Dell Drops iPod

[MacRumors]

Austin American-Statesman reports that Dell has stopped selling the Apple iPod.

According to one of their spokeswomen, "We've stopped selling them permanently".

Apple maintains that the Apple iPod is the #1 digital music player, and notes that "Dell accounted for a just a small fraction of iPod sales."

No reason, however, is given for the drop of the Apple iPod. While Dell recently introduced their own Portable Music Player that competes with the iPod, Dell has always sold a variety of competitor's products. One analyst speculates that Dells lower then retail pricing may have played a role: "Apple is pretty insistent . . . about the pricing."

[pgwalsh]

I'd still like to see Apple products in as many channels as possible. However, their retail stores are something else.. What an experience.

[AmigoMac]

It was looking so silly on that homepage, just like a comparison object ... now, oranges with oranges and apples with apples

[ITR 81]

I voted neg. only because I think the iPod needs to be in every outlet it can be, but then again I also see the reasons why.

[Arcady]

I tried to order a 30gb iPod from Dell two months ago. (We had a Dell loan, and there was enough left to stick an iPod in the order.) Anyway, after a month of the runaround, they finally decided they could not deliver it, and offered me some Archos thing instead.

So, Dell was listing iPods two months ago, but stopped selling them right after that.

[Nebrie]

This sucks, with stackable coupons, you could always whack 80-100 off the price of an ipod at dell with no tax and free shipping.

[the_mole1314]

And in other news, today, HP & Gateway have started shipping iMacs and PowerMacs to balance the universe after Dell dropped the iPod.

[achmafooma]

I figured the iPod wouldn't last on Dell's site. I would assume that the iPod sells significantly better than the Dell DJ. If so, that would be pretty embarrassing for them... if they sold more Apple iPods than their own player on their own website.

Poking around their PDA section, I see that they have a few PalmOS handhelds... but the only PocketPC handhelds are their own Axims. So I guess they don't want anything that's too similar to their knock-offs... I mean products.

;-)

[robotrenegade]

Dells player looks like it sucks anyhow.

[iChan]

whether the Dell Dj look bad or not is not the issue here, the thing is, while the iPod is being sold in a lot of new places, in the process, apple have lost a huge distribution channell, and I don't think that statement about Dell only selling only a fraction of the total amount of iPods is anything more than senseless willy-waving.

"a small fraction", its all relative... 2 million iPods sold, 5% =100,000... a lot of iPods by anyone's standard.

[wilco]

Originally posted by ITR 81
I voted neg. only because I think the iPod needs to be in every outlet it can be, but then again I also see the reasons why.

Isn't this the part where you tell everyone you knew this was coming weeks ago?

[MikeH]

I read an artical on the New York Times website a while back that said "there are two types of people in New York, those who have iPods and those who want an iPod..."*

With comments like that being used in the popular press I doubt whether Dell dropping the iPod will affect its sales much, as for the time being at least it's a product everyone wants, rather than just gadget freaks and Apple fans.

(*words to that effect)

[macFanDave]

I thought once Dell started selling its own POS MP3 player, it would immediately ditch the iPod. What took them so long?

Is there any word if Microsoft will stop selling Panther? ;-)

[iChan]

reminds me of the comment about the Lord of the Rings, "the world is divided into two halves, those who have read the Lord of the Rings, and those who have yet to read the Lord of the Rings" (paraphrasing a bit)

I assume that this is where the iPod quote derives from... to have the iPod written about in the New York Times in the same esteem as the Lord of the Rings really cements the ipods already legendary status...



however, if Apple continue to lose big channels of distribution, then we might have to kiss goodbye the notion that ipod will reach mass penetration... sales-wise i mean.

[Fender2112]

Originally posted by MikeH
I read an artical on the New York Times website a while back that said "there are two types of people in New York, those who have iPods and those who want an iPod..."*

With comments like that being used in the popular press I doubt whether Dell dropping the iPod will affect its sales much, as for the time being at least it's a product everyone wants, rather than just gadget freaks and Apple fans.

