lame idea to begin with. But as a Mac user, I must admit, those new all in ones from Dull look kinda nice. I like all the extra ports.

deepdish

And they were lame to boot!... The one at Stonestown Mall NEVER had the new models (which would be a reson to go to the kiosk!!!) and the person manning the kiosk had NO CLUE about the product line or how a computer really worked!...

SFKevin

You'd think Dell would have learned something from Gateway's FUBAR when Gateway tried the no inventory store way back when.

American consumerism is ALL about instant gratification, yo.

acroberts

I never liked the kiosk idea. I had visions of purchasing a computer, walking away, looking back, and seeing the guy quickly packing up.

Sure it works for cheap junk, trinkets, knock-offs, but $1000 computers ... yeah not so much.

aelver

on the plus-side, they'll hopefully stop charging sales tax all over the place now.

digitalhen

With every Dell-related article, I hate that spokes-dick more and more.

Kaiser-Machead

@PIPPER: I'd say Michael Dell *doesn't* support that model. Bear in mind that Michael came back to the helm only one year ago tomorrow--this project has been going on since around 2002, and the decision to shut down the 140+ kiosks was probably based on a probationary period where the CSat, cost, impact and all-around concept never turned around. (How could it? As previously mentioned, aside from the hands-on value-add, it's the same as buying one online at home--with the sheer bliss of having gum-snapping, adult-posing bimbo/wannabethugspeak-blaring adolescents annoying every sense you've got on a visceral level. I'm sure it's been popular with the masochists.) Dell gives his people a fair amount of latitude, and one year sounds about right for a "prove-it-or-lose-it" business decision.

Personally, I don't expect Dell to return to form for a good year or so on the short side, but I think a lot of the naysayers will be surprised at the mere change in its trend towards Doomsday.

fluidexistence

@pipper: Ding ding ding! Finger on the nose, we have a winner here! I don't understand why other PC companies can't follow the very simple Apple formula. Hold inventory of what you sell, design the place so it's super hip and friendly, have both knowledgable salesmen and a repair center. If you're going to show off your wares by settin gup shop, do it right or stick to your catalog-only guns.

I'm not an Apple user, but always want to BUY stuff whenever I step foot in their stores.

jibbly

Sonofa!

With that damn kiosk in the mall, I had to pay sales tax on my internet laptop purchase. If they're all closing up, that means no more sales tax on my orders from Dell. Huzzah!

jdjonsson

You mean, Michael Dell actually believes that people would rather:
- Shop "online-on" standing and looking stupid at a mall kiosk, instead of the comfort at home?
- that you type in your personal credit card info at the mall where everyone pass by can see?
- Get "help" by either a high school kid or used-car snake head who has no clue what is going on?
- You can't go back and get help because the guys are only sales?

pipper

I visited the Dell kiosk in one of the Atlanta malls. I was looking at the XPS1330, which seemed like a nice piece of hardware that would meet my needs. I'd buy online myself, but wanted to check it out in person. The employee never even asked me if I needed help. Hell, he didn't even acknowledged me. After 10 minutes of messing with the laptop I left the kiosk and saw that the guy was watching wrestling videos on Youtube. I proceeded to the Apple store and bought a new laptop there instead.

Bobby Bokista

@acroberts: I remember buying one of my first PC's from a Gateway store. I had been an Amiga user for years and then went to a Gateway store to move in the PC world. They made a point not send you home empty handed...instead it was with a coffee mug! And you know what? That old Turbo 486 has vanished long ago but the coffee mug still gets used!

MrMaestr0

@BTS.WRKNG: LOL

Kaiser-Machead

I always thought that the point of the inventory-less kiosks were less about sales and more about branding - kind of like having a billboard within the mall but bigger - to keep the Dell name in your mind. It would also subconciously fool the tecnically helpless into thinking they had a local presence to go to if they had a problem (HAH!).
This being said, what's wrong with Dell?

Skeptical_Geezer

@w00zzy: yeah, Dell sucks the big one. most of their computers look like hunks of shit anyway. And that's just my delicate, humble opinion! *eyelashes fluttering*

bunnypower

Why stop with their stupid kiosks? They should shut the whole company down and give the money back to the shareholders.

