Bahhh
Posted on 03/10/2008 10:06:24 PM PDT by HAL9000
NEW YORK (AP) -- Computers that run the Linux operating system instead of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows didn't attract enough attention from Wal-Mart customers, and the chain has stopped selling them in stores, a spokeswoman said Monday."This really wasn't what our customers were looking for," said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien.
To test demand for systems with the open-source operating system, Wal-Mart stocked the $199 "Green gPC," made by Everex of Taiwan, in about 600 stores starting late in October.
Walmart.com, the chain's e-commerce site, had sold Linux-based computers before and will continue selling the gPC.
This was the first time they appeared on retail shelves.
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(Excerpt) Read more at biz.yahoo.com ...
Bahhh
Perhaps, (and I loved my Win2k) but its becoming increasingly difficult to safely use either of those two anywhere near the net, especially '98.
That’s a brilliant observation, absolutely right on.
LOL! :D....a classic response.
I use XP far more than I do Ubuntu. Ubuntu takes some getting used to if you go beyond the desktop environment. I use it when I just want to surf. For all my daily tasks, I'm happy with XP.
You can still get XP on new PC's through Dell online, and Best Buy online Best Buy For Business. That's a better choice than going Vista, fer sure.
You have to admit that arguing that the product was pulled because it sold so well that it couldn't be kept in stock is a bit of a stretch.
Customers would rather have computers with Vista? ROFL!
Yep, any Windows based system is going to serve the basic software needs of the average low-end user much better than Linux. Geeks (and I am one) never quite understand how much different their computer needs are from the rest of the average users.
Yeah dat. At least in Sillycon Valley.
Good catch, Ernie!
Well, I think it’s a software issue. Most people want to have their windows software. They’re used to it, and don’t want to change-cause that means they have to learn something. Too much work, not enough time, and they don’t understand it.
I saw a quote on an automotive website yesterday that said nearly 90% of Americans, below the age of 40, don’t know how to drive a standard transmission. In fact, the author said people asked what’s a standard? LOL
Sears sells confusers? I’ve never seen them there. Course in my local store, the tool department has a door direct to the outside, and I try never to venture deeper into the store than that anyway! LOL
If you’re well firewalled, you should be fine. I still have one Win2k box in my home network (primarily used for net access), and it never catches anything. The person who uses it doesn’t get an admin account, and I have Zone Alarm and AVG running local as well as the firewalling from the router. Seems to be perfectly adequate.
Exactly. That means the price is below the market clearing price and they're giving away profit. They should raise the price to 219.99 and if the situation persists, raise it again to 229.99. If it gets to the point where they're making more profit per unit shelf space than from other stuff, give the PC's some of the shelf space from the other stuff.
Actually what it means is that shelf space is expensive. A $50 MP3 player has around a 30% profit margin. You can stock 500 MP3 players in the space that one computer system takes up. A computer system has razor thin margins. It's not profitable to stock them on the shelf at your local Wally's.
Note that they still sell them on-line. Well, when they aren't sold out.
That’s essentially what I said. If they can’t keep them on the shelf, the price is lower than it could be without affecting unit sales, so they should raise the price a little and see if demand slows down to meet supply.
When they raise the price, they will get a better margin on the item in question. If the process goes so far that margin/ft shelf is better for the item than the one next to it, adjust the shelf allocation a little.
Your comment takes into account the reality of computer sales, I was just pointing out some general rules that apply to anything which they were apparently failing to follow.
The rules are a bit different for computers. The sales channel is predominantly online. You can generally only make money with a brick-and-mortar computer store if you offer something other than just the machine. Most mom-and-pop computer stores sell with 2-3% margins and still make most of their money off of de-virusing and de-spywaring Windows computers.
Wal-Mart doesn't offer anything other than the machine. If they raise the price people will just go elsewhere. Keeping machines on the shelf is a losing proposition regardless of the markup.
Go here to see some screen shots:
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