Prism leads retail revolution moves
RETAILING of Sinclair software is being
revolutionised. Prism Microproducts, a sister
company of ECC Publications which publishes
Sinclair User, has plans for distributing
commercial programs which will probably mean the end
of mail order for software in the Sinclair market.
It has agreed with
the electrical retailer Rumbelows to establish
software centres in its shops. It also has plans for
a new system of electronic distribution which will
be test-marketed in Birmingham in the autumn. The
software centres will consist of a shop display
which will be serviced by Prism. Regular calls are
made by Prism staff to restock the centres and
remove software which is moving slowly. The system
is intended to reduce the risk for retailers
deciding which software to stock.
The national
agreement with Rumbelows was signed following a
trial in the Home Counties earlier this year. It
proved successful and other big retailers are
negotiating with Prism to expand the system.
From its base as
exclusive distributor in Britain of Sinclair
Research products to retailers other than W H Smith,
it has built agreements with most of the software
houses in Britain.
Electronic
distribution plans result from an agreement with
Romox, a company based in California. It has
developed a system which allows retailers to have a
programming terminal at which buyers will be able to
record blank cartridges or erased cartridges. The
terminal will be updated constantly with the latest
programs by telephone line. Retailers do not have to
stock pre-recorded cartridges or cassettes, only
blank cartridges.
It is also claimed
that the system will permit instant nation-wide
distribution with no production delays.
Bob Denton, managing
director of Prism, says Romox is a logical extension
to its present software merchandising programme and
to the Micronet 800 service in which Prism has an
interest.
At present Romox is
not available for the Spectrum but there are plans
to include it if the trials are successful.
from the Sinclair User Magazine
September 1983
