Dell is continuing its expansion into the retail world, something analysts have said is long overdue. Today Dell announced plans to soon sell desktop and laptop computers in certain retail outlets in the Far East.
Just which stores in which Asia-Pacific nations were not disclosed. Paul-Henri Ferrand, the head of Dell’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, China and South Korea, made the announcement at Dell’s Asia headquarters in Singapore.
Ferrand said Dell is seeking different partners and chains to sell a range of computers, from low-end to high-end, and it needs partners in each country. As a result, there are no details on availability for now.
“We are working with partners to come up with the best way to connect with our customers,” Dell spokesperson Bob Kaufman told internetnews.com. “This is part of our evolving global strategy to find opportunities not only in the U.S. but outside the U.S., to connect with customers we haven’t necessarily connected with in the past.”
The Asia-Pacific market is considered one of the hotter emerging markets, particularly China and India, while the U.S. is viewed as a slower-growing, mature market. Dell’s direct sales model has served it well in the U.S. and Europe but has made little headway in emerging countries, where credit cards are far less common than in the U.S. and Europe.
Dell entered the U.S. retail market in May by partnering with Wal-Mart to sell a single desktop, a low-end Dell Dimension. Dell is also going to the Sam’s Club warehouse stores owned by Wal-Mart with the Dimension and an Inspiron laptop.
In other Dell news, the company was told this week by the NASDAQ Listing and Hearing Review Council that the Council has extended the company’s conditional listing until July 16, 2007. Dell has faced delisting from the NASDAQ board for several months due to delinquent quarterly filings.
The company is planning to request that the NASDAQ Board of Directors call the Council’s decision for review to give the company additional time to complete its delinquent periodic reports. The company said in a statement “it is committed to regaining compliance with all NASDAQ listing requirements as soon as possible.”
