As a person who has experience with both the consumer and business side of your company, isn't it about time that Dell dropped the jargon about trying to cater to each segments needs and admitted that it's really all about how much you can charge each segment?

"When you call Dell on the phone we have specific phone numbers depending on your customer type. This way we can offer you the right product, the best solutions & accessories, and the proper warranty/services coverage for your system." Um, the Web is not a telephone.

First, I like the new homepage, it cuts down on how many clicks it takes to get to a product. However, I think that once you make your choice i.e. home notebooks it should automatically open into the "compare all notebooks page". The same for small business. The SB page goes to the latitude, inspiron, and the precision selection page. Once a selection is made it should go to the compare all page. Cutting down on clicks required is key. The "basic, performance and ultra mobile" selection page is unnecessary. Keeping the theme from the previous paragraph, minimal clicks. The configurator page. When one chooses the m1210 for example, it goes to the flash type page and you must click continue to go to the next page, that is a waste. Then you go to the "solutions" page. This is also a waste. It should open to the configurator after choosing the m1210. Sidenote, I worked for a competitor for a couple of years, their business went into the toilet when they started offering "solutions". It is ok to tell people of the "value" in something, but ramming it down their throats is useless and alienate customers. There should be a single configurator page with choices of processor starting at the core solo and going to the top of the line core duo and sone core 2 duo - merom. Good job slimming down the HD options to 7200 rpm on alot of models. Optical drives, even in the SB line there should be only two options cd-rw/dvd-rom and dvd-rw. The other options confuse people, creates a backlog of remanufactured laptops, and add to the Dell cost structure. Kind of like offering too many ram offerings. A few years back you could get 64 128 256 and 512, offering 64 was a waste offering 128 256 and 512 would have slimmed the cost structure. As of now it only makes sense to offer 1 gb, 2 gb and 4 gb. WIth those options you only have to carry 2 different types: a 1 gb stick and 2 gb stick. Video cards should be offered from the bottom of the line 1210 to the top core duo processor. The best cost structure is as follows: 1. 3lb machine 2. 4-5 lb 3. 6-7 lb 4. 7lb + but with the options outlined above. Desktops are the same way with the page navigation outlined above. To streamline is key. First page 4 or 5 options with the case being the first step in configuration for all models 1. ultra compact like the optiplex g620 2. compact 3. mini-tower 4. mid tower 5. large tower Second choice: processor Third choice in importance is: video card with all the options for that particular case Fourth choice in importace is: sound card The bottom line is that within the current configurations there are too many model choices and configuring them is too much work, some things you have to start configuring then stop and back out and start over again. Jeff jldoveror@yahoo.com

Worse. The mouseover menu effects aren't intuitive, people expect to be able to click on the pictures. It's also poor for accessibility and slows the browsing down when you know exactly where you're going when you first get to the page. Also, ditch the segmentation, please. Provide 2 phone numbers on your site - business and personal, then seperate from there using automated phone systems. Simple. Effective. When I'm looking for a specific product I don't want to have to browse through the different market segment sites. I want to be able to click "Desktops" then the model I want. Also, what makes you think that home users don't want to buy servers, storage or networking products? Stop assuming things about your customers. Whether you like it or not, your customers know a lot more about what they want than you do. Stop trying to tell them what they want, start asking them what they'd like.

Dell, you're missing the point. Customers want to be treated as individuals. I've posted a my comment at http://www.propr.ca/index.php/2006/dell-youre-still-missing-the-point-costomers-want-to-decide/. I wanted to Trackback direct from my post. But I could not find a Trackback link on your site.

I have to agree that the segmentation is a bad thing. I end up having to have multiple browser windows open to make comparisons or to look at one segment, then back track and look at another segment. One thing I just thought of also is that you might be losing customers because they don't know that the available systems vary by segmentation and they were looking for something specific and didn't see it so they think it is not available via Dell.com (home user wanting a server). This is one thing that has made comparing models a nightmare for me and I only attempt to do this when I have the time and patience (or persistence) to complete my research all at one time.

