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Dell To Sell To Retailers
dmarx writes "The Boston Globe reports that Dell, which has heretofore sold only through its website, direct to consumers, will now sell generic computers to dealers. This marks a shift in Dell's business model."
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I've noticed that Dell seems to be shifting away from customizability and towards mass production of more standardized models. Their most "value" -priced desktop model is all but unconfigureable.
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I've seen their machines at Staples, though years ago. But the fact of the matter is that their not selling to any dealers. Only dealers "who serve businesses with 100 employees or fewer." So don't count on seeing an unbranded Dell at the local PC shop anytime soon.
My guess is these white box specials will come without Dell technical support and will sell at a lower price, all the while helping Dell get penetration into small to medium sized businesses. The consultants that service these companies often opt for generic machines so they can make a couple bucks. After all, you can't buy a pricey Dell and mark it up. This move from Dell basically allows the consultants to acquire Dell's at dealer pricing, as long as they provide the technical expertise when typical problems arise. It's less problematic than cobbling together poorly tested combinations of generic parts and there is still a profit to be made. A good move on Dell's part if you ask me.
Will they still use all their freaky proprietary connectors I've seen in some models? That would raise the cost of any retailer trying to support the machine. It's little things like a drive bay just a little too thin in width or a power/everybutton connection to the mobo. That's what got me out of manufactured PC's years ago.
Also, "Steven" and I were in the same class in high school. He's a nice guy, a bit goofy at times, but all in all ok. It's funny working in a world where people crack on him as an icon. I'm as annoyed by his character as the rest of us, maybe a little more. I hate anyone that acts like an idiot constantly. But way to go... If I could fall ass backwards into an ad campaign like that I'd love it. Go Dude Go!
I've found Dell service to range from the great to the appalling; sometimes within the same month.
A couple of years ago, I bought 50 PCs from Dell. 49 worked as expected, one had a dodgy video card (three bluescreened ('98) straight away, but that's a different story). They refused to send out a new one for ages; first of all insisting I perform a bunch of patently unnecessary diagnostics & reinstalls, then stalling me, then losing my details, then, weeks later, sending out a new card.
On another occasion, I rang about a fucked hard disk (under warranty), and they had a guy around the same day with a replacement.
Before you all berate me about my intolerance of helpdesk foibles, let me assure you I'm sympathetic. Having techsupported in the past, I'm fully aware that everyone who rings a helpdesk is a lying bastard. But really: who in their right mind insists on an OS reinstall when the machine's failing in the POST?
One thing I've learned about "brand-name" PCs (even though I know these are "no-name") is that the components are tried and true in terms of their compatibility. Well, I really haven't noticed this for PCs, because that's not my bag, but rather, in servers. For instance, how many times have we pieced together a motherboard, memory, video card, and hard drive (I mean, how simple can it get?) into a case and NOT have it work because of some incompatibility?
Well, all I know is that I cracked open a couple HP LPR1000r (1U rackmount) servers and those motherboards have the ASUS name on it; however, it seems to have been a custom make for HP. Also, the same ole' sym53c1010 chips are sitting on that SCSI controller. But I believe the big difference is the testing -- the damn stuff just works together.
So, because I haven't got my hands on one of these whitebox Dells, I can't say for sure. But I'm pretty much going to guess that what makes this Dell a better no-name than the mom-and-pop no-name is that the components are tested to be reliable, but even more important, compatible.
Yes, you are right about the fact that most people already are dependant of Windows and couldn't care less.
But I'm that is why I convince people to buy a Mac. Really, I have bought one last december and I'm a "switcher". Look, I still have my P-III 800/786Meg (with a nice LCD flatscreen), which is much more powerfull than my iBook G3 600Mhz/384Meg... however, the Mac is just painless. Nice sleek interface, everything I need is there and installing soft wasn't so easy since the DOS days... What to ask more?
Point is: it is Unix. So Unix on the desktop is possible for normal users... they won't know it, but they will get the benefit of it.
People whom I consider intelligent enough will get an easy Linux distrib installed by me. At least, when the next worm-of-the-day comes along I have something to fall back on when they are in deep trouble. I hope they will give it a try instead of wasting 1.5Gig of space I usually reserve for Linux on machines that are not mine. More and more people are getting fed up with Microsoft you know, and not only geeks. (The PC I talked about belongs to a good friend of mine who is in *MARKETING*...now try to get that.)
...seems to me that I always recommend Dell over Gateway to folks (unless they want *me* to build them a custom pc) because even though the boxes are more or less equivalent, and because even though you have to pay shipping on either box, the Dell always comes out a bit cheaper as Dell has no retail stores and hense no sales tax is paid by the purchaser.
Here in Louisiana, the sales tax is almost 10%, which is a pretty hefty chunk of change on a $2000 computer.
I think Dell realizes this, and yet it still wants to be able to go after the same local markets that a Gateway store more or less owns around here. This is a way for them to get at that without taking away the sales tax advantage from their mail order business.
So you are from Chattanooga, TN?
"Da ist ein Technölüst in mein Unterpanten!"