[comp.sys.ibm.pc] RE Packard Bell

nelson_p@apollo.HP.COM (Peter Nelson) (03/07/90)

   news@udenva.cair.du.edu (netnews) posts...

:someone asked about packard bell, someone responded, said they suck.
:
:well, i am a tech at an AUTHORIZED Packard Bell Dealer/Service center.
:
:note AUTHORIZED.
:
:Fred Schmi???  or whoever and various refrigerator stores that also happen
:to sell stereos and computers and dishwashers do not sell the same machines
                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
:we do. they look the same. they are priced less, and don't work as well.,

  I was looking for a 286 laptop with a black-on-white display for
  not much money.  A regional department store chain up here (Lechmere's)
  has the Packard Bell for $1990, which is a decent price.   

  Are you suggesting that Packard Bell sells a different version of this 
  product to department stores from the one they sell to computer
  stores???   Can you substantiate this or suggest a way to tell which is
  which?    Why would any company do this?   Why would any company maintain
  the expense of two separate lines, with the same model and product name,
  in which the cheaper one would undercut sales of the more expensive one 
  and at the same time run the reputation of that model through the mud?
  I don't believe it. 

  I know that some companies have a "good" line and "cheap" line (for 
  instance Everex has its "Step" line and another one (ATG?)).  And with
  imported products you can get "grey market" versions which are not
  imported through the U.S. distributor and so have no U.S. warranty 
  coverage.  But this doesn't apply here since Packard Bell is a U.S.
  company.  But I've never heard of any company having separate "good"
  and "cheap" products which share the same product name and model number,
  which is what I assume you meant by "they look the same".   That would
  be corporate suicide and I don't believe that Packard Bell or anyone
  else does it.                                           

                                                  ---Peter


  [ Anybody else have any comments on this laptop? ]