I'm just curious as to why there isn't a link to the dellone2one website on the front page of dell.com. I would imagine that since this is a blog that comments would be encouraged. If that is the case, why leave the linkage out of the main Dell site? Usability on the page itself is fairly decent. Just keep in mind that alot of web users out there are still in the world of click on images and don't expect too many pop up and drop out menus, be they Flash or CSS driven. I would like to see alot more clarity or a main contact page with numbers for appropriate tech support. Actual telephone numbers are always in demand and should be clear as many users have to google these numbers and find it hard to bring up actual telephone numbers.

Its broken big time in Safari. I hope you arent targeting any mac-specific audience with this page (to switch back) - because its horrible.

When I visited the new homepage, I noticed the mouse-overs when you hover over "Desktops", "Notebooks", etc. I assumed that this was a decent compromise for avoiding the segmentation issue: Click one of the pop-up links if you WANT to only view one segment (not ALWAYS a bad idea), click on the main picture if you want to see ALL. Then I actually tried to click on the main link and realized it did nothing. So close...

No-one is fooled. See eg http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/07/31.html If you decide to put usabiliy first, the key thing is this: if you're going to ask me to make a decision, help me understand what I'm trading off. When building a system, this is easy: I know the benefits of more memory, so I'm trading those off against the cost, and you're showing me how much of each I'm trading off so I can make a smart decision. But often when you ask me to choose between product lines, I can't see what the tradeoff is.

The segmentation definitely complicates things. I am an IT professional, working in corporate America and I also do a great deal of consulting on the side. Much of what I do is advise clients on how to upgrade their hardware and the fact is, sometimes a small business may find that a PC you have listed as home will work fine for their needs and vice versa may be true as well. A home user may do well with something listed under small business, many home users do a great deal of work with photos, graphics, gaming etc where the beefier computers are needed. I recently was looking at buying a Dell laptop and after extensive research around the Dell site, I was able to identify the equivalent home and small business laptops, same hardware, different model number. In the end, I'm not concerned with which segment I buy from, I want the best deal for my money. I bought a laptop from a competitor, but I'm actually looking again for another laptop and I wouldn't mind getting a Dell this time. So I hope the experience is easier. Thanks for listening, I think this blog is doing alot for your image and accessibility.

Simply amazing! So what Dell is telling its customers is basically: "we hear you, but we're not listening." I've purchased a few things from Dell, but hated the experience every time. When I want to buy a laptop or a camera, I want to look at and compare laptops or a cameras -- not small business, home, or home office "solutions." I could go on, but why bother? You've just made it painfully clear that Dell doesn't listen to or care about its customers. And drop the whole "offer you the right product, the best solutions & accessories, etc" nonsense. Do you really think there's a soul left on the planet that doesn't see right through that line? As Joel puts it: buying a computer from Dell still feels like buying a used car. http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/07/31.html

Worse. I agree with the other people about the segmentation. It seems very unncecessary and cumbersome. Other companies like Apple and IBM/Lenovo seem to be doing alright without needing to know their "customer type". The truth is you guys are probably charging the business "customers" helluva lot more. And if that's not true then why don't you be like other successful companies and put all your products on one page. For one, it will make it a lot easier to navigate and compare. A lot of times I find myself just leaving dell.com because it gets so frustrating to navigate. Dell: Listen to your customers and stop trying to categorize us. We are not stupid.

"creates greater value..." You must know that there's almost no phrase you could utter that sounds more like corporate-droney PR-speak. No human speaks this way about another human in normal conversations. "I'm creating greater value for my Mom this mother's day by sending her flowers!" The only sensible context for this term is in shareholder meetings, where we're prepared to consider customers merely as sources of cash. In the user experience context, it's simply an empty term.

