My local apple reseller has not been known for having the latest hardware, but now they have a 12", 15" and 17" powerbook right next to the 12" and 14" iBooks. They have a 17" iMac, an eMac, a duelly g4 powermac, several older color crt Macs, and a whole plethora of software and accessories.
When I first started considering macs, had I seen that display I would have bought one on the spot. Unfortunately, they didn't have anything, and no one near here did either.
I ended up waiting (to my benefit), and I had to research a ton before I felt comfy enough to buy a computer sight unseen.
I figure the more people you put a great product in front of, the more people will buy. I don't think it can hurt. Much... 🙂