Big Retailers Timid About Selling Linux Boxen

RollWaves75 writes "Jay Lyman reports in IT Manager's Journal that major Linux retailers like Wal-Mart, CompUSA, Fry's and Best Buy are being timid and waiting to see how a small, Midwest-based chain called Micro Center fares in selling Linux software. Turns out that Micro Center not only is out-selling Wal-Mart in Linux systems, it is taking the bold step to have Linux-knowledgeable clerks and trained sales support for customers like you and me." From the article: "[Kevin Carmony] described three levels of mainstream retail Linux: Wal-Mart, which provides no sales support, only offering its Linux machines online; Fry's, where Linux is viewed as a loss leader on the ultra low end; and Micro Center, which is only carrying Linspire Linux at this point, but is behind Linspire's in-store training for reps, Micro Center Marketing Communications Manager Ed Lukens told ITMJ in an email. He said the chain, which is selling boxed and pre-installed Linspire 5.0 desktops and notebooks, will promote the Linux systems with offers through its direct mail pieces."

Comments

Windows

[dawnread]

or even life-knowledgeable clerks would be a start!

Wal-mart has been selling Linux boxes for years though, so why is this news?

Re:Windows

[advocate_one]

yes, Walmart's Linux section is in the cupboard down in the basement behind the door marked "beware of the Tiger".

They hide it well... so no wonder sales are low... the cheapest one on the front page of their computers section has XP Home Edition on it...

the boxes with Linux are to be found as a sub page of the "Specialised PCs" page.

As they also have bare boxes available in the specialised section, I'd get one of them... as I wouldn't want to waste the extra $40 for the Xandros version or the extra $50 for the Linspire version... the only advantage getting Xandros or Linspire gives you is legitimate multimedia plugins for playing DVDs and windows media.

Re:Excellent news

[Erbo]

The Micro Center in Denver, on Quincy just north of the Tech Center, is probably the best computer store in the metro area. Whenever I need some piece of hardware, that's generally the first place I look.

I'll have to take a peek at those Linspire notebooks...though, if I got one, I'd probably rather install Debian on it.

Test Market

[0kComputer]

I live in Columbus, Ohio and it is essentially used as a test market for a lot of different products. Many times when companies want to test out new products, well see it here first. New Soda's, resturaunts, fast foods, etc... I think it has to do with the demographic running parellel with the rest of the country. Anyways, theres a micro center here, and its pretty good. The staff is usually pretty intelliget. Most employees are typically comp sci students or generally tech smart people wanting to get into the industry. Sounds like a good idea, if it can succeed in Columbus, its got a pretty good shot nationally.

Re:Test Market

[ogre57]

Actually there are two in the area; the 'monster' one on Bethel, and a smaller one in Westerville.

Re:Micro Center

[RocketScientist]

Agreed.

Microcenter also has about the best return policy in the business. On most things they don't charge a restock fee. If you give them enough personal info (address + phone) they can re-create your reciept if you lose it. They have good prices on parts. They always have the cable I'm looking for, usually in the length I need, including weirdo SCSI and fibre cables.

Their Apple people generally have more product knowledge than the Apple employees at CompUSA, and just slightly less than the ones at the Apple store.

No commercial interest in them, just want to give a good company a little rep bonus.

Re:Linux-Knowledgeable Clerks?

[Anonymous Monkey]

PC Club, Goleta CA. Also, they offer good prices, and are near my work and home. Oh, and they offer Linux as a preloaded option.

Re:Dang. Still no notebooks with Linux....

[Trelane]

Maybe if you say so, but how about a noteobok sans OS then?

The main reason I want Linux pre-installed (regardless of distro) is that I want to know that the hardware will work with Linux (and I don't want to have to pay the Microsoft Tax.

maybe they'll just require costumers who hose their system to backup any personal files and they'll just reimage it back as it was sold.

That'd be essentially what it's like with Windows now. And yes, I'd be happy with that.