Dell Latitude X1 for a Home User (60 gig harddrive), cheapest price you can buy it at €1539.71 For a small business, same product, same idea €1735 For a large business, €1833. Ummm, are you sure you're segmenting for the users?

The new site looks better. However I think your segmentation is already built into your products, so I do not see the need for a global separation. Dimension / OptiPlex Inspiron / Latitude A home user will prolly not by a server. Large enterprises should just have a link on the front page, as they are a customer that requires special Attention. In short, if you just classified your systems as "Recommended for Business" or 'Home" you can get an idea who and what the user is. I think I have a Home account, a SMB Account, and a Reseller account, I dont know why I need them all, but I have them. I dont know why there are rules that Division cant sell a product in another. However there is also good. I have found finding things much easier, like if I need a power pack or a second GPU, getting do drivers is great, and best of all - I really feel like I can see the products now. The Flash animations are just right.

It doesn't look like the point of segmentation is to charge business users more for the same systems. That would be silly since anyone can open two browser windows and compare the specifications, even if the interface tries to make it hard to do. Instead it seems to me that the point is to push different add-ons and services to the different segments. Doing this AND offering side-by-side comparisons would be difficult but not impossible. Dell is taking the cheap and user-INconvenient way out of this. Instead they should just pull a Google and tie the add-ins with some transparent data mining on the users. Make it easy to compare systems side by side but then offer different addons based on the specifications of the machines or the numbers of machines chosen. I'm sure Dell would have huge numbers of metrics on the choices of home and office users that they could tap into _transparently_ instead of doing the easy thing and making the users choose. In fact that would probably be better for Dell in the long run since few people actually segment themselves truthfully but instead are just using online sites to find the best bargains. Segmentation should be abandoned not only for user friendliness but mainly for Dell's own bottom line.

Beyond your home page, your shop experience could use improvement. If I want to modify any part of my order once I get to the cart, I have to go through the product options, then the service options, then the accessories. Three screens to change the amount of RAM in the laptop I'm buying? And $150 shipping for a six-pound laptop?!? Yikes! I would like to see you separate your product lines into "consumer hardware" and "professional hardware", then offer 3 easily-selected configurations for each model: 'basic', 'midrange', and 'fully loaded'. Don't show these configurations side-by-side - people (mom and dad) get confused and think you're showing them different models entirely ('I just picked a Latitude, why do I have to pick a Latitude again?'). My Dad should never see options for different RAM or hard drive speeds - that kind of minutia should be hidden from him. There should be two screens before the cart, and that's ALL. Customizing the machine should be optional, and greatly simplified - customization options should be based on the profile selected. 1. Select Model (Latitude!) 2. Select Configuration - Pick a baseline config, then choose 'Add to cart' or 'Customize' 3. (optional) Customize your machine - Add more RAM - Larger hard drive - Better screen 4. Cart! (The cart should recommend other products - like extended warranties) As for your front page, it's still cluttered. If you're going to insist on the business/consumer/big corp split, for the love of all that is holy please have different home pages for them.

I have yet to figure out why you have multiple line of desktop computers that are the same thing in a different case and have completely different prices. Here is how you should segment it: 1) Notebooks 2) Desktops 3) Servers Just because you write a blog post that says you are listening to you customers, doesn't mean you are listening to your customers.

Dell's home page has 135 HTML errors: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dell.com%2F Apple has only 8: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com And IBM has only 1: http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ibm.com This tells me that Apple and IBM employees take more pride in their work.

"When you call Dell on the phone we have specific phone numbers depending on your customer type. This way we can offer you the right product, the best solutions & accessories, and the proper warranty/services coverage for your system" Eventhough you know that segmentation is bad, you are still forcing it down people's throat because you want to relate your web content to your existing phone system. Why not provide the different types of phone numbers when people go to the contact page??? If what is holding you up is your phone system, then only ask for segmentation when its needed. Sounds like a copout to me!!!!!

