Computer 2000 will be primarily focusing on the new Garmin Mobile XT but will be offering the full range of Garmin’s market-leading mobile and automotive GPS devices, giving resellers addressing the corporate, SME and consumer markets, improved access to Gamin’s solutions and Computer 2000’s advanced logistics and financial services. Computer 2000 plans to make significant investments in marketing activities to support partner efforts to drive sales in the GPS market.
Mark Glasspool, General Manager of PC Systems business unit at Computer 2000, states: “Garmin is one of the biggest and most successful players in satellite navigation and GPS technology and we are delighted to be working with the company to develop its UK sales. The GPS market is a massive opportunity, both for Computer 2000 and its B2B and retailer and web-store customers. While there is a clear opportunity in the consumer market, we also see significant potential in the small business and corporate sectors, where there is a very real need for accurate mapping and positioning devices.”
Commenting on behalf of Garmin, Tim Spurling, UK Sales Manager, says: “The agreement with Computer 2000 will make our Mobile XT and in car GPS range more readily available to the wider community of retailers in the UK. It gives our partners access to a reliable, efficient and well-resourced source of Garmin GPS and satellite navigation solutions. We will be working with Computer 2000 to ensure that our customers can maximise their opportunities and their sales potential in this rapidly-growing market.”
Over the coming months, Computer 2000 plans to embark on a concerted sales and marketing campaign that will raise awareness of the wider availability of the Garmin range amongst resellers and the benefits of working with Computer 2000 to secure supplies of the latest cutting-edge GPS technologies.
“Computer 2000 is fully committed to developing a strong, long-term presence in the European GPS market”, says Glasspool. “We will be actively supporting resellers and retailers in their efforts to raise customer awareness and drive their sales. We have some very exciting plans and we are looking forward to working with Garmin and our other partners to develop and execute on those plans.”
According to analyst firm Canalys, 7.4 million mobile navigation devices were shipped worldwide in the second quarter of 2007, a 116 percent increase on the same quarter of the previous year. Sixty percent of all shipments were made in the EMEA region, which grew 82 percent compared to the same quarter of 2006. During this quarter, Garmin emerged as the leading player, capturing a 24.9% share of the global market, according to Canalys.