CAD news veteran Roopinder Tara revamps an old site to challenge the status quo in CAD product sales.

By Kathleen Maher
Editor-in-Chief

Roopinder Tara is a man who instinctively understands the web. His site TenLinks is primarily an aggregator of information for CAD information. Now the site has taken the next logical step and has added CADdepot.com, a CAD store that sells products from over 40 vendors. The company promises discounts up to 40%.

CADdepot was originally a site for CAD utilities and the content was primarily shareware. It was acquired by TenLinks way back in 2000. Last spring the company announced its intention to build a store. Tara says, “We have always been about CAD, CAM and CAE and providing a safe place to shop—with great prices—seems like a natural extension of what we have done so far.”

The first companies selling products on CADdepot are Alibre, AnyDWG, ArchMedia, ARSVIC Engineering, BRICSYS, CADSYM, Etecad Ltd., EZ-Plant Software, GlobalCAD, JTB World, Softdraft, and SYCODE. The majority of products available are CAD utilities as well as books and training materials.

With CADdepot, TenLinks is taking a specialist approach compared to sites like Novedge, which also sell software online. In addition, TenLinks is challenging the established network of CAD vendors, many of whom are also consultants and service providers. TenLinks also providers directories to CAD services providers and jobs. In another words, the company is looking ahead to a time when customers will be able to buy products and hire professionals from online networks rather than relying on a single source like a VAR. Crazy talk, no?