Everyone should read this, it seems to explain Dell's real motives for segmentation. http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/07/31.html It explains business/home segmentation as well as their pricing tactics, and how depite dell's simplifications, they're still using tiered pricing to charge ignorant or impatient customers more, while pissing off anyone who manages to get the best deal.

I would have to agree with a number of people who think segmentation is bad thing. I've personally had experience when I told people to look for Lattitude laptops and they told me they couldn't find them on Dell web site. Apparently that model was in Small business section. Also, when looking for a laptop, one should approach the problem from a number of angles. Surely, from internal development point of view, whatever structure is used internally (i.e. segmentation) is the best cause it's the easiest :) From the user's perspective, one may look for a laptop by weight, another by battery life, another by processor power, etc. Surely, the best option is to have a selector that will allow all users find what they are looking for. Simply two drop-downs with Weight, Processor, Battery Life, Screen size/resolution, Price in one and whatever categories applied in another. And having a multidimensional selector where I can specify "I need a laptop not heavier than 2.5 kg with CoreDuo processor, 15.4" WSXGA+ screen and at least 4 hours of battery life under $2k" and get list of options back. How simple is that?

I definitely agree with Joel and others that the segmentation thing was and is a very bad idea. It might make it *appear* to your marketing department that you'll get more money, but in the long run you are just losing customers over it. Personally, the segmentation was a big waste of my time, forcing me to look at 2-3 virtually different sites (the business vs. small business vs. home) just to see what the best deal was for me. Not to mention that I would still wonder whether I'd got the best deal or not from Dell for that particular computer. I should never have to wonder about that. I should be wondering whether I got the best deal in the market, not whether I went to the wrong corner of your shop! However, my main reluctance about buying Dell has to do with the fulfillment process. Last time I ordered something (a monitor), it was the wrong type (smaller than I'd ordered and paid for), and through an incredibly frustrating and time-consuming ordeal, I ended up with 3 monitors in my living room at one point, 2 of which had to be shipped back, with me wondering what Dell was going to charge me in the end. My last computer was from NewEgg--I'd much rather spend my time thinking about what components I want than fiddling around with your web page trying to determine the best deal. And their fulfillment process is a lot less painful too.

The home page is borked in Safari (specifically, the roll-overs which, aside from being annoying, spill their contents out to the left). Also: 8 different segments? What, am I a ten year-old who doesn't know what flavor of ice cream he wants? If you think your customers are too dumb to be able to handle simple decisions like what kind of computer they're looking for, something's broken in the system.

My concerns from the site, which I still think has a way to go in terms of usability. 1) When I click on the picture for servers, I want to see your servers, not a little popup. I actually waited ~ 10 seconds expecting something to happen before I realized the little mouseover was it. 2) I still can't think of a reason (besides price discrimination) why Dell would care what market segment I am a part of. I want a laptop, so sell me a laptop. Segregation certainly doesnt benefit me as a consumer.

Worse. At least before you were obvious about the segmentation. Now you're PRETENDING not to segment... until the very first click. Still, it's obvious (like Joel says) - the webdesigners don't have the ability to leave out the segmentation, even though though it massively damages the usability of the site.

I miss the 1990s version of the site. It was so simple.. and the BBS back in the day for files. My #1 site improvement suggestion would be a text file in each directory of the ftp site with file descriptions :P

Like others I have come here via the comment on Joel on Software. In short segmentation is rubbish. Lets see, I work for a small business and I want a good laptop. Oh but wait I have to be part of a medium/large business to get a precision. In fact this is the exact situation for more than one person I know. Equally, I want to buy a blade system (as a small business I may still actually have a use for one), but hey that isn't an option. Oh and home users don't have servers. I guess the three I have running at home are just a figment of my imagination. Just sell the products okay?

