Dell gives retail another shot

With all the hubbub around Apple's new Fifth Avenue store, Dell has decided to jump into those dangerous waters once again. Their brief foray into Sears stores in 2003 didn't last long, and they currently have 161 mall kiosks across the country, but this time Dell is doing it Apple style and opening two 3000 square foot stores. The stores are showing up in the NorthPark Center in Dallas and the Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY -- both Apple locations -- but they won't have inventory. Dell is going to stick with their direct model by offering online orders from their store, and will just use the retail store to showcase their products in action. They're still working out the details such as a Genius Bar equivalent, but we're standing by to see a few thousand Dell fanboys line up for free t-shirts and rabid fandom.

[Via AppleInsider]

[matthew m. barnes @ May 22nd 2006 8:26PM]

there's such thing as "dell fanboys?" that's funny!

[JkEw @ May 22nd 2006 8:30PM]

Personally, if I go into a store and see something I want to buy I want to walk out with the product.

JkEw

[kibets @ May 22nd 2006 8:32PM]

I don't see why they need this. Dell is the worlds #1 producer of PC's. People buy them without ever even seeing what they look like.

Apple needs to have stores to overcome the fact they sell overpriced garbage.

[darthmoridin @ May 22nd 2006 8:38PM]

No inventory, eh? Mike needs to call Gateway. I'm sure they can tell him how well that concept went over. To my mind you ought to either have inventory or why have a brick & mortar?

I don't know if Dell shareholders are asking for a store, but if they are, these versions won't do anything to answer that.

[Sam @ May 22nd 2006 8:38PM]

"overpriced garbage" AMEN, well if you consider overpriced garbage to be beautifully designed, top quiality, high end machines. Don't post jealous comments like that, we know you really have never used an Apple seriously before meanwhile your ugly, unreliable Dell box sits on your table, 3 times larger then my Apple and made out of plastic from the 1970s. Well at least you only paid $399 for that huh? I've had 3 Dells, 2 arrived broken, one broke after a year, Apples saved my business. You get what you pay for. Period.

[Joe @ May 22nd 2006 8:39PM]

They should open the store at the garbage dump as to eliminate the middle man.

[psy @ May 22nd 2006 8:40PM]

Wait? There are actually dell fanboys?
LOL.

[DS @ May 22nd 2006 8:41PM]

Actually Dell is doing the right thing by emulating Apple Retail. They still have a *LONG* way to go before they are anywhere near Apple design wise. But this is a good start. The next step is putting some well build well designed products in their stores.....

DS

[Ben Freedman @ May 22nd 2006 8:42PM]

They should have 3 doors on the front that say 'Home' 'Small Business' and 'Enterprise' that all go to the same place and sell basically the stuff for different prices...

[Torien @ May 22nd 2006 8:42PM]

Perhaps this is an attempt at a new market. Many people wont buy until they have been able to engage with the product. In addition, if I walk into the Dell store with Cash I can give it to the people there, they can guide me through the order processand then can assure me it will arrive at my door. I feel like business has been done etc etc etc. Its a grab perhaps at the older market?

I dont see the need personally, but then again I am a hardcore, engadget- and slashdot-reading, fire breathing, trogdor imitating nerd who forges his own computer parts from molten silicon and gold

[ronnie @ May 22nd 2006 8:44PM]

I wonder how many people they will fly in from India to work there.

[Austin @ May 22nd 2006 8:44PM]

Buy cheap, Buy twice

Buy ugly rubbish, think ugly rubbish

Open a store with no merch., confirms the second-rate image I'm afraid.

Ugh it's all so tacky

[bc @ May 22nd 2006 8:45PM]

#8 ben lol!

[Joe @ May 22nd 2006 8:48PM]

This will be amusing.

People can go to the Apple Store and see the original, then walk to the Dell Store to see the copy. When asking where the iPod copy Dell DJ is located, the staff will say the iPod killed it, and then they'll walk back to the Apple Store.

[Ben @ May 22nd 2006 8:49PM]

Umm, how will they actually sell computers? Will they merely show people how to order them?

I don't get it. Dell needs to actually come up with something new and stop emulating everybody else.

[Mike B @ May 22nd 2006 8:50PM]

It'd be cool to stop in there if they had a quad SLI XPS hooked up to one of their 30" LCDs with a bunch of games installed.

[Derrick @ May 22nd 2006 8:50PM]

Dell is frantically trying to do anything it can to meet Wall Street's expected growth numbers ... HP and Lenovo are catching up and taking away Dell's market share ... this is just another tactic to reverse the slowing growth ... aside from continuously buying back stock to artificially boost their EPS numbers each quarter.

