ScanSource Invites VARs To Visit Solution City

(Greenville, SC) – ScanSource, Inc. has launched Solution City, an educational Web portal to help VARs sell appropriate technologies within specific industries. "Any reseller looking to expand its business by selling new technologies or targeting new vertical markets should visit Solution City," says Bobby McLain, vice president of marketing for ScanSource, which distributes AIDC (automatic identification and data capture), POS (point of sale), and converged communications products. "We market products from more than 80 technology manufacturers to more than 15,000 value-added resellers. We built Solution City to enable our resellers to move into new business opportunities on their own schedule and at their own pace," he continues.

Solution City's purpose is to aggregate information currently spread across multiple Web sites into a single location that VARs can easily navigate. "We wanted to provide our resellers one place where they could go to learn about top vertical markets and emerging technologies," explains McLain.

Working with vendor partners, ScanSource designed a navigational scheme across 10 industries and 13 technologies to yield 130 specific volumes of information (named Vertechs). Each Vertech is organized into sections covering basic through advanced information. McLain points out that while ScanSource organizes the content, most of the information is provided by its vendor partners. His biggest challenge going forward will be to keep the information fresh and up to date.

Any VAR with an active account at ScanSource can use the site. VARs that are not current customers can complete an information form to gain temporary access. The service is free.

In addition to launching the Web portal, ScanSource is conducting quarterly Solution City road shows. These one-day events feature educational sessions, vendor exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations of various industry vertical solutions described on the Web site. The next event is scheduled for June 3 at New York City's Javits Center. A late summer event in Chicago and a fall event in Atlanta are being planned.

For more information go to www.solutioncity.com.