I think you miss my point. It isn't retuning the lines to different configurations that I want to see, but to different models. I want to be able to see, in this order, 300 iMacs, 240 Powerbooks, 722 Towers coming off of the same line in the same day.
Even if the configurations are standard, inventory is too expesnive. Dell doesn't spend the money on the parts until it has the money from the customer, and then it buys the parts and builds that customer's comptuer. I hear that boxcars of parts sit outside the Dell factory at the suppliers expense and Dell only Buys them as it needs them. After it has the customer's money.
So, I think increased customization is good, but eliminating inventory is even better. They are clearly on this road, but I'm holding off until they reach 1 day of inventory. (And right now Apple has that, but the channel is "stuffed" (not the same as stuffing the channel, just the channel partners like to have inventory.) The Apple Store is a key to this goal, as well.
Dragonfly |