This has nothing to do with Apple ... although the impact of Boot Camp is not yet known.

[matt @ May 22nd 2006 8:52PM]

#2 - if you're going to try and write flaimbait, you should give it more effort than that.

I think they'd have a bit more success if they had stock in place - there are lots of people who would much rather walk away with their new toy so they can play with it as soon as they get home - it's not a lot of fun dropping $$ on a new computer in a store, and then having to wait a few days before you can use it.

In any event, seeing those pics gave me the strangest feeling of deja-vu - can't figure out why though... : )

[threefingeredlord @ May 22nd 2006 8:53PM]

HAHAHAHA Sam, your funny. Over-priced garbage IS RIGHT. I have to endure apple computers in almost every class in school. If they had bought dells, we would be able to afford PROPER school trips and people would understand what the fuck they were doing on the computers. I love it how they teach us in IT on the brand new mac mini's, then when people go for a job that actually involves IT all the employers use windows. And they use windows for a reason. APPLE PRODUCTS ARE OVERPRISED GARBAGE.

[ron g @ May 22nd 2006 8:56PM]

oh, oh... me too, me too!

I can't believe how similar this concept is. Is that mock up for real or did someone purposely make it that way as a commentary to Dell's copying of concepts.

[Vince @ May 22nd 2006 8:58PM]

What they need to do which might have a lot of overhead, but efficient:

1. You go into the mall to Dell first.
2. Tell them what you want in a computer.
3. Agree on price and features.
5. Pay
6. Walk around mall and shop while the make the computer in the back like Santa's workshop.
7. Come back after shopping and pick the ish up.

[Vince @ May 22nd 2006 9:05PM]

^^ o yeah to add, 4 is missing for a reason. Contemplate on which credit card you are going to use or stacks in pocket.

[Joe @ May 22nd 2006 9:06PM]

But, what kind of computers will they use in the Dell Store to take the orders?
Probably Lenovo... (to keep the costs down)

[Gregory Cohen @ May 22nd 2006 9:10PM]

You know, my town had one of these stores back the first time. I went in to get a computer, I needed a server replacement. They had nothing, so I left, went to best buy and bought a machine that was a fine stop-gap.

They did not even have cables there. Who would ever wait on the delivery of a cable.

[Bob @ May 22nd 2006 9:11PM]

WHAT'S THE POINT??

Gee. I think I'll give this Dell a run through. Hmmm. Well, it looks like my old PC, acts like my old PC, and has the EXACT same OS as my last PC. Now why did I come down here when I could have just phoned it in?

[Calamier @ May 22nd 2006 9:17PM]

Quote : 2. I don't see why they need this. Dell is the worlds #1 producer of PC's. People buy them without ever even seeing what they look like.

Apple needs to have stores to overcome the fact they sell overpriced garbage.



Screw that. Dell is obviously freaked out and for a good reason. Apple owns dell, it has always been that way and always will be, it simply took this long for the world to realize it. Bow down to the new generation kiddie.

[Coreu P. @ May 22nd 2006 9:21PM]

Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY.

This mall is one minute from my house. I never see anyone at the kiosk they have set up currently at that same mall. Im thinking it will go under in 6 months.

[Timmymouse @ May 22nd 2006 9:22PM]

You know the only reason they have those kiosk is so they can chage tax on their website.

[RVL @ May 22nd 2006 9:23PM]

The fact is when someone goes to buy something online, they already have what they want in mind. This is the same case when many people walk into a retail store (i've worked in 2).

The difference lies in the salesman. Being one myself I have helped many people purchase computers for their businesses, home use, college, etc. When someone comes in to buy product x knowing exactly what it does, I do my job and show them product y, which is the same as product x but more stylish, faster, higher quality, etc.

I have sold many folks the $2500 30 inch apple cinema display instead of a crappy PC monitor just becuase they like what they see.

If dell follows this model, people will buy less $399 POSs and buy a PC that actually fits their needs. This will help dell in the end. This will be especially helpful if they pay employees on a commission based system. Smart move.

[David @ May 22nd 2006 9:45PM]

Let's see . . . Gateway Country went under because the "experience" wasn't enough to keep it afloat. Dell is planning on making a showcase for Dell products? Nice try, even if they integrate Alienware, there isn't a big market for this. I agree with 24, the Palisades Mall in West Nyack doesn't need a Dell store. It is one of the largest, ugliest, concrete themed malls that already has an Apple store, CompUSA, Best Buy, Circuit City, Staples, and BJ's Warehouse store and you can't find parking to boot because the thousands of employees working there park in all the customer accessible spaces. Dell should concentrate on the business purchaser and forget about the consumer in a retail setting.