So, first of all I'd like to offer a huge congratulations on the redesign of your website. As somebody in a SMB channel that visits it 2-3 times/week, you've certainly made my life easier. Finding Servers, Storage, Desktops, just got a _lot_ easier, and I'd like to thank you very much for that. In particularly I would like to offer a HUGE thank you for actually putting equipment on the home page - massive applause. The new website has one incredible flaw that I can't believe you left in though - every time I purchase gear, I _always_ have to click through the "Medium and Large Business" and "Small Business" links when I buy equipment to figure out which price is less. The website basically doubles the time required for me to purchase equipment, and I don't have the faintest clue why that's good for me - though I guess it would be good for you if I were to lazy to figure out which has the lower price. For example: A Dell Powerconnect switch that I purchased today through the "Medium and Large Business" with 3 Year Parts Delivery (NBD), No Installation, costs $2799. But, if I click through "Small Business" the exact same configuration is $1959 which is $840 less. So, knowing that equipment is priced differently depending on whether I go through the "Small Business" link or the "Medium and Large Business Link" I end up having to have two browser windows open every time I purchase - how on earth is this a good thing for me? I realize that Dell can collect a "/Lazy/Ignorant" task on people who either A) Can't be bothered to check both windows or B) Don't realize the prices are different depending on which channel you start from And that is probably an important source of revenue for Dell - but can you tell me if the pricing differential is at all useful to me? If it weren't for the difference in pricing, then there might be an argument for not displaying a Dell Dimension for "Large Business" though I'm sure you could still manage to emphasize the business class gear without segmenting users.... Anyways, I'm guessing eventually the website will become user centric and the prices will be the same, cutting the time require to purchase gear basically in half!

I'd agree with Aaron, you're pretending now. I went to the site recently and instantly wanted to click on the image. Not being able to do that is incredibly bad design. Once you're into a segment it's very hard to do easy comparisons and find out what the best deal is for the type of machine you're searching for. I wanted a 9150 with certain bits, but I couldn't select it unless I ended up with a monitor that was too small (why can I not expand the list to see EVERY model of monitor?) or a completely unwanted printer. On that subject why oh why force me to take a 'free' printer? It hardly fits with your corporate policy on the reduction of waste! At least give people an opt out check box. So I'd suggest getting back to the drawing board. As for the the Apple website, that's not ideal and the overall look certainly needs a revamp.

The new web page is definitely less cluttered and is a better design although it still is not coded the best - the menus still do not always display correctly 100% of the time in more standards compliant browsers than IE. Mozilla Firefox gets it right most of the time, however on Safari, the menus consistently render off the the edge of the page, etc.

Funny, compaq.com doesn't seem to need to segment me. On the very first page there's a picture of the computers. One click and I see the price and all the specs. Start with the product, _then_ you can _inform_ about the segmentation: "Most small business opt for this-and-this kind of warranty, we also have an offer directed at home users. But you may choose whichever you want..." Great blog, btw. Keep up the good work and strive for improvement.

There are tons of negative comments on this post regarding segmentation. I have purchased several Dell computers (4 in the past 2 years) and just like everyone else, I shop the different segments for the best price. The only difference is I DON'T MIND--I realize that I can get the best price that way. Sure, that means that someone else is paying more for the exact same system, and sure it takes me longer to get the best deal possible, but guess what--I don't care! If everyone were smart enough than they would shop between the segements too. To me, it's like hunting for an easter egg... where will the best price be this time?