(*words to that effect)

Along the same lines: The iPod has made its mark on pop culture and I feel it's going to be here for quite a while. The demand for the iPod exists. If Dell doesn't want to sell them, fine. People will buy from whomever is selling.

[iChan]

the walkman reached a stage where all personal cassette players were referred to as Walkmen, like a Hoover for vacuum cleaner and Rollerblades for inline skates, or tip-ex for correction fluid or (you get the picture, does anyone actually think that people will ever ever start referring all HD-based music players as iPods? I don't know think so.

[kenaustus]

Dell dropped the iPod simply because they have their own product. If it fails then you will see the iPod back rather rapidly.

[iChan]

"permanently"

[micvog]

Originally posted by iChan
however, if Apple continue to lose big channels of distribution, then we might have to kiss goodbye the notion that ipod will reach mass penetration... sales-wise i mean.

If people want to buy iPods online, they can go to Amazon.com or a number of other websites - the effect on Apple would seem to be pretty minimal.

Right now, Apple's biggest problem appears to be making iPods fast enough. Amazon.com was out of stock earlier this week (I am not sure about now). My local Best Buy only has 40GB units in stock; same for CompUSA. My local Robinsons-May is completely out.

That being said, I don't think the iPod had serious competition this Christmas season. Joe Consumer has no idea who iRiver is and you can't drive to the mall and pick up a Dell DJ. I think HP recognizes that their brand name, and retail brick-and-mortar sales presence, give them a competitive advantage against all of the other non-iPod players out there. I am betting it comes down to Apple vs. HP. Unfortunately for HP, they are a little late.

[micvog]

Originally posted by iChan
does anyone actually think that people will ever ever start referring all HD-based music players as iPods? I don't know think so.

Yes.

Arn - perhaps this would make a good poll?

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by iChan
whether the Dell Dj look bad or not is not the issue here, the thing is, while the iPod is being sold in a lot of new places, in the process, apple have lost a huge distribution channell, and I don't think that statement about Dell only selling only a fraction of the total amount of iPods is anything more than senseless willy-waving.

"a small fraction", its all relative... 2 million iPods sold, 5% =100,000... a lot of iPods by anyone's standard.

People can still buy them from other sources, so it's not like the sales are lost. A small percentage would be though.

[gothamac]

I think it would be like running a modeling agency and having Cindy Crawford and Rosie O'Donald on the same spreadsheet for clients to pick from, and you make more money when they chose Rosie.

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by iChan
"permanently"

If customers want it and Dell can make money off of it, then Dell is obligated to sell them, as their shareholders want nice profits. Just because a company says something doesn't mean that they will live by it. Some companies refused to supply Y2K patches for some products and wanted their customers to upgrade. After some customers told them where to go and said if we have to upgrade, we will switch to a competitor, which some did. That forced some companies to provide Y2K patches for older products.

[dmbream]

Originally posted by iChan
does anyone actually think that people will ever ever start referring all HD-based music players as iPods?

Yes and yes.

My friend just got a new BMW. He was happy to discover that the stock sound system in the car has a line-in jack for attaching portable audio devices directly, without the need for cassette adapters, FM transmitters, etc.

In the car's manual, the instructions for attaching devices goes roughly as follows:

"Your car is equipped with a line-in jack...for attaching your iPod."

Not "portable hard drive-based digital music player," but "iPod."

It's gaining momentum, and should the fadness of the iPod hold on for a little longer, it should become part of the varnacular.

I'm waiting to hear "Please turn off your iPod for takeoff" on an airplane. That usually means "you've made it" in terms of owning the lingo. The terms "Gameboy" and "Walkman" are typically used universally when referring to proucts in either catagory.

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by micvog
Right now, Apple's biggest problem appears to be making iPods fast enough. Amazon.com was out of stock earlier this week (I am not sure about now). My local Best Buy only has 40GB units in stock; same for CompUSA. My local Robinsons-May is completely out.

The company my mom works for gave out 10GB iPods to some of the divisions of the company. I heard most people got one, which would be close to 3000 iPods given for a holiday gift. One reason why some might be hard to find.