Dell Latin America Launches OnlineStore; First to Offer Latin American Customers Regionwide ComputerSystems For Sale Over the Web
April 28, 1999 11:01 AM
ROUND ROCK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 28, 1999--Dell Computer Corporation(R) DELL , the world's leading direct computer systems company, announced that its Latin American Web site, located at dell.com, is now open for business in Latin America.
Today, in addition to gathering product information and receiving service and support from the site, businesses and home Web shoppers can custom-build a computer system and pay for it over the Web.
"Our Latin American customers now have easy, convenient and secure access to Dell's online store, open 24 hours a day, where they will find extensive configuration choices, competitive prices, and top-notch service and support," said Rosendo G. Parra, senior vice president and general manager, Americas Public and International Group.
"This is an important milestone for Dell given that we are the first to offer an online store that serves countries throughout Latin America, and we expect the number of online purchases in the region to quickly accelerate as more buyers move online and realize that Web shopping is safe, easy and efficient."
According to IDC, a leading provider of information technology data, there were more than 4.8 million Web users in the Latin American region in 1998, and 16 percent of those users are already buying products and services online. The number of Internet users in Mexico alone is expected to grow nearly 80 percent in 1999, according to IDC.
At www.dell.com/la, Web shoppers can custom-design the system they want by selecting variables such as size of monitor, hard disk and memory from pull-down menus. Customers can choose from Dell's family of products including Dimension(R) desktop computers for home and small business customers; Latitude(R) notebooks and OptiPlex(R) desktop computers for businesses and institutions; and Dell's enterprise-class Precision(tm) workstations and PowerEdge(R) servers.
After shoppers specify the system they are interested in buying, the Dell online store will price the system based on the specifications requested by the customer. Prices on the Latin American site are in U.S. dollars. Individual shoppers may pay for their purchases with a credit card through Dell's secure connection, and businesses may pay electronically according to pre-established purchase orders and credit limits. Customers can also track the status of their order on the Web site, and view the exact dates their custom-designed system enters production, is built and is shipped.
Since opening the Latin America Web site in summer 1998, Dell has expanded its online offerings. Dell launched its first custom Web sites, called Premier Pages, for its corporate customers in December 1998. Premier Pages provide a paperless purchase ordering process as well as customized service, support and pricing options. Premier Pages are also available in Spanish.
"Premier Pages make doing business with Dell easier than with other computer suppliers," says Andrew Armstrong, internal MIS manager at Wang Global Colombia, a technology services provider. "Our Premier Page automatically shows me the latest server specifications approved by Wang, as well as localized prices and shipping schedules, and I can order without ever picking up a phone."
The Dell Latin American Web site maintains a privacy policy to keep personal data confidential, and a security policy designed to ensure the safety of online purchases. Beyond the new commerce and custom-build capabilities, the Dell Latin America site offers extensive online service and support, including a file library, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) document, troubleshooting flow charts, a natural language search engine that enables customers to type in questions in "plain" English, and an online bulletin board called DellTalk, where users trade information and offer advice about their Dell systems.
Dell, which has a goal to do 50 percent of its business globally online by the end of the year 2000, currently sells more than $14 million in products each day over the Web. The company Web site, www.dell.com, attracts more than 25 million visits per quarter, and has unique Web pages for 44 countries in 21 languages. Visitors to the support section of the site post messages on the DellTalk bulletin board to communicate with each other, and download 160,000 files weekly.
Ranked No. 78 among the Fortune 500 companies and No. 363 in the Fortune Global 500, Dell Computer Corporation is the world's leading direct computer systems company, based on revenues of $18.2 billion for the past four quarters. Dell designs, manufactures and customizes products and services to customer requirements and offers an extensive selection of software and peripherals. Information on Dell and its products can be obtained through its toll-free number 800/388-8542 or by accessing the Dell World Wide Web site at www.dell.com. Dell, Dimension, Latitude and PowerEdge are registered trademarks; Dell Precision is a trademark; and Premier Pages are service marks of Dell Computer Corporation.
Fortune 500 is a registered trademark of Time Inc.
Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.
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