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. 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.” 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” 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. 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. 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:
20 May 2009
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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.
21 December 2007
Tribeka have expanded into the casual games market with a deal with Intenium, one of the leading players in the casual games market in Europe. Intenium and Tribeka look set to take a piece of this fast growing market as the SoftWide® platform is the only way to put the right product in front of the right customer every time.
This partnership allows Intenium to enter quickly and easily into the retail market without the delays and huge costs associated with setting up a traditional distribution market.
Stephen Precious, Tribeka's COO, commented: “With the SoftWide® platform allowing all retailers to offer a huge range of software, we can put products, such as casual games, into the right retailer for the right customer. With our retailer pipeline so extensive for 2008 Intenium's range and the SoftWide® platform represent an ideal proposition for the whole channel.”
20 December 2007
Tribeka and Incomedia in new partnership
Tribeka is delighted to add Incomedia to its amazing offer. Incomedia have just launched two website creation suites which are emerging as some of the best products in the market.
By putting their products in front of the customer without any of the costs of traditional distribution, the SoftWide® platform allows Incomedia to hit the ground running. Also conscious of the environment, both companies see the SoftWide® platform as a greener solution to put a full product into retail and into the hands of customers.
The award-winning Website X5 was developed with the aim of bringing high-end website creation software at affordable prices to home, business and education users. The software is designed specifically for users who want to publish high-quality websites and online shops, with a professional look and feel in just 5 simple steps.
Tribeka’s Head of DRM, Mark Furtado said “This partnership is truly a blend of innovation and progression with Tribeka being one of the first companies to sell this fantastic product”.
5 December 2007
Jean-Philippe Courtois, President Microsoft International, addresses Policy and Innovation with Daniel Doll-Steinberg, CEO Tribeka
On Wednesday 5th December Tribeka CEO, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, shared the platform with a number of key Microsoft Executives including Jean-Philippe Courtois, President Microsoft International, at the Voices for Innovation Event at London’s Apex City of London Hotel.
The event also addressed by Chris Parker, Director of Microsoft LCA, and Gordon Frazer, Microsoft UK MD, was fully attended by Microsoft Partner executives, Industry analysts, Microsoft sponsors and other key Microsoft executives. The presentations covered Innovation, Policy and Microsoft strategy and Daniel Doll-Steinberg commented “I was delighted to be asked to share the platform with such an esteemed and experienced group and to be able to share my views on spurring Innovation and the Policy agenda both of which are of key importance to the UK, Europe, large corporates and SMEs.”
Please read more at organizer’s blog
15 November 2007
A new message and new design, JUST ASK!
Simplicity is the key when communicating to over 27,000 customers a day. In conjunction with Michael Wallis, a designer of the 2012 Olympic logo, Tribeka has created a more meaningful and fulfilling customer experience for its showcase Terminal 4 store. The store now has a strong and simple message, JUST ASK.
Inviting the customers to JUST ASK highlights the passion, imagination and excellent customer service the whole shopping experience at A World Of Software offers.
Mark Furtado Head of DRM for Tribeka Ltd said, “The added value of this new point of sale ‘JUST ASK’ is simple to see and encourages the customers to challenge our staff. The new look is bright clean and direct”.
Tribeka Ltd COO Stephen Precious commented: “I am really pleased with this new concept. Software is for everyone and using the SoftWide® platform technology we always have the right software for everyone. All they have to do is JUST ASK.
While focusing on our forthcoming retail partners, as a retailer I want to ensure that our Terminal 4 showcase store provides the best experience for software customers and attracts a whole new audience to this exciting category. A World of Software, Terminal 4 is now the complete technical, operational and service led model to take software, and the other digital media categories we are developing, to a new level with the large number of retailers I am now engaging.”
29 October 2007
The SoftWide® platform Masters DVD
Tribeka today added DVD capability to its revolutionary SoftWide® platform, extending the range to meet the needs of both specialist and general retailers worldwide. With the first range of titles now available in store Tribeka has ensured that its on demand manufacture technology for PC DVD ROM offers the high quality and rapid production time retailers have come to expect.
Extending Tribeka’s list of groundbreaking achievements, this is the first time anywhere in the world that CD and DVD software products are being fully licensed and manufactured on demand to retail quality in retail stores.
