PC Retail

I just don't get it - would we really want to sell the same brand as you can find at Tesco ? Not a chance, we're trying to differentiate ourselves away from the brands proliferating the vegetable isles - not a chance of seeing a Dell in our outlet now. That, taken with its poor image at the moment does not make an interesting proposition. Not sure who they've listened to in the channel - Terry Leahy perhaps?

The detractors are simply jealous - Dell is a world recognised brand and one that the consumers know and trust. If anyone seriously thinks that Joe public will trust 'freds high street computers' over a similar prices Dell they are deluding themselves. Cant the small indies for once grasp an opportunity and just quit whinging. PS I quite like Tesco's veg :-)

Well after all the hype on TV it looks like dell have done a u turn and we can now buy a dell in a shop. I hope the channel sees sense and lets dell flounder in the wilderness.

Buy a pc in Tescos and wait for 6 hours on the technical support line to speak to an incompetent person in another country who cannot even speak clearly. Dell have spent the last 15 years undercutting every reseller in the country and now need the resellers help to keep them from drowning. Don't sign anything without legal advice.

Computers Dont Byte Ammanford, 01269 591810 we build our own PC's and laptops, you can't buy ours in any shop only from us, thats our trade mark and our commitment to our customers, Why would we sell a lesser product, whoever supplies it. When we build it we build it to far higher standards than Dell or any other PC manufacturer and our after sales is second to none.
Sadly my customers experiences of Dell machines and Dell services is far less - they just don't compete, thats why we wont be selling Dell or anyone elses, they just can t match our exceptionally high standards and requirements and we are exceptionally proud of that.

Whether you decide to trade on Dell's apparent shortcomings and sell against them (and against the resellers they sign up), or whether you decide to make use of the millions of $'s they've spent on building brand awareness over the years, their entry into the market is an opportunity for you.

Without having yet seen any details - we have to wait for that until their launch to the channel at the PCA Conference on Tuesday - I think that one way or another this is a sign of the times.

Gateway was another direct seller whose low prices had a massive inpact in the marketplace, and who then pulled out because it could no longer be profitable in the marketplace it had created. Perhaps Dell sees the channel as a means to regain a couple of percent on margin, which would only be possible if they offered differentiated product ranges.

Given our market position I am surprised not to have been contacted by Dell. It surprises me that if they have done their homework that our 1250+ branches (servicing over 500,000 SMBs at a neighbourhood level) and central communication portal would have attracted their interest. The fact that all we have heard is silence and an announcement about Dell working with DSGi makes me think they are not very interested in the Indie channel. As I said yesterday my feeling is that all they will achieve is further dilution of their originally highly successful direct selling model. All they are is another brand joining an already very busy field and the frankly I feel that all we are likely to see form an Indie perspective is a shuffling of the pack. Perhaps I might be proved wrong and as always we are open to persuasion as the largest grouping of Indie computer solution providers in the UK and Ireland.

Complex Systems Direct Ltd - Tewkesbury.
The only opportunity I see is to repair a lot more Dells! We as a small computer company build our own branded PCs which have all come with a Lifetime Parts & Labour Warranty for the past 2 years and a 5 Year Parts & Labour warranty prior to that - thats our committment to quality and service, what's Dells?
Even if the only PCs sold are Dells or HPs it wouldn't affect us too much as the margins on PC sales has been so small due to Dell in the first place, that we would make more money repairing other brands any way. Let the goliaths fight it out on cost and providing poor service meanwhile us indies service a niche market who want something a little better than that!

Obviously Dell is a sinking ship,it has sunk many big ships,but the battle scars are not only showing but are infected.They are screaming out for a first field dressing from the little boats all around it pointing and laughing.
If the ship doesn't sink soon, it wont matter as the crew are rotting alive.The rats will pick over the bones in the channel,time will reveal all.