With the success of Apple Stores and the continuing downturn in Dell's consumer sales, Dell is copying a page from Apple's playbook and trying out retail once again after a failed kiosk experiment in 2003.

For the company that perfected the online ordering model and often eschews the brick-and-mortar model, this must be a gut-wrenching change.

With its discounted pricing last quarter failing to spark sales, and actually making the situation worse, Dell appears to have no choice but to try the same model that Gateway employed without success - the stores are no more than showrooms and will carry no inventory.

And in a brave gambit in testing the retail waters, Dell is opening the two 3,000 square feet pilot stores in malls that have Apple Stores as well - North Park Center in Dallas, TX and Palisades Center in West Nyack, NY.

Source: Statesman

MTC Take: Dell should get a kewl clue. Apple's store is more than a retail outlet, its a physical manifestation of the Apple lifestyle and it just reeks of coolness which is an integral part of the brand.

Dell's brand image, in contrast, is all about cheap PCs. Not innovation; not counter-culture icons; not enigmatic, trend-setting ads. "Dude, you're getting a Dell" guy and Dell interns need not apply.

Can you see thousands of people falling in line to attend a Dell Store opening? Don't think so...

Selling from an empty wagon has never been a successful business model. So you go in the store and ask a lot of questions and place an order.
Or ask a lot of questions and then go to Wal-Mart and buy a HP.
Of course if they try to load you up with memory, bigger screen, hard drive, and software: then that Apple down the mall won't sound so expensive, and you can take it home with you.
HP and Apple win.
Dell loses.

Yeah, I don't think this will help Dell much at all, maybe at first curious people will wonder in, but it will die I guarantee it! Maybe it will even drag Dell down even farther...

Dude! I'm getting a Mac!

Has anyone heard any more news about the Dell Stores? I'm interested on how this all worked out.