Resellers Licensing
Whether you're an Electronic Software Distributor looking to expand your offering, an Application Developer wanting to provide a seamless, bundled solution for your customers, or a Device Manufacturer looking to differentiate your handheld devices, StyleTap can meet your needs.
We provide a web-based License Manager that allows you to sign up as a corporate user (if you are truly a reseller, you can request an upgrade that provides access to a different discount schedule), and place orders for multiple copies of StyleTap Platform. You can then use the License Manager to register your devices as they are deployed, or you can issue coupons (see below) that enable your customers to register their own copies of StyleTap Platform.
Coupons
To make it easy for you to purchase copies of StyleTap Platform at the reseller discount and then resell them to your customers, StyleTap has developed a product registration system using coupons.
Along with the unique Product Key (created by StyleTap Platform when it is installed) that identifies a specific device, a coupon is the "Proof of Purchase" that your customer needs to obtain a permanent registration code. Coupons can be used in several ways:
- Over The Network:
If you are pre-installing StyleTap Platform on your devices,
or if your customers have access to the Internet from their device
(either via ActiveSync while in the cradle or using WiFi etc.),
you can install a PalmOS file containing a valid (unused) coupon code.
When StyleTap Platform starts up, it looks for the file and if it finds the coupon code
and can find the StyleTap License Service over the Internet,
it will automatically register the device.
This is the easiest and fastest way to register multiple devices – no transcribing long keys, and no typing required. - On Your Website: You can have your website obtain the Product Key from the customer, and send it and a coupon code directly to the StyleTap License Service in exchange for a registration key. StyleTap will provide a sample HTML code segment for embedding a form into your website.
- At Our Website: You can simply give your customers a coupon code along with instructions for redeeming the coupon at the StyleTap website (see the Redeem Coupon page).
- Via Email: Lastly, you can give your customers a coupon code and instructions for formatting an email to be sent to the StyleTap website. The email is automatically searched for a valid coupon code and product key, and if valid, a registration email is immediately returned.
Bundling
One of the quickest ways to make it easier for your customers to try out your application on non-PalmOS devices is to bundle your application so that it gets installed at the same time as the trial version of StyleTap Platform is installed. This eliminates multiple steps for your customer, and ensures that your application is properly installed before the customer tries it on their device.
Currently, the bundling process requires that you be familiar with the Microsoft CabWiz tools for building .CAB files for installing software to Windows Mobile devices. Ultimately, StyleTap will provide a web-based tool that will allow you to upload your application files and have StyleTap build the appropriate .CAB file that you can use to distribute your application along with a trial version of StyleTap Platform.
Bundling does not require that you also resell StyleTap Platform, but it can be a convenient way to install the required coupon file at the same time as your application is being installed.
OEMing StyleTap Platform
The most seamless experience for your customer is to bundle an OEM version of StyleTap Platform with a version of your application that has been "signed" using a StyleTap-provided certificate that is unique to your application. The OEM installation options allow you to "hide" StyleTap Platform from your customers – they effectively see your PalmOS application as if it were a native Windows Mobile application.
The other big advantage to the OEM approach is that because StyleTap Platform will only run your signed application(s), there is no requirement for a registration key that is specific to each device.
While this eliminates a significant obstacle to reselling or deploying your application to large numbers of users, it requires a trust relationship between your organization and StyleTap, supported by the appropriate legal and audit agreements. Because this process requires significant time and cost on our part, all OEM agreements require up-front, one-time fees (think upwards of US$2,500 to US$10,000 depending on the size and complexity), the negotiation of minimum yearly revenue guarantees, and the maintenance of ongoing pre-paid support hours. StyleTap reserves the unequivocal right to determine whether or not we will enter into an OEM agreement with you.
An OEM deal is not about getting cheap copies of StyleTap Platform! It is an alternate way that we offer you significant additional value by making it easier for you and your customers, and you can expect to pay for that value. If you're just looking for a handful of cheap licenses, don't waste your time or ours trying to get us to do an OEM deal with you.
Our corporate licensing program offers
- enhanced product features – support for barcode scanners, printing, …
- product management features – bulk product registration, registration key management, automatic product registration, self-serve key replacement, …
- access to the StyleTap OEM Kit, which enables you to bundle your application and installer seamlessly with StyleTap Platform
- flexible licensing terms – product leasing, bundled support, …
- enhanced technical support – priority assignment, telephone support, …
- service level agreements guaranteeing support response times
If you would like more information about our licensing programs, please use our contact form and choose "OEM sales" as the category.
