Epson New Zealand’s reseller market has reportedly reaped the rewards of the popularity of the EcoTank.
Channel Life reported that after Epson’s campaign last year to sell the range of EcoTank models through Ingram Micro, it is now looking to target SMBs. The EcoTank is known for its refillable ink tanks, so no cartridges are required, and the initial purchase supplies two years of ink, while the refillable ink bottles cost NZ$20 (US$14/€13).
The printers have been sold in retailers Harvey Norman, Warehouse Stationary and The Warehouse. and Simon Rogers, General Manager, Epson New Zealand, said that the printers have proved “popular locally”. but that he is “keen to see more resellers embrace the offerings and reap returns”, which he says “include ‘great’ upsell opportunities, financial benefits with upfront margins for both hardware and ink”.
Rogers also said that in the last six months there had been a change, and that “there are now a number of resellers on board”, with this a “big opportunity for specialist resellers with a large SMB market […] untapped”. There have been nearly 16 million models sold globally so far, and that was “despite the US and Japan only recently gaining access to the offerings”, while sales in New Zealand have substantially grown.
Rogers said that there was a “great upsell opportunity because EcoTank increases […] average sales price[s]” and customers love the “unique solution”. He also commented that resellers were “capturing the revenue of both the hardware and ink”, whereas “the traditional model is [to] give away the hardware and hope you make the margin on ink, but that’s an unreliable revenue stream”.
The printers are sold to the resellers at full recommended retailer price, so that they cannot be undercut by retailers, which is a “huge challenge for resellers selling print hardware” noted Rogers, who added: “It also can be disruptive and if you’re a small reseller looking for a point of difference, selling a product which has a genuine point of difference is obviously a chance to offer something different to your customers and disrupt the status quo.”