Tribeka’s COO, Stephen Precious said “The provision of software on DVD adds another string to our bow. The SoftWide® platform is now poised to meet the growing demand for an ever larger range of titles and we are delighted that Auralog’s Tell Me More Premium range of titles at £339 is the first to be manufactured on demand. Adding software DVD is the basis for increasing our range to include movies and console games as our channel grows.”
Stephen Padmore, Head of Retail Operations, added “We have thoroughly tested DVD which now meets the rigorous procedural and operational requirements for Heathrow Airport. With the same automated process we offer for CDs, the SoftWide® platform manufactures DVD as easily as CD for the pressures and operating hours of the world’s busiest airport. Every SoftWide® platform will now be fully able to produce both CD and DVD format product.”
2 October 2007
Tribeka Ltd again attended the autumn Retail Vision, hosted by Gartner, to strengthen existing relationships and develop new ones. Head of DRM, Mark Furtado said "Retail Vision allows us to learn about and influence the latest industry analysis and trends and to establish new partnerships. This latest event again proved very productive for developing new business partnerships both in the publishing and retail domains."
Tribeka Ltd, COO Stephen Precious who also visited the show commented "The opportunity to talk with newer fast growing publishers and established retailers helps us gain an insight into the industry's overall marketing strategy enabling us to make better decisions regarding new product lines. We were very encouraged by the massive retail interest across Europe and the World".
18 September 2007
Tribeka and BitDefender in new partnership
Tribeka have recently signed a partnership agreement to sell the acclaimed BitDefender products through their revolutionary SoftWide® platform. This is a positive move for both companies, with BitDefender moving towards being a global leader in PC security and Tribeka being a world leader in “on-demand” software technology, a collaboration between both companies will only mean good things for the future.
Mark Furtado, account manager at Tribeka had this to say about the new partnership “I have been watching BitDefender for the last year and seen the growth they have achieved. As we are on the brink of expansion this is the perfect time for us to link together.”
Nick Billington, Country Manager for BitDefender, said “This is a great opportunity for BitDefender to build on its success within the UK and we are confident that Tribeka will meet our expectations for high standards of customer service. It's an exciting business opportunity for the channel and we are proud to be part of this innovative idea.”
For both companies the future looks bright.
20 August 2007
Stephen Precious takes over as Tribeka's Chief Operating Officer
Stephen Precious today joins Tribeka as Chief Operating Officer taking responsibility for day to day operations of the business with particular focus on ensuring the SoftWide® platform success with current and future retail partners.
Stephen is a highly regarded retail director bringing over 20 years of hands on retail experience managing and delivering growth for retailers expanding rapidly nationwide. Previously at Byte Superstores, Phones4U and Silverscreen, Stephen has board level knowledge of fast moving retail such as mobile phones, entertainment and computers.
Stephen commented: “I am extremely excited to be joining Tribeka. The SoftWide® platform is a great technology and my experience will ensure we fully realise its potential through the Retail sector”.
15 August 2007
Tribeka selected to launch Kaspersky’s Internet Security Suite and Anti Virus Version 7
Kaspersky selected Tribeka to launch its new versions of Internet Security suite and Anti-Virus. In addition to the one user versions Tribeka are also managing the digital rights and manufacturing the 3 user versions of both products.
Tribeka's Account manager Mark Furtado said “We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Kaspersky and being selected for the launch demonstrates further Kaspersky's support for the SoftWide® platform”.
Lianne Bateman at Kaspersky said “Tribeka is committed to providing their customers with the best level of service and software which Kaspersky are proud to be part of.”
Kaspersky® Version 7.0 Home user products provides Triple Protection against all online threats, Highest detection Rates and the Fastest Response to New Threats with hourly updates. Now Internet Security includes Parental Controls and Privacy Controls.
19 July 2007
European Commission Appoints Daniel Doll-Steinberg to Enterprise Policy Group
The European Commission has today appointed Daniel Doll-Steinberg, Tribeka's CEO, to their consultative committee, Enterprise Policy Group.
