Tech Data Moves Deeper Into Digital Signage Market

Resellers working in the digital signage space now have another arrow in their quiver thanks to a partnership between Tech Data and Saddle Ranch Digital.

Under the agreement, Tech Data will distribute Saddle Ranch Digital’s line of interactive and digital signage solutions, including a line of SKUs developed specifically for Tech Data, according to the press release announcing the relationship. And what’s more, Tech Data has also partnered with GE Capital to offer financing for its reseller customers looking to add digital signage to their portfolio.

Here’s what Wendy Maurer-Linsky, vice president of Peripherals Product Marketing at Tech Data, had to say about the agreements in the press release:

“Digital signage continues to be a profitable growth area for resellers and our agreements with Saddle Ranch Digital and GE Capital provide our resellers with more opportunities to achieve success and better serve their end-user customers.”

Saddle Ranch Digital bills itself as “an advanced media company specializing in strategy and custom content creation for screen media solutions,” with roots in none other than Glittertown USA, a.ka., Hollywood, Calif.

Digital signage is one of those areas still ripe for the channel, but heating up for sure. And Tech Data isn’t the only distributor playing in the space — in the past few months we’ve heard noise from the likes of Synnex, Ingram Micro and Avnet, and even vendors including Lenovo and Enterasys have taken steps to make digital signage an area of even greater opportunity for the channel.

The fact that distributors are jumping in to support digital signage despite its lack of profile among the channel is an indication that there’s more than meets the eye. We’ll continue to keep tabs on the players in digital signage and connect the dots to see where the medium fits in with wireless, unified communications and even BYOD.