Sumptuous software
Now consumers can buy security software with their pancetta and porcini mushrooms as Mark and Spencer has partnered with white-label software company Formjet to provide own-brand software online and in some of its stores.
Marks and Sparks joins Tesco and Woolworths in rebranding Formjet software as its own. It’s initially providing five titles: M&S Internet Security with Back-Up Software; M&S Office Suite and Internet Security with Back-Up Software; M&S Office Suite with Antivirus Software; Greetings Card Maker and Clipart Collection Software; and Driving Test Software.
While the products seem to have been deliberately designed to differ from the Tesco ones, it still looks like there is a not entirely surprising price premium to be paid at M&S. For example the M&S Internet Security with Back-Up Software costs £49.50 while Tesco Internet Security, which appears to lack only the back-up component of the M&S product, costs £19.97. It will be up to consumers, or at least that presumably minute sub-set that shops at both M&S and Tesco, to decide whether the extra £29.53 is worth it.
One thing that might entice them would be an M&S TV ad extolling the virtues of the software as it currently does its food. Maybe we can look forward to: “Sumptuous, hand-reared, Cornish anti-virus software smothered in organic Madagascan firewall.”