The EPG Business Chamber consists of senior representatives with substantial management experience in private enterprises. The group brings together expertise from a broad range of sectors across the European Union. Its members are appointed in a personal capacity for the Commission to use as a sounding board on challenges facing businesses and the EU policy response to them.
27 June 2007
Tribeka Launches Retail Ready the SoftWide® platform
Building on 3 years of research into the retail operations for On Demand Manufacture, Tribeka is pleased to announce the release of a retail-ready version of its world leading the SoftWide® platform. Built to fulfil their entire software needs the SoftWide® platform is geared towards both traditional software retailers and retailers wishing to enter the category.
This latest system is designed to allow store management and staff to concentrate on selling and merchandising without requiring dedicated staffing. Moreover by significantly reducing network traffic the SoftWide® platform now ensures a very large number of store systems are able to simultaneously operate with a single central licensing service.
21 May 2007
London Development Agency Knowledge Transfer Initiative
The London Development Agency has chosen Tribeka and University College London, one of the world's premier universities, to engage in their key knowledge transfer programme.
We are delighted to have established this partnership and are pleased to be working with Professor Anthony Finkelstein, head of UCL's Software Engineering Department in the increasingly vital digital rights management arena. The research will cover applications for Tribeka's established and patent pending licensing technologies and also for its in-store cataloguing systems.
30 April 2007
Peter Freuchen today joins Tribeka as Head of Technical Services, responsible for the management of Tribeka's computer infrastructure, service delivery, and support capabilities.
Peter has been in the IT industry for over 20 years, working for a number of retail and distribution companies. He is a Prince2 practitioner in project management.
13 April 2007
Shortcut's flagship product PhotoZoomPro2 now available through the SoftWide® platform
Tribeka is pleased to announce the release of the award-winning PhotoZoomPro2 from Shortcut Software (www.shortcutinc.com) through the SoftWide® platform in our A World Of Software stores.
Among professionals, internet hobbyists and digital camera users, quality loss caused by digital image magnification is a very common problem. PhotoZoom Pro 2 is able to render true to life image magnifications without serrated edges. The software is designed for image magnification in DTP, large format printing and industrial image processing (such as space technology, medical applications, security), but also for Internet and digital photography.
Shortcut's flagship products are known for their user friendly interface with self evident cutting edge technology that makes the job easy and fun.
29 January 2007
Microsoft holds Vista Launch in AWOS showcase store at Heathrow Airport
Microsoft is to use Tribeka's “A World of Software” store in Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 (see pictures) to showcase and launch their new Microsoft Vista operating system. This is the latest offering from Microsoft and a keenly anticipated release within the industry. This launch gives the thousands of passengers who pass the store each day a unique opportunity to see and try the new operating system.
Simultaneous with this launch, A World of Software are releasing a range of Vista training products by Greenstreet Limited. Also planned for imminent release is Greenstreet's range of Office 2007 training products, including PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Access. These tutorials are sure to assist early adopters of Vista and Office 2007.
8 December 2006
Auralog grants Tribeka licence for their flagship Tell Me More Prestige Edition of language learning products
Tribeka is pleased to announce the release of the latest version of Auralog's leading TELL ME MORE method in our A World of Software stores: Tell Me More Prestige Edition. As the name suggests, this range really is the ultimate language learning tool from Auralog.
Prestige offers three levels in a single pack (Beginner + Intermediate + Advanced) for learning French, Spanish, Italian, German and English as a foreign language. Each pack is available for £149.99.
With over 3 million copies sold worldwide, TELL ME MORE is highly acclaimed in France and across the globe. Consequently, TELL ME MORE Intelligent Solution has recently won the Golden MIM in Quebec, the Möbius prize in France and two EDDIE Awards in the United States.
For more on their products, please visit Auralog at www.auralog.com
6 November 2006
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) issues case study on Tribeka
Tribeka is the subject of a recent case study by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) titled "Tribeka – A UK SME with a groundbreaking digital software licensing system prospers, thanks to its IP".
Read more on World Intellectual Property Organisation issues case study on Tribeka
1 November 2006
Heathrow showroom for "Software factory"
ON–SITE software technology company Tribeka has launched a new the SoftWide® platform showcase store in Heathrow airport‚ hoping to convince retailers of the benefits offered by its direct distribution service.
