Opinion: Ask not for whom the Dell tolls

Resellers think they might like Dell’s subsidiary, Alienware, because although that company has an online presence, it’s also offering decent margins to resellers. Also makes sense. But resellers should learn to love Dell, or at least learn to love their website.

There is arguably no slicker PC ordering/building website in the business. You can customise whatever you need using the Dell website, with the bonus that it also has lists of stuff you shouldn’t forget to offer when building a PC or a server. Why not use the website for your own evil intent? Specify exactly what the customer wants using Dell’s website, then print it out or email it to yourself, and alter the prices to your own prices, keeping a copy of the original.

Then you have a ready-made comparison. Here’s the Dell offering, here’s our much better and slightly cheaper offering. Sometimes, you might not be able to beat Mr Dell’s prices. Don’t worry, just recommend the customer orders the Dell instead and charge them for setup and ongoing support. That way they won’t establish a relationship with a rival reseller, and they’ll come back to your store when they need more kit, which you might well be able to supply for a better price.

Either way, it’s a win for your shop. You might not like Dell, but you might as well use what they’re offering to your advantage. If you don’t, your customers will probably discover Dell for themselves and vanish off your radar forever.