Webroot Broadens Reach With Tech Data Distribution Deal

The agreement, completed Tuesday, enlarges the Webroot’s continental reach, and gives the Broomfield, Colo.-based security company the ability to significantly expand its channel business with Tech Data's 125,000 channel partners in 100 countries around the world.

David Bennett, Webroot senior director of global sales, said that the deal was “fantastic news” for Webroot.

“This is an area where Webroot has not been in from a distribution perspective. It gives us significant scope and leverage and the ability to grow the Webroot brand,” he said. “Really this gives us the ability to market, and position and train a greater number of resellers than we ever would have.”

It also gives Webroot partners access to a wide array of resources while opening up increased channels for them to bring the security company’s endpoint and Web security products as well as its SaaS services to market, he said.

Specifically, Bennett said that the partnership provides a “one-stop-shop” scenario for its 200 partners, enabling them to benefit from higher service levels and access systems engineers and greater technical support available through Tech Data. It also simplifies the overall purchasing and training process, and provides cost savings for partners buying large-scale from a single point of access, he said.

The partnership with Tech Data represents Webroot’s first major distribution deal and foray into an expanded SMB and mid-market arena. The security company has previously partnered with retail-centric distributor Navarre.

Historically, Webroot has done a significant portion of its business with big box consumer retailers such as Best Buy, while cultivating a burgeoning SMB business that has thus far experienced single-digit growth.

However, Bennett said that he anticipates that the company’s SMB business -- all of which is conducted through channel partners -- could likely double with the backing of Tech Data’s resources and channel, enabling Webroot to triple their reseller base.

“What Tech Data does is give us the ability to grow our SMB business pretty high year after year,” Bennett said.

Altogether, the merged Tech Data and Webroot partner team will have access to Webroot’s Web security service, Webroot Antispyware Corporate Edition with AntiVirus, Webroot Internet Security Complete, Webroot Internet Security Essentials and Webroot Antivirus with Spy Sweeper.

In addition, Bennett said that the deal will likely expand the company’s consumer business -- 60 percent of which is conducted through channel partners -- by giving them the ability to enter smaller, independent retailers where the company has “never historically played,” Bennett said.

Bennett added that the addition of the Tech Data’s channel would not cause Webroot’s existing channel partners to be overlooked or lost in the shuffle.

“We need to maintain their business at the very least,” he said. “There’s a bigger technical team, but they can still rely on the direct relationship they had with the vendor. It will expand that revenue stream and I expect that revenue stream to grow.”