The roles between industry partners are increasingly blurred. Integrators recall when Scala was acquired by Stratacache, turning a key software partner into a competitor. Now, distributor Exertis is introducing its own CMS solution, raising concerns among software providers.
To ease the concerns of European readers : Exertis’ new CMS offering will initially be available only in North America. There is no confirmation yet on if or when Autora, Exertis’ new digital signage management platform, will launch in Europe.
Details about the Exertis CMS are still limited. However, it is unlikely that Exertis has developed a completely new platform from scratch. A more probable scenario is a white-label version of an existing CMS, especially since the platform supports over a dozen ePOS and hospitality backend solutions. Currently, Exertis Almo—the North American branch of Exertis—distributes digital signage solutions from Creative Realities (CRI) and Wallboard.
Today, most distributors position themselves as VADs – Value-Added Distributors. They sell hardware and software on behalf of suppliers to partners and end customers, adding logistics and services to their offerings. However, the traditional roles in the industry are shifting. Distributors are launching their own brands to complement premium brands, though some fear they may eventually replace them. This mix of cooperation and competition – known as “co-opetition” – has become common in many markets.
The digital signage industry is undergoing significant change. Despite economic uncertainties, demand for screens in public spaces continues to grow, and new large players are entering the market, challenging established norms. One major shift is the rise of managed signage – managed services in digital signage – which could reshape the industry’s traditional business model. In North America, dual partner and direct sales models are already well established. Given this landscape, it is no surprise that a distributor would introduce its own software platform.