[viks @ May 22nd 2006 9:54PM]

Never saw one of those 161 kiosks?? ...Touching a DELL computer and then buying it online is good stuff.

[Pete @ May 22nd 2006 9:58PM]

I think we have seen this stunt by another company. *caugh*sony taking nintendos idead*caugh*

[ChillyWilly @ May 22nd 2006 10:04PM]

Maybe someone at Dell needs to talk to Gateway and find out why their stores closed up shop.

At least Gateway had some computers on site to sell. The whole point of having a retail store is to sell product that people can take home NOW.

If they are chasing Apple, then they really need to look at more than just the store. It's the whole product concept.

And whoever that person above that said Apple products are "overpriced garbage" must have never used a Mac. As both a Windows and Mac user, I'm very happy to leave Windows behind and get work done sans spyware and registry entries.

[andrew harrison @ May 22nd 2006 10:04PM]

"Apple needs to have stores to overcome the fact they sell overpriced garbage."

haha, keep saying it.

the mid range macbooks are all of AUD$60 more than the Dell equivalent. I know which one i'd pick.

[Big Ed @ May 22nd 2006 10:33PM]

@#2 Thanks for your obligatory hater comment. That was pretty funny coming from someone who has never even used an Apple computer for more than 30 minutes. Mabye your just to distracted rebooting your computer has a virus or a bug. And yes, I have been using Windows XP and a PC for nearly half a year.

Anyways, It's nice to see Dell reaching out to further their communist like hold over the PC market. Like Michael Dell needs more money. I have nothing wrong with PCs, it's just that I am tired of Apple haters typing out nonsense on every other comment on articles like this.

I think Apple prices their computers too highly, Macbooks and Macbook pros have serious heating problems, and I think the Ipod is to expensive also. I love my Mac because it's elegant, easy to use, and is very dependable.

So please don't label me as an Apple fanboy, because like all of you, I have a electronic product of my own that I am obliged to defend.

[Neb @ May 22nd 2006 10:34PM]

Most of you don't get it. Apple's stores exist because their brand potential has been growing immensly over the past few years...largely due to the iPod's success, but also due to some fantastic designs; remember the Time magazine front page spread about the round bottom iMac?? When was the last time you saw a Dell machine headlined on a major news mag?

Dell hasn't had a decent brand campaign ever since that 'Dude, you're getting a dell.' dude got into trouble and Dell canned his contract.

They manufacture en mass primarily for businesses, who buy most of today's computers anyway. Dell is mostly involved in securing the largest net profit; Apple is building a 'brand'.....again. Today's youth are VERY style, design, brand, coolness, centered. Once you establish those characteristics in their minds, they'll be Apple fans for a long time to come.

I support computers as a living. I have a Mac at home, and plenty of Dells at work. I put an Apple logo sticker(came with my Mac Mini) on my door at work. Numerous people have come asking about what Mac they should buy, not once has anyone asked about any other type of PC. Why? Because they lack style, design esthetics, coolness...they're just plain boring, they look ugly, and most importantly, they run Windows.

[John Hinds @ May 22nd 2006 10:40PM]

I've always wondered how people who had no computer were ment to buy a computer from Dell.

Sure you can phone in your order but you have no idea what you want to buy from looking at adverts in the papers or on flyers.

Do they just end up buying the cheap stripped down machines Dell shows in the adverts?

[pixelator @ May 22nd 2006 10:54PM]

"if you consider overpriced garbage to be beautifully designed, top quiality, high end machines."

You've got to be kidding. All white? Check. Glowing Apple logo? Check. Real important qualities to those who buy a computer based on looks. Inside? I'm not terribly impressed. My girlfriend's new $1260 Dell Core Duo T2500 17" E1705 blows the doors off the $2500 MacBook Pro. My XPS walks all over the highest end Apple DESKTOP. Top quality my ass... Apple products crash, fail and are even more likely to look like you took a Brillo pad to them after a few weeks or leave a burn mark on your leg.

"Don't post jealous comments like that, we know you really have never used an Apple"

Spoken like a typical elitist Apple snob who cares more about the image of his chosen computer than what kind of value, features and performance it delivers. You want people to think you're smarter based on what computer you have. God, that's pathetic.

"your ugly, unreliable Dell box sits on your table, 3 times larger then my Apple and made out of plastic from the 1970s."

You go, Apple fanboy! We just bought two Dells and they're very solid, very well built and look just fine. Seen that delicate finish on iPODs lately? Or the latest Apple battery and heat fiascos?

