Longtail Software Distribution

Where Enterprises Find Solutions & Partners Unlock Growth

QBS delivers a global Longtail Software Distribution (LSD) capability as part of our Software Delivery Platform. By combining the breadth of LSD with the depth of Value Added Distribution (VAD), we enable enterprises and resellers to control complexity, reduce risk and expand opportunity across the entire software estate.

What is Longtail Software?

Longtail software refers to the low-volume, high-variety titles enterprises rely on every day – from development and design to security and compliance.

These are often:

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Specialist tools used by small teams

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Emerging vendors not yet covered by traditional distribution

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Hard-to-source products that require manual procurement

Left unmanaged, these purchases slip into shadow IT – bought on credit cards, expensed, or sourced from countless suppliers – creating inefficiency, risk and extra cost. QBS solves this by enabling enterprises to access longtail software through their chosen reseller, bringing control, compliance and visibility back to the centre.

What Longtail Software Distribution Means at QBS

The Longtail Software Distribution (LSD) pillar of the QBS Software Delivery Platform supports enterprises and their resellers by bringing order to the fragmented, unmanaged world of longtail procurement.

We provide:

Access to 12,500+ publishers and thousands of niche, specialist and emerging titles
Consolidated fulfilment through a single, trusted reseller relationship
Automation and integrations to simplify and accelerate procurement
In-house legal expertise to mitigate tax, credit and compliance risk
Omnichannel access via portal, API, chatbot, email and phone
Rationalisation services that transform fragmented spend into strategic control
Global channel reach for vendors, connecting them to enterprise buyers

The Core: Longtail Software Distribution

For Enterprises

Consolidate spend, reduce unmanaged buying and avoid the cost of managing hundreds or even thousands of micro-suppliers

For Resellers

Expand your catalogue without expanding your supplier base, fulfil every software request without operational drag, and bring your customers a solution to one of the biggest pain points nearly every enterprise faces

For Software Vendors

Gain global channel reach and access enterprise buyers through a trusted, scalable route to market without building your own distribution network

We are proud to have collaborated with QBS to address our strategic customer’s procurement hurdles. QBS’s long tail software service has been pivotal in simplifying the customer’s purchasing landscape. By offering a comprehensive range of software solutions through QBS, we have helped our strategic customers navigate their procurement challenges with ease’ – Shelly Hennessy

Account Director at CDW

The Longtail Software Challenge

Overwhelming

A typical enterprise on average has between 600 and 5000 software vendors to manage.

Time Consuming

Long Tail software accounts for 80% of supplier count but less than 20% of spend.

Complex

Managing a wide range of vendors is challenging, risky and cumbersome.

Hidden Costs

On average there is over 600 software vendors needing to be managed. It costs on average £2000 to set up a supplier and £25 to process an order.

Turn Fragmented Spend into Strategic Advantage

Work with us to transform longtail chaos into control and create a scalable advantage for your business.

For organisations that want to go further, QBS offers a structured rationalisation service. This is where our deep expertise comes in, helping you actively reduce complexity and unlock savings.

We work closely with resellers and enterprises to:

Identify and consolidate all longtail spend across teams and budgets
Channel that spend through a single, trusted reseller relationship
Reduce supplier sprawl and manual effort
Enable co-sell growth by helping resellers support their customers’ longtail needs

Work with us to transform longtail chaos into control and create a scalable advantage for your business.

Talk To Us About Rationalisation

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How Our Rationalisation Works

Spend Discovery

Analyse existing across unmanaged suppliers

Rationalisation Plan

Build a tailored roadmap to consolidate spend through your chosen reseller, powered by QBS fulfilment

Execution and Enablement

Deploy playbooks, training and co-sell support to drive adoption

Growth and Optimisation

Expand the rationalised footprint, capturing new demand and scaling longtail success

Why QBS?

Reduce procurement costs by consolidating spend

Eliminate supplier sprawl with a single access point

Accelerate fulfilment through automation and integrations

Improve compliance with centralised governance and reporting

Mitigate risk with in-house legal, tax and credit expertise across EMEA

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Access the Platform, Your Way

Our Software Delivery Platform is omnichannel, so you can interact however suits you best:

Log into our web portal
Send an email
Pick up the phone
Use our AI-powered chatbot
Integrate via API or EDI

Wherever you connect, you get the same consistent, high-quality service.

Powered by People, Process and Technology

Our platform blends:

People – 450+ licensing specialists across 20 countries, backed by an in-house legal team managing tax, credit and compliance risk in longtail procurement
Process – Refined over decades for speed, accuracy and scalability
Technology – Cloud-native, automated and AI-driven with real-time data at its core

Together, they deliver a frictionless longtail experience at scale.