Asus SKU Nightmare

I've been looking to buy a Asus 13" notebook but after doing some research, I've been just awestruck by Asus's confusing and insane model numbering system.

Specifically I've been taking a close look at the U30Jc. Originally it came out in just one SKU, the A1. Recently they released two more SKU's, the B1 and A2B. Unfortunately teasing out the differences between the three SKU's is like finding a needle in a haystack, especially when Asus doesn't bother to list the SKU's or their differences on their own product website!

If that wasn't bad enough, I learn there are more! Amazon.com appears to have their own special SKU (X3K) which appears to be the same as the B1 but in black. And in Canada, where I live, they have released even more SKU's, the painfully named QHDA1-A1 and the same SKU's ending in -CBIL which I presume indicates a French keyboard but as that is not explained anywhere, neither on the seller's website nor Asus's own, I have no way to be sure (note to Asus: French keyboard sku's are usually indicated with -FR which is a lot more obvious.)

So, to recap, we have the A1, B1, A2B, X3K, QHDA1-A1, and their -CBIL variants. Got it? If you can tell me what exactly an Asus U30JC-QHDA1-A1-CBIL means, I think you deserve some sort of prize.

And that is just one model. Asus has a verifiable galaxy of extremely similar 13-14" notebooks to the U30Jc. So far my research has turned up the following Asus 13-14" notebooks with Intel processors and the Nvidia G210M/310M chip available in North America: U30Jc, U33Jc, U35Jc, U43Jc, U45Jc, UL80Vt, UL80Vs, UL80Jt, UL30Vt, UL30Jt (quite possible I missed some others) --each with their accompanying solar system of SKU's. There are literally dozens of possible permutations.

I would like to know exactly, who the person responsible, -- by all appearances done while high and picking characters out of Alphagetti soup. Note that in the same 13" notebook product category, Apple has precisely three models, and they outsell Asus's 13" notebooks, and probably everyone else's, by no small margin.

If you are someone like me who likes to do their research, you can only be left in tears by this point. In fact I'd be willing to bet there are plenty of Asus employees out there who don't have a clue.

Product choice and product differentiation are good, but it just seems to be an own goal when it is so complex and not communicated to customers.

 

I completely agree with you that the naming and sku structure is confusing. It is pretty much their attempt in many cases to give really big venders their own sku. Like the x variants. They change a few things about it and call it something else. Since asus isn't into customizing this is a way to add variation to their lineup. most want their own sku so people can't pricematch or so they get the exclusive. It's annoying but it is a biproduct of asus getting larger and trying to put their hand in everyones pot while still making people happy. It may not be optimal and it may not be the easiest to figure out but since it is working for them there is no need to change it. In the end it makes vendors happy and those who don't want to customize get a larger selection to choose from.