Customer Type Definitions

Audio / Video User
A customer who requires product pre-configured to meet the demands of the high-end audio/video market.

Corporate End User
A customer involved in providing storage solutions for their company. They may be IT professionals, systems analysts, accountants, or even administrative specialists. Examples of a corporate end user could be a salesperson looking for a replacement drive for a laptop or a bookkeeper needing to add a SCSI drive to the department server.

Direct Account
Customers who deal directly with Seagate, as opposed to customers who buy Seagate products through distribution. Direct Accounts are provided with Presales support, but should refer to their Seagate Account Manager.

Distributor
Companies that sell to VARs and Retailers in a two-tier model. In most cases, Seagate sells to a distributor, who then resells to resellers. There are approximately 15 U.S. distributors who are authorized to sell Seagate products to resellers. Distributors may call Presales for a variety of reasons, but they also have a Seagate P.O.S. contact that services their account.

Educational
This type of customer represents an educational institution. Again, there can be a wide range of customers that fall under this category from professors to librarians to computer science lab technicians.

Government
Customers who are employed by or work for a governmental agency. This is another category that encompasses many different types of customers.

Home Office/End User
These are customers who are looking for information about products for their personal use or in a home office. Typically, they are buying drives one at a time and are referred to retail companies for purchases.

Medical
This type of customer represents a medical institution, a doctor’s office or a hospital. The drive applications in the medical industry for Seagate products vary widely.

Military
This type of customer represents a branch of the military and uses Seagate products in a wide variety of drive applications.

OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer
Anyone that builds any type of computer system or computer component system (like a video editing device) that incorporates a disc drive into it and is privately labeled by the OEM. For example, computer manufacturers that build full computer systems and integrators that build video editing machines are OEMs because both devices have drives in them. Like all Seagate customers, they are given quality Presales support, but also should be referred to their direct account contact.

Reseller
Anyone who is licensed to buy products from a distributor, then resell the product to a wide variety of customers.

Retailer
Usually described as any reseller that has a storefront and sells drives as an upgrade item. Products are usually consumer focused and packaged in a fancy box, complete with the drive, mounting hardware, cables and installation software.

Seagate Employee
An employee of Seagate Technology Inc. or one of its subsidiaries. These customers may be looking for Presales support prior to making a personal purchase, or they may be seeking information about our products for professional reasons.

System Integrator
A consultant or employee responsible for building computer systems and providing related advice to meet the specific needs of their customers. This type of customer usually has more systems knowledge than a typical reseller. Most System Integrators will identify themselves and oftentimes will refer to the system they are putting together for their client.

VAR - Value Added Reseller
A Value Added Reseller is generally anybody with a reseller tax I.D. that sells computer products, systems, drives, memory, or tape backups. The "Value Added" part of their name denotes that they are capable of doing more than just putting product in the hands of their customers. VARs provide solutions to a wide variety of customer needs and may or may not have the technical expertise of a System Integrator. VARs can range from large businesses to one person shops.

Other
A customer who cannot be categorized in any of the available options