CompUSA closes after holidays

January 14, 2008 | Bob Snyder | Retailer NewsPDFPrintE-mail

CompUSA will close its store operations for 103 remaining outlets following the sale of the company to a restructuring firm.

 

CompUSA struggled for years with falling prices on PCs, its most important product, and competition from big-box retailers.The chain went through several CEOs and tried different turnaround strategies. Last February, CompUSA shut 126 stores and moved to focus on core customers such as gadget lovers and small-business owners.

 

CompUSA was founded in 1984 as software seller SoftWarehouse, then expanded into computers. It took on the CompUSA name and went public in 1991. It had also bought up Tandy's once famous Computer City chain.

 

If you Google “CompuUSA “now, you’ll find it’s now an online division of Systemax.

Go The New CompUSA

 

New DSGi Chief: What’s His Deal?

January 14, 2008 | Bob Snyder | Retailer NewsPDFPrintE-mail

Speaking on his first day as CEO, John Browett, the new chief executive of DSGi, expects online sales to grow at 20-30% a year "for a very long time."

 

Browett began his retail career at Boston Consulting Group. Wharton-educated Browett joined Tesco in 1998, and as Operations Development Director he helped grow the company’s fledgling online food stores into one of the world’s largest internet superstores, offering electrical goods, financial services and books, in addition to food products.

 

According to the website E-Consultancy, Tesco.com has over 3 million registered customers, and makes £500 million ($984 million) worth of sales annually.

 

What to see what Browett will be paid?

Go Browett’s Salary Deal

Intel Dumps Viiv Brand

January 14, 2008 | Bob Snyder | Home Networking, Home AutomationPDFPrintE-mail

Intel is "scaling back" Viiv (pronounced VIVE and rhymes with LIVE), the PC platform that was supposed to bring digital entertainment to the living room. The chip maker has stopped promoting the technology in its original form, and instead will use a modified version of the brand on entertainment-oriented PCs, labelled "Intel Core 2 with Viiv technology."

 

 Intel drops the idea of promoting the Viiv brand (announced with so much fanfare at CES 2006) on Internet video programming and living-room devices that connect to TV sets.

What’s on Intel’s mind now?

Go Otellini's Keynote at CES 2008

Lenovo Consumer Push In Europe in Doubt

January 14, 2008 | Bob Snyder | Vendor NewsPDFPrintE-mail

Lenovo says it may scale back its launch into the European consumer market next year, if the credit crisis and economic slowdown worsen. Milko Van Duijl, president of Lenovo's EMEA division, says the company will take a final decision in this first quarter.

 

Lenovo may decide to concentrate more on launching in emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and delay entry into more mature markets in Western Europe. "I am a believer in focus - doing fewer things but doing them right, and only going into markets where we can do well," says van Duijl. The company recently launched small retail sales operations in USA, France and So. Africa.

 

 

Go Lenovo

 

Tesco Tackles Home I.T. Support

January 14, 2008 | Bob Snyder | Retailer NewsPDFPrintE-mail
Tesco Sir Terry Leahy

Tesco, Britain's largest retailer, may take on electrical specialists DSGi, Carphone Warehouse and Comet with the launch of a home I.T. support service. The retailer acquired PC Guys, a computer support company, and is testing the home-visit concept from a store in Cambridge prior to a possible nationwide rollout. PC Guys will offer support in the Tesco store, over the phone and in customers' homes.

 

Tesco is also testing a new zone called "Tesco Digital" in Cambridge, offering a large PC, electronics and mobile phone sales area, with PC Guys on hand to help.

 

But what’s really on CEO Sir Terry Leahy’s mind is Consumer Power and his favorite colour at moment is Green.

 

Go Read Sir Terry Leahy’s Speech

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