SHARE
Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp

PC Parts and Wal-Mart? No Match

When Wal-Mart moves into any new area, it spreads fear into the hearts of retailers, who see any move by the $312 billion store chain as inherently dangerous. But Wal-Mart’s recent effort to move more aggressively into the computer business is unlikely to merit panic. It will still cause a lot of it, but it […]

Written By
thumbnail
Evan Schuman
Evan Schuman
May 8, 2006
Channel Insider content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

When Wal-Mart moves into any new area, it spreads fear into the hearts of retailers, who see any move by the $312 billion store chain as inherently dangerous.

But Wal-Mart’s recent effort to move more aggressively into the computer business is unlikely to merit panic. It will still cause a lot of it, but it won’t be merited.

Wal-Mart’s computer move is initially playing itself out in two customized ways: selling computer parts, so that customers can purchase CPUs, monitors and keyboards and create their own desktop; and selling assembled computers that do not have any operating systems.

The second move would have been more compelling if it were positioned as an altruistic humanistic position. Maybe an ad campaign that says something like, “Because of our immense respect for our customers, we could no longer bear to inflict a Microsoft OS on them. If they do it to themselves, we’ll sleep better. We prefer to torment our customers in other ways.”

Alas, the OS-less PCs are positioned for flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The risk to Wal-Mart is that some customers may not realize that they are buying PCs that won’t work without additional purchases.

Read the rest of this eWEEK story: “PC Parts and Wal-Mart? No Match”

Recommended for you...

Lightbeam Hires Former CrowdStrike Exec as New Channel Leader
XenTegra CTO Sellers on AI, Security & More 2026 Opportunities
November Leadership Recap: ‘Tis the Season for New Appointments
Jordan Smith
Dec 1, 2025
Nerdio Expands Capabilities in AVD & Microsoft Ecosystem
Victoria Durgin
Nov 28, 2025
Channel Insider Logo

Channel Insider combines news and technology recommendations to keep channel partners, value-added resellers, IT solution providers, MSPs, and SaaS providers informed on the changing IT landscape. These resources provide product comparisons, in-depth analysis of vendors, and interviews with subject matter experts to provide vendors with critical information for their operations.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.