Dell computer outlet

TORONTO -- Richmond Hill, Ont.-based Dell Computer Corp., already enjoying a prosperous year that witnessed 14 product announcements and numerous awards for customer satisfaction, announced an outlet to sell new and used systems and a support division to serve the networking and Unix environments, earlier this month.

The Factory Outlet -- the company's first Canadian computer store -- will offer new and reconditioned Dell 286-, 386-and 486-based personal computers, peripherals and software.

According to Dell president Bruce Sinclair, the outlet, located at Dell's Richmond Hill location, was opened to provide a better way of serving an increasing number of walk-in customers.

"Since (Dell) opened in Richmond Hill three years ago we've had a constant flow of traffic into our office where people just wanted to come in and ask us questions and look at our products," said Sinclair. "We never really took care of those people as well as we could have."

The Factory Outlet will allow customers to see and touch Dell's offerings.

Consumers buying new systems at the store will receive the same one-year warranty and on-site service as do Dell corporate users, and unlimited telephone technical support, while those purchasing reconditioned Dell systems will receive a 90-day warranty and unlimited telephone technical support.

Dell's vice-president of sales, Patrick Murphy, said the store will serve, as well, those people who want to buy some quality products but cannot afford them.

"Now we can offer...refurbished equipment at 50 per cent off its regular price," according to Sinclair. "There appears to be quite a market for refurbished Dell equipment given our guarantees and quality image."

Customers will be able to trade used Dell PCs for new systems at the store. Dell's 'buy-back' program will give customers a credit on their old system and apply that towards the purchase of a new Dell system.

The store will be open from Monday to Saturday.

Also announced was the Advanced System Group (ASG) support services division.

Focusing on networking and Unix, the ASG will assist businesses in hardware, operating system and application software selection and network planning and installation.

Paul Rubin, Dell's newly-appointed vice-president of marketing, will manage the division.

He said the popularity of networks has made it a requirement for Dell to open the ASG.

"This is an opportunity to solve our customers' needs," said Rubin. "We know that about 45 per cent of our customers use Dell PCs in a networking environment, (therefore) we see this as a tremendous opportunity to penetrate networking."