The firm describes the SoftWide® platform as a "miniaturised and cost effective factory for the High Street". Essentially‚ it is an alternative to standard distribution systems which burns the software onto CDs and prints the cover in–store. The new Heathrow system can produce over 80 titles an hour‚ from a cache of over 1‚800 offerings — a number which is growing at a rate of around 30 a month.
While still at an early stage‚ the scheme does represent a novel and arguably simpler approach to software distribution‚ designed to be more environmentally friendly through reducing packaging‚ logistics and waste. Some of the potential benefits to retailers would be guaranteed availability of software‚ limited inventory management and lower central overheads.
Daniel Doll–Steinberg‚ CEO of Tribeka‚ told PC Retail: "The system supports multiple ePOS, offers a very high level of reliability‚ fast manufacture and assures reliable quality through its propriety software and high resolution, customised devices to manufacture each component."
PC Retail
30 October 2006
Op–Ed for Voices for Innovation
Daniel Doll–Steinberg has been asked to write the first op–ed for Voices for Innovation. VFI is a community supported by Microsoft for briefing policymakers on the importance of IP protection, investment in R&D, innovation and growth. You can find the op–ed at:
18 July 2006
Tribeka opens new flagship A World of Software store at London Heathrow Terminal 4
Tribeka opened its new flagship A World of Software store airside at London's Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 on Thursday July 13. The new store now makes the revolutionary the SoftWide® platform technology available airside. With over 2,000 software titles on offer, the SoftWide® platform manufactures on site every single one within minutes allowing stores to operate without any inventory. This innovative approach to retailing represents an even greater advantage in the secure environment of an airport.
The store operates 16 hours a day, 365 days a year and showcases Tribeka's latest and most advanced the SoftWide® platform technology, offering multiple ePOS, a very high level of reliability, faster manufacture and a greater throughput of up to 80 titles an hour.
2 June 2006
Microsoft selects Tribeka to Showcase the SoftWide® platform at SME Day in Brussels
6/7 June
Tribeka are delighted to take the opportunity to showcase their the SoftWide® platform system in Brussels at SME Day. The event is part of a new initiative to showcase innovation to encourage small and medium enterprises with a view to stimulating economic growth in Europe.
Microsoft has asked Tribeka to showcase the SoftWide® platform and our CEO, Daniel Doll-Steinberg, is presenting on the SME Union panel along with Peter Jungen, SME Union Co-President, Jean-Philippe Courtois, President Microsoft International and Noel Tracey, Minister of Science and Technology Ireland
SME Union Forum Programme: Panel Discussion on Accelerating Innovation
17 April 2006
Tribeka to open its next the SoftWide® platform enabled store at London
Heathrow Terminal 4
Tribeka is to open A World of Software™ store at a key site at London Heathrow's Terminal 4; this store is planned to open in June.
Given the additional difficulties of delivering product through security the SoftWide® platform provides virtually the only way to retail software, and eventually other digital media, airside and at launch the store will offer over 2,000 titles in a high customer service environment.
London Heathrow is the world's busiest international airport and Terminal 4 is British Airways' hub serving the USA, Europe, South America, Africa, Asia and Australasia. Over 15 million people travel through this terminal every year including many of the world's most influential people.
To meet publisher demand, and with over 300 premier new titles already committed for this store, Tribeka has also just taken on two new DRM & Licensing managers.
21 December 2005
Tribeka selected as Innovator of the Month by the
Association for Competitive Technology
Innovator of the Month
Daniel Doll Steinberg of Tribeka, Inc. is our innovator of the month!
Article from I Innovate
Tribeka's SoftWide® platform has been nominated for the Technology in Business category at the 2005 Growing Business Awards, which the UK chancellor, Gordon Brown, calls "the premier showcase of enterprise in the UK". The Technology in Business category is sponsored by Dell.
In selecting companies for the shortlist the judges were looking for a clear and innovative strategy, powerful and measurable results and companies which have been galvanised and transformed by technology.
