To: DellFan who wrote (137071 ) 7/20/1999 9:36:00 AM From: Mohan Marette Read Replies (1) | Respond to
Now Dell has found a way to make money off its competitors' computers, too.Users can sell their old products made by any manufacturer for a $2 service charge Dell Computer Corp. already is the world's most profitable computer company. Now Dell has found a way to make money off its competitors' computers, too. dellauctions.com had several hundred thousand hits in its first eight hours and more than 1,000 items up for sale, the company said. On the auction site, Dell is allowing, even encouraging, users to hawk used wares ranging from computers to Palm Pilots to keyboards. "We're positioning ourselves as the first major computer company to offer auction services," said Robert Langer, director of dell.com. "It gives our customers another outlet to dispose of older machinery and take advantage of purchasing new products from Dell." Forrester Research Inc. estimates consumer auctions will grow from a sales volume of $1.4 billion in 1998 to $19 billion in 2003. And the makeup of auction sites will shift from predominantly person-to-person to business-to-consumer auctions. A peek at the site Monday revealed that of the computers that aren't being sold by Dell, many were being unloaded by no-name computer vendors using the site to sell their own surplus computers. Langer said Monday the site exceeded expectations with minimal advertising and promotion from the company. austin360.com
