Dell Heading In-Store in Japan

Dell Inc. is expanding in-store in Japan.

The Dallas-based company will sell a variety of its PCs at Bic Camer stores – no relation to the ball-point pen.

Dell will sell its XPS M1330, Inspiron 1520 and 6400 notebooks and the Inspiron 530s desktop at 22 stores beginning in early August.

Dell has had kiosks in Bic Camera stores since 2000.

Customers could order PCs at the camera store but not walk out with them…had to be shipped.

Those days are over.

Dell realizes the company has to

do something or HP, the world's largest maker of PCs will continue to extend its lead.

HP has a 19.3% market share to Dell's 15%.

I admit, I was interested in a Dell PC, but became discouraged when I couldn't find a place to hold one in my hands.

Perhaps Dell's movement into retail sales is a good thing for the company. But, I wonder if it means they will give up on direct sales. Oh, and I wonder about the price, too.