I knew back when Gateway had those stores everywhere, they were going to have problems. I went into one to check out a computer (never having owned one) and found out you couldn’t buy one there.
You had to order it and wait for 2 weeks for it to be delivered and also pay the postage and sales tax (such a deal). I passed!
Gateway had the right idea (as Apple later proved). A retail store where customers can talk to a person who was an expert on PC’s rather than what you find at best buy, a floater from the digital camera or appliance section, was badly needed. BUt their execution on that idea was awful!