Product & cart management
Global Reach!
How Steinberg has multiplied its
Turnover by 5 across the world.
How Steinberg has multiplied its
Turnover by 5 across the world.
Steinberg Media Technologies is part of the Yamaha Group and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of audio and music software.
199
Countries
60
products
550%
more turnover
12 languages
customer support
About Steinberg
The Hamburg-based company has been developing, producing and selling innovative software and hardware products for musicians and producers in the fields of music, film and multimedia since 1984. Steinberg products are used by Grammy and Oscar-winning composers, sound engineers and producers, including Hans Zimmer, Oscar winner and probably one of the world’s best-known film music producers.
Context & Challenges
Steinberg has been working with asknet | Nexway since 2007.
The goal was clear at the time, Steinberg wanted to:
- Grow internationally
- Concentrate on its core tasks
This was solved through cooperation with asknet | Nexway. Due to the complete outsourcing of payment and logistics, all orders and downloads are now processed via the asknet | Nexway e-commerce platform connected to the Steinberg website. asknet | Nexway has also taken over international fulfillment and is now responsible for the worldwide delivery of digital and physical Steinberg products in important markets such as Europe and the USA.
OBJECTIVES
- Growth through international markets
- Outsourcing of logistics and payment including tax and customs requirements
- Performance guarantee for extreme demand peaks
We delivered Steinberg
Launch of a high-performance online shop
Implementation of a multi-stage global strategy
Establishment of international distribution structures
Results & Key Benefits
Transformation to Software Download
In 12 years working together, technical progress has changed framework conditions and purchasing behavior considerably with far-reaching consequences for the sales strategy: « In 2007, we sold at least 90 percent of our software products physically as boxed versions, » recalls Daniel Röper, Director of Digital at Steinberg.
Only in the course of the years has this relationship shifted radically in the direction of download.
« Today it’s almost the other way around. However, this switch also posed a number of challenges – especially for asknet | Nexway’s e-commerce solution: « Immense traffic peaks had to be overcome immediately after the launch of new software releases. This was no problem for asknet | Nexway and they simply delivered, » confirms Daniel Röper.
“
Today, our online shop is by far the most important sales channel for our software products.
Today, our online shop is by far the most important sales channel for our software products.
The Steinberg Online Shop is now THE central point of contact worldwide for customers who wish to purchase products from the music software manufacturer – whether physical or digital.
- Customers from 199 countries can now purchase the software via download, in 147 countries also a selection of physical products.
« Theoretically, there is no country in the world to which we cannot deliver, » explains Daniel Röper, adding: « In practice, our ability to deliver is limited only by the inadequate Internet connection in some regions, because if the download of Cubase, for example, takes several days, this is no longer an acceptable user experience for our customers. »
Milestone: distribution to the USA
When they first partnered, European countries were the main priority, but in 2010 the Steinberg Online Shop was also launched on the American market. « Since asknet | Nexway had its own distribution network for physical sales in the USA, it was very easy for us operationally to take this step. »
“
We started as a small niche manufacturer in the mid-1980s and today we are a global company.
We started as a small niche manufacturer in the mid-1980s and today we are a global company.
For companies, international distribution is often a big challenge, not only logistically.
- Legal particularities
- Tax regulations
- Customs requirements
Different elements that are constantly changing and must always be monitored. « We can rely 100 percent on asknet | Nexway for these questions, » confirms Daniel Röper. Steinberg was also able to transfer typical internationalization hurdles to asknet | Nexway, such as:
- Management of payment defaults
- Support for online shop customers, which is now handled by asknet | Nexway in 11 languages.
« An international roll-out involves very complex and at the same time existential issues. We are very happy that we were able to hand many of them over to asknet | Nexway’s experts. » Today, the USA is one of Steinberg’s most important sales markets alongside Western Europe and Japan.
Next Steps
Future plan eCommerce integration
Over the course of time, Steinberg and asknet | Nexway have achieved many milestones in their collaboration – from the first paid download of Cubase software in 2014 to the introduction of merchandising products in 2018.
2018 also saw the connection of the shop to a PIM system, which can be used to automatically synchronize product data and make shop maintenance much easier. « We still maintain a very close working relationship with asknet | Nexway today, » confirms Daniel Röper.
At the top of the project list are:
- Deeper integration of eCommerce functionality so that customers can place orders directly from the various contact points.
- Optimization measures or extensions with regard to check-out, conversion or processes are also carried out on an ongoing basis.
“
Our checkout is not only available in 22 languages; customers can also pay in 15 different currencies.
Our checkout is not only available in 22 languages; customers can also pay in 15 different currencies.
Over the course of time, Steinberg and asknet | Nexway have achieved many milestones in their collaboration – from the first paid download of Cubase software in 2014 to the introduction of merchandising products in 2018.
Today, Steinberg has listed around 60 products in its shop. Version changes for software products usually take place on an annual basis. Add-on products such as pre-sets for virtual instruments come onto the market every few months. Customers who visit the shop have an extremely high purchase intention. Fable conversion rates in the double-digit range are therefore not uncommon. And the success figures speak for themselves: since 2007, asknet | Nexway has carried out almost one million successful transactions for Steinberg.
12 years of cooperation speak volumes
Together, Steinberg and asknet | Nexway have set themselves very high goals and together they have been achieved through a perfect division of labor. « Our cooperation is characterized by a very close relationship of trust, » reports Daniel Röper. And he’s sure it’ll go on. After all, continuously growing international sales is just as important today as it was when they first partnered, and there are still large international markets like China to develop.
Why Choose
asknet | Nexway?
About Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
Steinberg is known the world over for its music and audio software and hardware solutions. The company has been developing, manufacturing and selling innovative products for musicians and producers in the music, film, post-production and multimedia industries since 1984. Steinberg products are used by Grammy and Oscar award-winning composers, engineers and producers. The company also offers business customers license management and copy-protection systems.
Visit www.steinberg.net for further details.
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