Add me to the list of people who have felt the pain (or know someone who has) of the current segmentation. Matthew Waters mentioned home users wanting to buy servers, and that’s exactly the type of issue I’ve run into. I’m an IT manager so I’m very familiar with the Latitude line of laptops and a friend of mine is an end user but uses Latitude’s at work. Because of our familiarity with the latitude line we prefer to purchase from the “Business” line even though we’re home users. This has caused both of us many headaches in the past. For example, my friend purchased a Latitude C810 years ago, but because he was a personal user not a business he didn’t have the option of the business grade support. So when ever he called Dell Support with an issue, the support people weren’t familiar with the Latitude line, and frequently had to transfer him to someone else, or fumble through the scripts. This time when he tried to purchase a D820, he was first told that there was no way that Dell would sell a “Business” laptop to an end user. He ended up needing to call Small Business Sales, and making up a fake company name (the sales person knew he was doing this) to be able to purchase the system. At least this time Dell tied the Support to the laptop/Fake Business, rather than to an end user so he was able to get the Gold support and has been fairly happy with it. I had a similar experience recently with an Optiplex system. I kept getting into home Support Queues, dealing with support people via e-mail who didn’t comprehend my very straightforward e-mails, and finally had to use the Business Repeat call extension I use for work to get to someone who could help me in a reasonable amount of time and understand my issue rather than just reading from a script. Then when the support tech showed up on site, he was clearly used to dealing with home users and home systems, rather than IT employees and business class machines. (He was still able to replace the motherboard and get the system up and running) Now that I’m done with my ranting background info, on to the suggestions… I’d like to see the segmentation changed. Instead of “Home” “Small Business” and “Large enterprise” I’d like to see the products just split up into their types, and leave it at that. Storage Solutions, Networking Solutions, Server Solutions, Leading Edge Portables, Stable Platform Portables, Laser Printers, Inkjet Printers, TVs and Projectors, etc. I think there should be a larger matrix of the support options as well. Why can’t I buy an Inspiron laptop and get Complete Care accident coverage. Fine it may be expensive, but at least offer it. Or recently I was pricing out a low end server and wasn’t able to get 4 hour support, the best I could spec out was next day service. Maybe I could have had I called my Sales person, but I didn’t need it, I just noticed it. And of course there’s the fact that the different business lines charge different prices for the same item. I’ve had friends tell me that they found three different prices in each of the segments for the exact same item. I can obviously understand discounts for bulk purchases or repeat business, but not differences for one time items through the standard website. So I’d really like to see Dell re-do their segmentation to be segmentation of equipment rather than segmentation of users. For users who don’t know which hardware is best for them, Dell should have a selector on the website that asks questions and steers people to a Latitude or Inspiron for example. This could even be done in the phone system. Have people or maybe even the voice prompts guide people who don’t know right off the bat what they want.

I would like to see a "What's New" link on the dell home page. I love Technology (Esp. Dell Technology) So it would be nice to have a link to new and recently added items to the site. You could also include items that are soon to be released. I would like to read a review about a new Dell product and then go to the Dell web page and click once or twice to read more about it and order it. I would also like a Dell Axim with a built-in cell phone (Hint Hint) Thanks for listening

The web page is even more obnoxious than the old one. The initial appearance suggests that you can just click on a product and buy it. But you then force users to choose their segment. I hate having to check each of the segments to get the best price on what I need. (And your segmentation is solely for pricing, don't even try to BS us about it.) I started using Dell a decade ago because I could get the best price on an easily configured system. You have steadily been removing those benefits ever since.

Thank you to everyone who responded to my blog about the home page of dell.com. I have a very clear understanding of how you feel, and while the comments were critical of the home page design and negative, they are important. We will continue to improve the site experience and work harder to make it better.

 There are a couple of things you may find surprising:

• The majority of users who we tested and who are using the new home page today have found it to be a better page and an easier experience. We tested and retested many permutations of this page and arrived at one that users liked visually, had the lowest leakage (people who would abandon this page/site), and had the easiest time finding what they were looking for.

• Getting to this design was not an easy decision. We looked a many versions of the site without segmentation and tested these as well. Each time we felt we had a great solution we tested it with users and it did not perform as well. Each new solution created unanticipated results downstream

• We discovered that many people did want to know what products Dell would recommend for users in their group

• The new home page is outperforming the previous one

Your feedback is still very valid and relevant—it is important that we hear about the things that you do not like. It is why I asked. Not sure there will be immediate changes to the home page (we are working to fix the Safari browser issue that was pointed out). But you have validated that our work is not yet done.

Why are you charging different prices for the same product based on segment?

