Why Alienware do not sell to 3rd party brick and mortar stores?

Why Alienware do not sell to third party brick and mortar stores?

I am still considering which brand to buy but most likely I may pick Sony over Alienware, even though Sony has lower gaming performance. That only because Alienware do not sell to brick and mortar stores and hence there is no way for me to feel it and try it before I buy. Buying a laptop is more than just the spec. I can not decisively buy a notebook based on spec alone. I have to feel it , lift it, rub it, try it before I can make a buying decision. The keyboard, the screen, the touchpad, the speakers, the casing, built quality etc, all those things need to be seen and judged by me personally. I can not rely on reviews alone since people judgment is very subjective.

 

it is called being exclusive.
once you promote inside 3rd party brick and mortar stores it kinda takes away from the 'exclusive' aura....

 

But being exclusive means limiting your own market to those who are willing to take the risk of shelling out a lot of money for a notebook they can't even try.

Even Dell now sell through 3rd party brick and mortar stores, like Best Buy and Gateway have stopped selling online completely. They now only sell through 3rd party brick and mortar stores.

 

The market for $4000 laptops at brick and mortar stores is exceptionally small. Not to mention the entire "customization" aspect of the machines.

 

No doubt the overheads and costs of the machines would be increased as well - wages, rent, utility bills - when your competing on the world market you want to supply a good product at the lowest price possible.

I actually enjoyed opening the box for the first time on my m15x and giving the laptop a big hug (considering a lot of us investigate this purchase for months prior) you can also check out unboxing alienware vid's on the utube

But honestly if you don't care for good hardware do your wallet a favour and go get cheap modest laptop from a store like general populas does, just do your own investigations online about HDD speed - the processor - what games that video card and CPU will run if your interested in playing games, a lot of stores advertise the components like 300gig hard drive but don't tell you it runs' like a granny at 4,200 rpm.

You may also investigate the size and weight of the alienware machine you want then go to a store and try and find a similar one in another brand - it will offer some insight but not much...

 

I remember that Alienware used to be sold at Best Buy. But that was many years ago. I remember that it was green.

 

i do not recall this....

 

You answered your own question:

That's a good thing, for them [and, as you have deduced, a bad thing for you]. Limiting the customer's pre-purchase contact to shiny, digitally enhanced images and online advertisements means that most customers will make their decision based on hype and glamour, not based on an up-close-and-personal inspection of the machine.

And, as someone else pointed out, the elitist factor plays a huge role in influencing Alienware's target audience, too: elitist, rich folks with an eye for shiny things that nobody else in their neighborhood has.

EDIT: I'm not knocking Alienware owners. I bought one, too, you know. But that is their target audience. Anyone with a lick of marketing know-how could tell you that.

 

It's a bad thing for them too unless you mean to say that they make a huge profit from people who are not happy with their notebooks but do not wish to return it and be charged with restocking fee.

 

If you love it and keep it, they make a huge profit.
If you hate it and keep it, they make a huge profit at your expense.
If you hate it and return it, they break even at your expense.

 

Yup but that's how the world turns around - with profits - if they didn't get em they wouldn't be able to come out with newly designed laptops, but yeah some of the parts should be much cheaper and they would see more business because of it - and it's good you can upgrade yourself. Man the m9750 still has some expensive upgrades on it - jese,,, drop em already...

IMO still really good performing laptops with the best looks in the business with the exception of some fully customized brands like voodoo that will charge you a few gold nuggets - even if I had the gold nuggets I don't think I could get the same features from them that my alienware has got and I really like.

 

The basic reason is that most of the population is completely computer illiterate. They buy the store's deal of the day, with a best buy warranty instead of a manufactures one.

Most of you hear the cringe worthy "tech" conversations in brick and mortar stores, and the employees are almost as bad if not worse than the consumers. When comparing to Samsung Hdtvs a few months ago I asked what the difference was between them. The employee squinted at the product description card for each one, and, (misreading the contrast ration?) informed me that one tv is "50,000 times brighter than the other." I thanked him and left. Sadly, most people would believe that.

If the average consumer walked into a store and saw an alienware computer, they would say "Look! Shiny! Lights! AHHH! $4000!!!!! What kind of nut pays that much just for a computer???" The components, performance, and features are completely lost on them.

The market of people who understand computers is just to small, and the segment of that who need that level of performance is even smaller. Theres a reason Dell is dropping XPS and adding rainbow colored Inspirons.

 

Actually Dell is not dropping the XPS line. it has been confirmed on their blog.

LOL at the 50,000 times brighter. That tv will make you blind for 3 days.

AW does offer a program for stores to sell their machines. They have to meet a certain quota which i forgot how much it was and just to always have it in display. The stores also have to buy a certain amount each month. As other people said most people wont spend 2500 - 5000 for a laptop. They will look at it and like how it looks then they look at the specs and dunno what it says. after that they will think you are just buying it for the looks. Basically like a Ferrari. They look pretty good, they are fast, and they are crazy expensive. I doubt anyone needs the amount of power in a Ferrari and how many people actually buy a Ferrari anyways. In my entire life i have only seen 1 Ferrari.

 

I thought they were dropping a model or two on their XPS line ?

Yea. exiled's got that right, though I've yet to hear of any store/company that's taken Alienware up on that contract. Plus I think pre-specced Alienwares just ain't the same than customising one on your own. You know ?
Well building one may be much cheaper/better but some of us just never got the exposure to the right areas to learn how to do that from a young age. Maybe in a few years

Off Topic (!!!!) - And about the Ferraris.. You should've lived in Dubai On my street (Al Dhiyafa) Every night. Till 4 am. Just going in circles and buying Shawarma from Jabal Al Noor. Ferraris, Lambos, Bentleys, Aston Martins, Maseratis Tuners & the works !!! Never got to see a Buggati though (apparently they sold 4 of them in Dubai at the Auto Show in 2007 )

 

i was reading the Top Gear special the other day about that Bugatti... some bloke in abu dhabi (i think) bought three (!) of them, including one in all chrome finish... imagine the bling factor of that... that's an m15x on wheels

 

i too remember seeing AW in Best Buy... looked real crappy in there...
also, didn't they once have a kiosk at Garden State Mall at one point... i swear i saw them at a Mall Kiosk...

 

maybe at a Dell stand?

 

Please keep comments on-topic. Thank you.

 

Sorry Chaz
Late night posting sees a different side of me

 

basically you can compare the AW to an exotic car except AWs are way more common. You wont really see AW in a store so the closest way to seeing it is either knowing someone who has one or going to a convention. If you are in NY the Digital Life Convention is right around the corner.

The off topic response
Since i live in NY and when you buy a ferrari theres import tax which makes the ferrari so much more expensive. Isnt it around 80% tax to get ones of those. I could see more exotics if i went to the Javits center during the auto show tho.

 

funny, my exotic car door seems to work fine when i open and close...

hold on.. one sec...

yep, still works...

ha ha ha... sorry, sad attempt at humor...

back on topic, i guess if you can find premium brands in costco... well, why not AW in malls or best buy?...

 

the problem is in the contract. most stores think they wont be able to meet AW's quota since the laptop does cost quite a bit.

 

I think most retail outlets would be flooded with complaints and service requests, thus negating any benefit of offering such a "premium" system. Not to mention the already covered fact that you cannot examine it before you buy it.