Chinese PC vendor Lenovo today announced the launch of its online direct shop, claiming it will compliment its channel by generating sales leads.

Due to go live this week, the web shop is aimed at the vendor’s Transactional business including very small businesses, SoHo and consumers.

Lenovo has capped the amount of PCs that can be purchased directly at five units and below only, before the order is referred to a business partner. Lenovo claims all orders will be delivered within 10 working days.

Customers that require quicker delivery times will also be recommended a Lenovo channel partner and the vendor plans to add a build-to-order configuration service later this year.

Alan Munro, vice president of Lenovo UK and Ireland, said: “One of the principal aims of the new web shop is to create a greater demand for Lenovo products and increase sales leads for our business partners.

“This is not a shift away from our indirect route to market; it is incremental – we are simply offering new customers more choice and more ways to engage with us.”

Orders over five units are once again offered to channel partners, where resellers can purchase the configured machines from the vendor at a discounted rate.

Sonny Sehgal, sales director of Transputec Computers, said: “Lenovo’s new web shop is good news for business partners. By building the web shop to complement the channel, it creates a win-win situation for the customer, for Lenovo and for Lenovo business partners.”