BTS.WRKNG

I can't begin to tell you how much I HATE Dell. So this matters to me not. I've had 1500 series that the optics drive hasn't worked right since I got it(4.10.07). Tech support told me I just didn't know how to use it and hung up on me. I had to file a complaint with the AG in my state. Stay away from Dell, online or not.

w00zzy

If I can't open a goddamn box full of what I just bought when I buy it, it's not a store. It's inconvenient internet access.

TheDismalScience

just when i started to forget about the dell douchedude...you had to dredge him up again...you must hate your readers.

killthebabysitter

@SigmundTheSeaMonster: i said "what if" and yes, i use the office computer so its not mine, i dont have computer (soon i'll have one)

and people can still access online even without the computer..its common knowledge.

:)

amiash

@AMIASH: And just how did you type that? From someone else's account and PC you snuck on? I see. Dell doesn't want you. Go to Best Buy and get a Getaway, I mean Gateway. You deserve..the best! Dell sees a loss in kiosk rental, numbers that show it's not helping their sales, and you really want to go up to some mall kiosk, after some 11yr blew his nose into his hand and used the mouse and keyboard (of a seriously crippled, locked up XPS running Vista loops). Ok. Bring the purell...

SigmundTheSeaMonster

Why the heck will anyone drive 10Min to the Mall to go to a Dell Kyosk just so they can just Order shiet for you and ship it to your home??? while you can just order the stuff from the online store or just order it by phone. maybe its just me but they always had a bunch of moron which never had no clue when you ask the for a specific model or any of the 10 things they had on display. A+ for dell for axing the Kyosk, am pretty sure no one will miss them

snitch29

what if i dont have a computer to access online; isnt thats the reason why consumers are buying computer in malls, because they dont have computers if they dont they cant access online.. dont have computers....cant access online...............................

amiash

They're going to keep charging tax... :-(

pastrychef

@Skeptical_Geezer: I always saw the kiosks as a branding issue too. The one in the King of Prussia mall, outside of Philly was spartan, yet it always attracted a small crowd of gawkers who wanted to oggle the 47 inch plasma TV/monitors and perhaps use the towers or laptops to check their emails. I never really perceived it as a "real" sales kiosk, just a way for Dell to differentiate themselves and go directlyto the consumers.

Hey, criticism them or not, at least they tried... Maybe they'll rebrand themselves and try the Applestore route in a year or two, although the performance of my (former) local Gateway store was never up to par.

tamoko

@uberfu: they weren't any good. you didn't miss much.

chopstickhero

I didn't know that DELL had Retail Store Kiosks_

uberfu

I wonder if Dell is going to be the Dell killer? I wouldn't buy another of their crappy machines, anyway, so I don't really care that they've laid off 10% of their staff. I'm sure they're going to give their exec's a bonus for their failure. They've always pushed a mediocre product at a premium price so good riddance to them.

blaerk

@snitch29: Actually, one reason to go to the kiosk is to extract extra savings.

I'm looking at the XPS1730, and I could buy it online, but I intend to find it cheaper. Part of the technique is to try work, and try the kiosk (they're not closing the ones outside the US). People I know who used the kiosk have used it to get free accessories (bags/cables/adapters) as well as money off stuff like warranties. Maybe even extracting a few more dollars off the laptop you want.

Potentially quite lucrative - you want the laptop, and won't it be better to get it cheaper? Even when it's on sale you can eke out a few more dollars off. For a 10 minute drive to the mall, that could very well be worth it.

Now, the problem is, a lot of the Dell kiosks were staffed by non-Dell employees (contractors), and those are completely useless. The ones staffed by Dell employees tend to be the more helpful ones and ones aiming for the sales commission (thus, best opportunity to get hardware, cheap).

Worf

The kiosk actually did a ton of business. They were around for 6 years and only missed budget 3 months out of 6years. Dell fiscal week 51 the kiosks out sold the phone line

jeebjoyb

Wow. I'm glad I quit before this happened. For the most part it was pretty helpful for older people or people who were computer illiterate to walk them through and build their pc. Most people don't know anything about computers they just know the name Dell and want someone to talk to and somewhere to test the product, which is why the Dell kiosk was born. We were actually busy for most of the time.

antoniog