The Dell website doesn't work in Safari, especially the menus. I realise you may not care, but it does reflect badly that Dell's main webpage is not standards compliant.

I called Dell on the phone today because I couldn't find the E1505 laptop on your new web site. It was there a few weeks ago! I managed to find the 6400, which is apparently the same laptop. After initially denying it, the operator finally confirmed that they are, in fact, the same laptop. She had no explanation for why the E1505 isn't linked on the site anymore. She also told me that I *couldn't* buy the E1505 for my company. She said Dell wouldn't let me. Huh? How exactly will you do that? Well, she said, I can't buy the E1505 on my corporate credit card. Gee, I don't have a corporate credit card -- my company is one person, and the credit card is my personal one. But it's all hogwash anyway. I managed to find the E1505 by searching on Google. All the specs are the same, but there are some differences. For example, the E1505 can be ordered with Media Center; the 6400 can't be. The E1505 always has PC-cillin installed (yuck!), while the 6400 can be ordered with no AV software. Hard Disk choices are different. The warranty & support options are different. But, the prices for equivalently-configured machines seemed to be within $10 of each other. So, how do I get a machine that's exactly like I want it without configuring both the E1505 and the 6400 to see which has the options I want? The whole idea of segmenting customers like this is completely antithetical to the Dell philosophy of building machines for your customers. Since I can't see the machine until *after* I buy it, it is even more important for you to make the buying process as transparent as possible. If you want to segment customers for the purposes of offering different warranty & support options, I can see some sense in that -- but do it at the end of the purchase process, after I've got a machine configured that I like.

I just tried to find out which machines had a TPM 1.2 as standard. The large business site has it with the TPM 1.2 but it is unclear whenther it is standard across ALL Optiplex 620 and latitudues and whether the Wave software is optional or standard. Adding option or standard would make life a lot simpler. Adding Security into ALL the machines features would seem a marketing no brainer.....especially is it makes it Vista Logo compliant

Why do you make me expand the list of drivers? Why don't you just list them all in a table with the date next to them so I can quickly see if I need an update. It's frustrating that I have to click through each link to see the driver's release date.

Way to go Dell ..you just made IMPOSSIBLE for me to use your site. I can't access my account. I get a blank drop down box when I click on My Account in the Small Business Division. Thanks so much for your distaste for my browser of choice. I use Firefox 90% of the time and the rest of the time I use SeaMonkey and Opera. I NEVER touch IE (don't do Windows Updates - get those through Shavlik) ever. I would rip it out of XP if that was possible. On Opera, I get rerouted to your Home site for login. I am a Small Business customer not a Home customer. Where is the Small Business login page??? I'll go to it manually but what is the url? I'm glad I don't have any orders I need to track. I was thinking of purchasing a second hard drive online (not on the phone) but rather hard to do if I can't log in. You say you are making all these changes to make your website not the cluttered mess it used to be but you can't even get it to work with Firefox. Sigh.

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When Microsoft went ballistic over your original WebObjects-based E-commerce site and demanded that you switch to ASP, you really should have told them to get stuffed.   I know this was years ago, but that's really when your site started to look like a microsoft product: byzantine complexity serving no good purpose at all. -jcr

