Front Page || Main Index || Corpus Christi News || Business || Texas || Sports || Entertainment || Selena
Thursday, Aug. 20, 1998
Retailers say Apple's iMac selling briskly
By DAVID E. KALISH
Associated PressNEW YORK -- Several major retailers on Wednesday reported brisk sales of Apple's new iMac computer, with some stores sold out just days after the product's launch Saturday.
The strong demand was a positive early sign for Apple Computer Inc.'s most important consumer product in years, confirming expectations built up last week when the company said it took 150,000 advance orders for the iMac.
Importantly for Apple, some retailers said initial buyers included not just existing Mac customers, but first-time computer users as well as users of Windows desktops. Apple is counting on attracting non-Mac customers to its futuristic-looking machine to revive its once-dominant market share of desktops, which dwindled to just 2 percent in August, according to CI Infocorp, a research firm.
``We had quite a few orders from PC owners coming over to the Mac,'' said Vic Prasnaugh, a salesman at DataVision Computer Video Inc., a large electronics store in Manhattan that sold about 75 iMacs on Saturday.
CompUSA, the nation's largest chain of big computer stores, said the iMac was its biggest-ever launch for a personal computer, with a few of its 164 stores selling out over the weekend.
``We had some great crowds,'' said Carol Elfstrom, a spokeswoman for the Dallas-based company. She said Apple was sending it fresh supplies this week and the retailer didn't expect shortages.
Analysts were closely watching to see if Apple would have problems meeting demand; production bottlenecks short-circuited some of the company's previous product introductions.
But Apple spokeswoman Tami Begasse said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company so far has been able to fill orders for the iMac. Apple did not provide figures on initial sales.
``This is our re-entry into the consumer space, and it's caused a huge frenzy,'' she said.
The eye-catching desktop machine, with a translucent teal-and-white case, also was the best-selling computer ever at ComputerWare, a Macintosh-only chain with 10 stores in the San Francisco Bay area.
The chain said it sold between 2,500 and 3,000 iMacs over the weekend.
``Nothing's close to it,'' said Jeff Walker, the chain's vice president of retail sales. ``We were selling the equivalent of over one a minute over the weekend.''
Apple is promoting iMac with a $100 million advertising campaign. But part of the demand is pent-up; iMac is Apple's first new machine designed specifically for consumers since its Performa line in 1992.
The iMac attracted the plain curious as well as determined buyers, retailers said.
``A lot of onlookers ... came in and played around with it,'' said Sandeep Radnhawa, manager of Computown in San Jose, Calif., part of a five-store San Francisco-based chain.Post your comments about local news eventsFront Page || Main Index || News || Business || Texas || South Texas Outdoors || Birdwatching || Sports || Entertainment || Selena || Education || South Texas Attractions || World Wide Web