"Well at least you only paid $399 for that huh? I've had 3 Dells, 2 arrived broken, one broke after a year"

Like the overheating overpriced MacBurnPro is a paragon of quality? Like the latest iPODs aren't laggy, crashprone junk? I own a 60GB.

"Apples saved my business. You get what you pay for. Period."

I call major BS. Either way, if your business was 'saved' by Apples, then it has serious issues.

Go pray to your Steve Jobs shrine somewhere else. People around these parts end to know a little more about Apple 'quality' than the latest 'oh aren't we so witty and trendy in our hate' anti-PC ads that equate choosing a Mac to being a responsible, good looking, young, economy and environment-minded model of human goodness.

Pardon me while I get back to my faster, cheaper, better-specced 70's plastic (with more software).

[Don Wilson @ May 22nd 2006 10:58PM]

NORTHPARK BABY!

[Jason @ May 22nd 2006 11:10PM]

The proof is in the pudding. Apple's retail stores average $4000 of revenue per square foot, vs. $300 for industry average. Let's see how Dell's new retail concept measures up at.

[Mark Fleser @ May 22nd 2006 11:18PM]

They should call their "genius bar": "Dude, my crappy Dell broke again!"

[Texhnolyze @ May 22nd 2006 11:20PM]

looks like the poor man's applestore

[Clay @ May 22nd 2006 11:28PM]

More power to 'em, but I'd rather just go online.

[Jarod @ May 22nd 2006 11:33PM]

More power to the DULL trolls. Maybe one day you can actually get someone to hire you in a real job so you can make a real living and start hangin out with those that have a clue. No, wait a minute, your a DULL boy; a marked idiot for life. Go stand in line now boy...go on...lolllll Dell..what a joke..and oh how creative!

[charlie @ May 22nd 2006 11:51PM]

I dont know. On one side, traditional computer retail is suicide. Ask HP or Gateway, neither of them makes any money selling computers at Best Buy and the like. The main reason is because of the competetiveness of PC hardware. You have to have enough inventory to keep the shelves stocked, but that means that you'll always have leftover when the new models with slightly faster processors and more memory come out. Which means you have to discount the old ones and take a loss. By not having inventory, Dell completely avoids this traditional retail problem.

Apple is an exception because they have tyrannical control over hardware releases and typically will keep new models under wraps (often with threat of lawsuit) until the old models are completely sold out.

If I was dell, I would pull all the kiosks and stores. Yeah, you get some mindshare and maybe can convince some people to buy computers. But I'd think you'd have more of a competetive advantage if you didnt have to charge sales tax in states other than Texas.

[John Doe @ May 22nd 2006 11:55PM]

I wonder if they will import people from India to staff their genius bars? I mean they should at the very least be consistent about not being able to understand a damn thing Dell support is saying. Or will you have an IM terminal right there so you can both IM back and forth?

[Shmoe @ May 22nd 2006 11:57PM]

Dude, you ain't walking out with a Dell at their store. They would be doing better if they hadn't dropped the dude gig.

[John Doe @ May 23rd 2006 12:02AM]

"Apple needs to have stores to overcome the fact they sell overpriced garbage."

And like Dell doesn't. Let me tell you bud as someone who does dell warrantee work if you are going to talk garbage I think the first company you should be pointing at is Dell and their shittastic wares. I should take a photo sometime of a Tuesday's overnight shipment from Dell. 15-20 motherboard in pizza sized boxes. I've replaced so many motherboards on less then 4 month old computers that I could, without exaggeration, do it blindfolded. Dell computer's are for shit pure and simple. I can NOt tell you how many people have told me they will not be going back to dell again. Not because of their hardware. That alone is perplexing. (What am I expected to tell someone who got their computer a week ago and the motherboard and RAM blew and the replacement RAM that Dell send us was defective out of the box?) But because of their piss poor customer support. Dell can burn in hell for all I care. I've see things that would make the average person run in fear if they knew how Dell operates.

[Silver @ May 23rd 2006 12:21AM]

Hey, even iHaters like Kibets need a place to hang out (right now all they can do is skulk around outside the Apple Store and mutter to themselves about "overpriced garbage"). So I say great idea, Dell! Kibets and ThreeFingeredLord and the rest of the Ignorance Posse can lounge around the Dell Store and talk about the latest spyware removal techniques and how all the money they saved by not buying an Apple will pay for their virus protection software updates for the year. Brilliant!

[Texhnolyze @ May 23rd 2006 12:26AM]

Yeah their genius bars would consist of people who call motherboards fatherboards