The software industry is seeing a shift in focus from technology to marketing and merchandising, according to Kevin O’Leary, president of SoftKey International. The rise of consumer software is being fueled by the increasing number of American homes with computers. Major players such as Microsoft and WordPerfect are expanding into the consumer market and adopting marketing strategies from other industries, such as concert tours. Consumer software tends to be cheaper than business software and is sold in a variety of stores, including Kmart and Walmart. However, software companies still face challenges with technical support and financing as they produce more products at lower prices.
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