Develop is the only dedicated publication for the UK and European games development community. It reaches over 8,000 request-only subscribers every month.
What services do you provide? USD provides a professional distribution supply service, offering our customers the most comprehensive range of top- selling value PC games in the UK.
What are your biggest challenges?
Apart from the challenge of bringing sales of catalogue titles alive once again – through competitive pricing and informed selling – the main obstacle is the fight for shelf space at retail. UK retailers seem to have missed a trick or two by withdrawing from the boxed PC market far too hastily. As a consequence, PC owners only really have one place to shop for boxed product and that’s online.
What have you achieved over the past 12 months?
USD has increased turnover and gross margin, whilst maintaining close control of our stock levels and not increasing headcount. We have also moved into a new warehouse which gives us scope to expand if necessary. We have been very selective with who we
sell to, resulting in few if any bad debts and a healthy ledger.
UK retailers seem to have missed a trick by withdrawing from the boxed PC market far too hastily.
“ Dave Cotton, USD
Mindscape and Mirrorsoft titles and dishing out merchandise to indie retailers. These included CHIPS with four shops, Computer Store with 12 and Microbyte with 15.
Those were the days when the games industry was a truly fun place to work in.
March 30th 2012 65
Tell us a secret about USD that few people know. We existed in a slightly different guise during the heady days of Commodore, Amiga and Atari ST. The likes of myself drove around in a flash Ford Sierra selling Microprose, Domark,
UNITED SOFTWARE DISTRIBUTION INSIDER’S GUIDE
WHO?
Specialism: Distribution Location: Suite 19, Belgrade Business Centre, Dennington Road, Wellingborough, Northants, NN8 2QH