ACT is a national education and advocacy group for the technology industry and represents nearly 3000 software developers, systems integrators, IT consulting and training firms, and e-businesses from across the country. While ACT members include some household names like eBay, Orbitz and Microsoft, our members are primarily small and mid-size companies. Smaller, entrepreneurial technology firms like Sax Software, Tribeka, ComponentSource and EnsuredMail have long been the driving force behind innovation and job growth in the industry
24 October 2005
the SoftWide® platform shortlisted for Technology in Business category of
the Growing Business Awards 2005
Tribeka's SoftWide® platform has been nominated for the Technology in Business category at the 2005 Growing Business Awards, which the UK chancellor, Gordon Brown, calls "the premier showcase of enterprise in the UK". The winners will be announced on 30th November with Gordon Brown giving the keynote speech.
In selecting companies for the shortlist the judges were looking for a clear and innovative strategy, powerful and measurable results and companies which have been galvanised and transformed by technology.
18 March 2005
A wider choice of software.
A new kiosk-based approach to selling software on the high street makes obscure but useful titles available to a far larger market.
A chain of high-street shops that sell software - isn't that a step back-wards? Doesn't the future lie in high-speed software downloads over broadband links, or the replacement of packaged software with constantly updated, web-based alternatives? Not according to Daniel Doll-Steinberg. He is the founder of the SoftWide® platform, a company that is promoting a new way to sell software: from kiosks that produce disks and packaging, on demand, inside high-street shops. Is he mad - might he have discovered a vast untapped market?
Mr Doll-Steinberg originally set out to increase the range of software that could be sold in existing shops. With limited shelf space, most shops stock only a few dozen titles. So his firm, the SoftWide® platform, devised a kiosk-based system that can store thousands of pieces of software on a hard disk, burning a disk only when a customer wants to buy a particular title. The first kiosks were tested in WH Smith, a British retail chain, and in Fnac stores in France. But having some titles in boxes on the shelves, and others provided by kiosks, was confusing. So Mr Doll-Steinberg decided that the SoftWide® platform should open its own chain of shops. The first two opened in London in 2002, and have since been followed by three more.
The kiosk-based approach means that compared with other software retailers, the SoftWide® platform shops sell an entirely different range of software to an entirely different type of customer. In computer superstores, 60% of software sold is games, and about 35% is business software. In the SoftWide® platform stores, in contrast, 50% of the software sold is educational and reference software (much of which is otherwise only available by mail order), 30% is business software and only 20% games. More than half of the SoftWide® platform customers are women, and many are pensioners.
The SoftWide® platform unusual model has a number of benefits over superstores and on-line downloads, Mr Doll-Steinberg insists. It makes it possible to offer customers advice, which is hard to come by in big superstores where shelves must be kept stocked. Users feel more comfortable with physical disks than with downloads, which can go wrong, cannot be resold, and are unsuitable as gifts. And popular products cannot sell out.
Mr Doll-Steinberg believes he has discovered a huge untapped market. In Britain, the educational and reference market is worth £50m ($96m), and has been in decline since WH Smith pulled out in 2000. Its stores stocked only 50 titles; the SoftWide® platform kiosks hold more than 2,000, including programs to help people learn yoga, stop smoking, design a garden, prepare for a driving test, write business plans and complaint letters or fill in government forms. "Most of the people who come into our stores have never bought software before," says Mr Doll-Steinberg. "They say: 'I didn't know you could do that on a computer'. "Such software, he says, should not be relegated to an obscure niche. He estimates that the market could be worth more than £600m.
Admittedly, these are not sexy or exciting pieces of software. They lack the massive advertising campaigns that accompany blockbuster games. But they are actually useful, and serve as a reminder of the unexploited power of home computers. The SoftWide® platform could well be on to something.
The Economist
3 March 2005
The SoftWide® platform chosen by Real Business as one of their 50 companies to watch for 2005 and by Chart Track as a contributing retailer
The SoftWide® platform chosen by Real Business as one of their 50 companies to watch for 2005 and by Chart Track as a contributing retailer3rd. March 2005
The SoftWide® platform has been selected by Real Business magazine as one of its '50 to Watch' companies for 2005, a list of Britain's 50 highest-potential young firms. Real Business looked for innovation and for bold ambitions for tackling established markets or creating entirely new ones. The companies that made the list of 50 to Watch stood out among the 400 firms put forward by academics, journalists, and VC firms.
