Solution Providers Weigh In On HP-Staples Deal
HP announced Monday that Staples has added color printing services featuring HP large-format printers at its Copy and Printer Centers located in more than 1,250 stores across the United States. Staples already resells HP printers and computers at retail.
Pete Busam, executive vice president and COO of Decisive Business Systems, a Pennsauken, New Jersey HP solution provider, said the deal is direct competition for Fedex-Kinko's and is a service opportunity for partners like himself who sell and repair HP printers.
"We do sales and service of HP large format printers," said Busam. "HP Services goes to resellers like us to do the repairs and services on these large format printers. We could be the HP agent that goes in and repairs these printers."
Busam said consumers and businesses are increasingly looking to printing services players like Staples to do large format printing. "It's better to take a job like that to a print shop and have it done rather than buy a large format printer that costs thousands of dollars. Plus you need to understand the software. It's better to let a specialist handle that who does that day in and day out."
Under the Staples deal, the retailer's printer and copier centers will be equipped with HP Designjet 130nr printers in order to provide high-quality photo enlargements, posters, signs and banners for consumers and businesses. The HP Designjet 130 printer series, which features six color printing, is designed for professional graphic design, photography, fine art reproduction, and proofing applications. The printers installed at Staples locations also feature an automatic roll feed and cutter capability and can print on media up to 24 inches wide and up to 50 feet long.
"This is a services play," said John Marks, CEO of JDM Infrastructure, an HP partner based in Chicago, Ill. "If I ever need a banner on Sunday at noon for a birthday party then I'll be sure to contact Staples because Kinko's is probably too expensive."
As for HP's new Attach Plus rebate program, which went into effect today, Marks said he is thrilled about the potential for JDM Infrastructure to prosper. At the heart of the new HP program is a sweeping new rebate formula that will pay channel partners substantially more for attaching more HP products and services to the solutions they sell. "This will help a true solution provider and potentially hurt direct marketers who do nothing but fulfill requests," said Marks of the new HP rebate program.