEO to help form UK's International Innovation Strategy
On 22 January 2008, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, Tribeka's Founder and Chief Executive, joined other leading thinkers from the Academic and Corporate world at a round table hosted by Ian Pearson, the UK's Minister of State for Science and Innovation.
During a day that focused on developing the UK Government's international strategy for Science and Innovation, Daniel was the principal representative for SME led innovation. Other experts included representatives from Aerospace, Software, Pharmaceutical and Telecommunications and some of the UK's most influential universities.
Daniel said “It was an honour to be included in a panel of leading thinkers and to share my views on improving innovation in the UK. I strongly believe the UK has a great foundation for innovation. It would only take a few concrete steps to radically improve its position, enabling it to continue to be a source of some of the great innovations for years to come.”
8 January 2008
Borders to launch the SoftWide® platform in flagship Oxford Street store on 4th February
Borders UK announced today that it has signed a deal with Tribeka Ltd to trial a service that will offer CD and DVD Rom on demand. Borders will be the first retailer to have such a system in store. Branded as On Demand, it will go into the Borders flagship Oxford Street (London) branch in London on 4th February, offering customers the opportunity to choose from over 1,500 software items, including educational, business and entertainment products such as games, music and video.
Tribeka Ltd is revolutionizing the way people buy and sell software. The company has created the SoftWide® platform technology which allows customers to walk into a store, choose from a vast range of software, and walk away instantly with a secure software copy, identical to the traditionally distributed version. The company has agreements with more than 225 leading brand name software publishers including the BBC, Dorling Kindersley, Lego, McAfee, Sage, and Britannica, to offer an ever-growing catalogue of titles, available for PC's, Pocket PC's, and talking books. The SoftWide® platform solution is also capable of supporting music and is easily upgradeable for the release of console platforms and movies.
Customers at Borders in Oxford Street will be able to choose items from either an online e-catalogue or from a printed version available in store. To show them how the system works, there will be plasma screens offering frequent demonstrations. As soon as the customers have made their choice and purchased a product, the SoftWide® platform will automatically obtain authorization from Tribeka's control centre via a secured license release and will then immediately start an on-site replication of the product. The software will then be pressed onto a disc and the entire process, including the printing of a user manual and colour inlay, all to factory quality, will be completed within a couple of minutes.
Tribeka's SoftWide® platform is revolutionary because it is “virtual” and it offers huge advantages over the conventional retail model. It operates by taking advantage of its digital licensing agreements with software publishers to manufacture their software to factory standards on-demand and on-site. It eliminates the need for holding stock, and gets rid of all its associated problems like unsold or obsolete products, out-of-stock situations and the need for inventory. It means that the latest versions are always available, there are no distribution delays and the distribution costs are minimal. This eco-friendly system also reduces the potential for technical piracy or physical theft.
David Kohn, Commercial Director of Borders, said “Borders are excited to be associated with this ground-breaking initiative. As well as CD-Rom and DVD-Rom, the technology is designed to work with standard CD and DVD formats. We believe it could transform radically both the experience and the economics of retailing entertainment product in store. We are already working with publishers on how we can extend the offer to include spoken word, and believe there is a great opportunity to breathe life back into this market.”
For further information, contact Alex Hippisley-Cox on 020 8488 3764 or email her at ahipcoxpr@btconnect.com
See the news at Bookseller.com
Notes to editors:
Leading retailer Borders UK & Ireland offers the widest range of books and magazines in the marketplace, and has a growing share of the specialist music and DVD markets. With their Starbucks coffee shops and Paperchase stationery concessions, as well as dedicated children's sections, Borders stores offer a warm and friendly shopping environment where customers can browse and relax. Retail Bookselling Chain of the Year 2005 & 2006, Bookselling Company of the Year 2006 & 2007, Children's Retailer of the Year 2007, and Magazine Destination Retailer of the Year 2007, Borders UK has over one million square feet of retail space and around 8% of the retail bookselling market. Borders currently operates 42 Borders superstores in city centres and retail parks from Bournemouth to Inverness and 28 high street and airport bookshops under the Books etc. and Borders Express brands. In October 2006 Borders opened its first superstore in the Republic of Ireland, in the West Dublin suburb of Blanchardstown, and on 28th September last year it opened its new flagship store in the heart of Cardiff City Centre.
