Tech Data highlights shift to subscription licensing on Acrobat as a big opportunity for Adobe partners

September 8, 2014

Distributor says availability of leading PDF solution under the Value Incentive Plan (VIP) is a significant change and one that will encourage further adoption of the Adobe Creative Cloud

Basingstoke, 08 September 2014 – Tech Data UK is backing Adobe’s move to make its best-selling Acrobat PDF creation software available via the company’s Value Incentive Plan (VIP) agreement, making the software available under subscription as well as perpetual licensing for the first time.

Until now, customers have had to purchase Adobe’s best-selling solution outright, either as full-packaged product or under Adobe’s perpetual licensing program. They now have the option of purchasing Acrobat under Adobe’s VIP subscription-based licensing programme. No minimum license purchase is required, so businesses of all sizes can join the scheme.

The change in policy is highly significant and will accelerate the move towards subscription licensing across the entire Adobe family, says Richard Lees, Business Development Manager for Adobe at Tech Data.

“Acrobat generates a huge revenue stream for a large number of Adobe’s channel partners, so this is very significant news. It makes Acrobat a much more attractive option for every business and under subscription licensing it will be easier to manage, so it will be more affordable as well. It’s a big opportunity not only to attract and entice new customers into the Adobe family, but also to encourage further adoption and closer engagement with existing customers.”

The VIP option will also give customers more flexibility Lees adds. “It will be easier to manage licenses and transfer them between users and customers will also be able to mix and match their Acrobat and Creative Cloud licenses, so there is much more flexibility now. It truly liberates the customer from a licensing perspective and enables simpler and broader adoption of Adobe technology.”

For resellers, selling Acrobat under VIP will mean more consistent and predictable revenues, he noted. “Selling under subscription means that resellers will generate predictable income from every customer every year. It will bring them closer to their customers and make it easier to manage licensing and upgrades.”

Tech Data will be working with Adobe to highlight the opportunity, educate resellers and customers about the changes and drive adoption. A series of communications, workshops and interactions are now being planned. The changes will also be outlined at Tech Data’s forthcoming Vendor Engagement Weekend, on 4th October at Heythrop Park in Oxfordshire.

The move will also accelerate migration to the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem, which provides customers with access to the latest creative apps such as Photoshop and InDesign. Tech Data has been helping Adobe partners drive adoption of the Creative Cloud and more customers are now starting to take advantage of this new way to work and communicate in the super-connected world.

With 14 updated apps available through Transactional and Cumulative Licensing Programmes (TLP and CLP) for commercial customers, the Creative Cloud really is the place for customers to go, says Lees.

“Adobe is driving the new era of creativity by drawing more users into the Creative Cloud – that makes sense and means good opportunities for partners. Creative people are finding new ways to work in the super-connected world and the Adobe Creative Cloud gives them the flexibility and the convenience they need. They get the very latest updates, so they always have the very best tools available, which is really essential to stay competitive in their market. It also makes software easier and less costly to manage and means that security is always up to date.

“The situation around CS6 means there is a good opportunity for resellers to get users current and into the Creative Cloud. A lot of users don’t realise that CS6 has not really been updated for over two years now. Attractive rebates are available on deals of 10 seats or more, so there is plenty of incentive to make sales sell.”

Tech Data is helping partners to ensure they are certified to sell Adobe Creative Cloud, and is offering specialist advice on the opportunities around Acrobat under the VIP program, and on Creative Cloud updates and rebates, from its dedicated Adobe specialist, Ricky McNamara, who can be contacted by emailing ricky.mcnamara@techdata.co.uk.

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About Tech Data
Tech Data provides its customers in UK and Ireland with a unique combination of focused expertise from its Collection of Specialists business units, alongside unrivalled broadline distribution capabilities. Tech Data Corporation is one of the world’s largest wholesale distributors of technology products, services and solutions. Its advanced logistics capabilities and value added services enable 115,000 resellers to efficiently and cost effectively support the diverse technology needs of end usersin more than 100 countries. Tech Data generated $26.8 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2014. It is ranked No. 111 on the Fortune 500® and one of Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies.”  To learn more, visit www.techdata.com, or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information contact:
Andy Dow
Group Marketing Director
Tel: 0871 880 3000
Email: andy.dow@techdata.co.uk
www.techdata.co.uk
Twitter: @techdatauk