"Complex needs of the CUSTOMERS"?  Excuse me, but that is 100% unmitigated hogwash.  There's a way to offer up the detail that anyone might need when it comes to configuring their machine (just look at how Apple does it, duh!), without taking the "angry fruit salad" approach to the overall design of your pages. Frankly, your whole company needs to spend a couple of weeks at a Zen monastery or something, and learn to get rid of the clutter.  Don't clutter the pages, lose all those stupid stickers on the machines, don't clog up the drives you ship with crippleware (yes, I know those ISVs pay you do do that, but is it worth irritating your customers for a couple more bucks per machine?)  That's precisely the kind of thing that drives them to Apple or to your mom-and-pop screwdriver shops for their next purchase. And lastly, SIMPLIFY your product line!  When you're not competing for shelf space at Best Buy, there's no benefit at all to proliferation of overlapping models.  That was exactly the kind of bonehead thinking that nearly killed Apple in the 90's.   Face it: your whole industry is all about trying to be almost half as good as a Mac but far, far cheaper.  Of all the things that you and MS copy from Apple, why not try copying the buyer experience?  Make it SIMPLE to buy a Dell.  Don't treat your customers like rats in a maze or suckers at a strip joint that you're trying to nickel-and-dime to death. Of course, you can disregard my opinion, since the last time I touched a Dell, it was running NeXTSTEP.  Maybe you're actually filling your customers' needs perfectly.  Perhaps the typical Windows/Dell buyer is a masochist with a "kick me" sign on his back. -jcr

There are two things you should change: 1. The design is badly broken in regards to web standards! Go to www.w3c.org and check you own site. 2. Do not force Windows onto you customers. One of the keys to customers is to give them choice. And this includes to run a Dell computer with Linux or BSD! Make Windows optional during configuration. Please.

It's no conspiracy. Indeed, it was to be expected: Alienware is becoming more like its new owner, Dell. This story in BusinessWeek discusses the branding dilemma that befalls a company such as Miami-based Alienware, whose customers were often drawn to..

The most important things to be considered in a website is its pleasing design and accessibility for the users. If your homepage can't do that, then I don't know how it can help you.

I love the new design. Much easier to browse products, and get to what you want to look at first. Good job.

The site works well from a technical standpoint.  I like that I can save my cart & compare the products I've configured under the "Small Business" & "Medium & Large Business" divisions.  This is a necessary step in getting the best deal.  What I don't like is the results of the comparison.  I can't select a 160GB hard drive in "Small Business."  I can select it in "Medium & Large Business".  The difference in price between the 2 identically configured machines (other than 120gb vs. 160gb hard drives) is  $346.01.  That's the "to your door" difference with promotions etc.

I'm either going to bite the bullet and make my company pay $346.01 for the 40 GB upgrade, or buy the "Small Business" configuration and then upgrade the HD myself with drive imaging software.  That way I won't feel so "beat over the head."

In summary, about your website . . . same rat maze, slightly better interface, still clutered.

The "home office", "corporation", etc. distinction is tired (and absurd). Just break it down by product lines and show all that are available. If pricing discrepancies exist based on customer type, let that be handled at checkout.

I've had 5 Dell laptops over the past 12 years are I'm seriously considering an Apple. I've already migrated to Solaris at work, so the Mac OS is a pretty easy transition. I'm sure I'm not the only long-term customer annoyed enough to start shopping around.

this review is so good..was about to purchase it . thx for your review

Sales Department

I went on line to find a telephone number so I could actually talk with someone about the pruchase of a new computer.

I am interested in a VOSTRE mini 400 tower.

 

However I need to know, or shall I say have explained the features.

 

Pat 314 843-0175

 Ref 948 Wireless printer:

Recently we purchased a 948 printer with the hopes of not using a wire for the laptop as well as out main frame.  Presently we have a wirelless hook up for the laptop for the internet, etc.  Upon telephoning your so called customer service after 2 hours he told us that we needed to bring the laptop to our main frame and hook up the printer wire.  Then upon a second phone call, your service man said that he would send a tech to our home on June 9,2008, but upon telephoning we find out no such request was made to the tech.  Now here we are with a Dell main frame and a 1720 laptop a new so called wireless printer[948] and with a 12 foot wire to print.  Is this so called 948 wireless pprinter a hoax?  lease send me a tech without wires!

Thanks

Niculina Restauro

 

 Niculina Restauro,

I am sorry to hear of your experience with Dell so far. The Dell Community Forum's printer section may be a great place to get your issue resolved. I have put a direct link to the Printer board below. If you want to ask a question you will need to create an account.

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board?board.id=A940

Joanne