When Software Exchange (Singapore) Pte Ltd was founded in June 1999, it was the first-of-its-kind business set up in Singapore to make the ownership of genuine software more affordable, through the "recycling" of used and legally transferable software.

Besides using the second-hand software as it is, our customers are also able to utilize the used software either as prerequisites or as trade-in products to obtain massive discounts on the new software they wish to get. This is akin to the incentive you receive when you trade in your old printer for new.

With this business format, we have been helping both local and regional companies trim their software investment. They are either able to stretch their I.T. budget further or channel the savings to other purposes. As for I.T. consultants and resellers, buying software at a much-reduced price also means they are able to provide more competitively-priced products and services.

This method of doing business (MDB) was so different, it was showcased in the text book, Business Strategy in Asia, the Case Book (Second Edition), Heracleous et al, 2003, where we were extremely honoured to be studied with the likes of Singapore Telecom, The Singapore Airlines Group, Sony Corporation, NatSteel, and Thakral Corporation in China.

Our commitment in promoting the use of licensed software products, and our strength and focus on software licensing, have also helped us picked up new product lines, plus a few awards along the way. Today, Software Exchange is a Gold Partner of Adobe®, Microsoft® and Symantec®, and a Managed Partner of Autodesk® - perhaps the only software vendor in town to attain all 4 recognitions above.

This same commitment also saw the birth of the Software Giveaway Programme, a community project we run every year, during which tens of thousand dollar worth of software products are given to needy students, free-of-charge. To find out more about this programme, or to pledge for a software donation, please click here.

In order to ensure that our customers feel absolutely secured acquiring products from us, we have created the Software Exchange Customer Care Program, a first in the software industry here. With this program, we aim to make your shopping experience with us - a memorable one (find out more here).

And on the note of being the first, Software Exchange in December 2004, became the first in the world to offer our customers a comprehensive software buy-back scheme. Aptly called the Guaranteed Buy-Back Programme, it was created with the objective to help lower the total cost of ownership (TCO). Read more here.

In September 2005, the IT solutions division – Agile iSolutions - was set up, with a mandate to deliver IT systems that address key strategic areas SMBs must strengthen for sustainability and growth. Solutions currently offered are system integration and networking, accounting, contact management or CRM, data security, backup and recovery, and IT outsourcing and support.

alia kicked off in December 2007. It targets the consumer segment by offering branded digital lifestyle and software products to employees of large organisations.

Moving forward, the next few years would be exciting ones for Software Exchange. Besides getting new appointments and certifications from more vendors, we would also be adding solutions into our portfolio.

We have also diversified into more geographical markets (currently: Malaysia and Vietnam), and will continue to do so.

With our newly revamped web store, created to better serve our customers - end-user and reseller alike, and home to one of the largest online business software catalogue, we yearn to continue providing you with a "Peace of Mind, Every Time".