Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Compaq -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SC who wrote (40900)	12/23/1998 9:38:00 AM
From: Lynn	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 97611

Compaq is going to fall flat on its face if it doesn't alter in a BIG way its direct marketing web pages. I know more about computers that the average person, having 'grown up' with computers (Teleray terminals to 8088's to 286...) and was actually a computer consultant when a grad student, but I'm not a PC guts nerd and to buy anything but a standard configuration PC from Compaq one has to be a PC guts nerd. Even then, a person could come up blank when trying to figure out which of certain options to buy. The modems offered is one example. Both modems are Compaq modems, not sold in any computer stores I have been in, so what are the specs? Is either completely DOS compatible [not all are and at DELL, I can see which one is by clicking on the 'need more help?' area above the modem selection line]? It looks to me as if when CPQ decided to 'take on' DELL by going the direct route, they put more effort and money into newspaper and TV advertising than into their web pages where the shoppers are supposed to go. Unless one goes with a standard configuration PC, I do not think it is possible for someone to buy a PC direct from CPQ without first calling CPQ Direct for information or getting the catalog--not very cost effective [it costs for humans to answer questions and the printing/mailing of catalogues]. For someone who wants to buy a PC immediately, like me right now, the extra effort required could easily result in a person saying, "Ah, why bother, Dell makes great PCs, too, I'll just order through them." Shawn, I'm going to try and find out to whom I should write a letter at CPQ. Sending e-mail feedback to the web site is absolutely useless. I seriously question whether your comments made it to the people who would act upon your comments [if after reading them they saw the light and realized you are right]. Your feedback got to the equivalent of a janitor whereas you really should be talking to the supervisor. If Rudedog doesn't read this dialogue, I'm going to ask him for his input. Maybe he knows the name of a person to write to about this. Lynn Note: Here is the URL of my posting late last night when I was shopping for a PC at Dell and CPQ's sites and was dismayed how buyer unfriendly CPQ's site is compared to Dell's. In this posting I included the two pages I was comparing so people can see what I mean: Message 6943004