CompUSA stores that are closing down are
offering deep discounts on Microsoft Windows Vista operating systems and other technology, but so far VARs have yet to see the impact on their businesses.
A quick survey of VARs on Long Island revealed that none have felt any impact whatsoever from the store closings or competition from the discounted technology.
"There's been no drop-off in business at all," said Victor O'Ferrall, president and owner of VO Tech, in Huntington Station, N.Y. O'Ferrall said his company has been doing Windows Vista upgrades for its customers, but he has seen no impact on business from the store closings.
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Other VARs said they are not yet upgrading their customers to the new operating system. One Oakdale, N.Y.-based VAR said that its clients were on a proprietary system that prevented an upgrade to Vista right now.
And Jay Eldin, president and owner of Jet Consulting, in Huntington, N.Y., said that his clients aren't ready for an upgrade yet because they are waiting for applications to be ready for the new OS.
Those customers work with Microsoft Small Business Server and the line of business upgrades they need to make the Vista upgrade worthwhile won't be ready for another six to 12 months, Eldin said.
"There's no impact on our business," Eldin said, adding that there are three CompUSA stores within 15 miles of him that are closing down.
Eldin said he has stopped by the stores and seen things disappearing from the shelves. But it hasn't hurt Jet Consulting at all, he said.
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