HP ups ante in Dell battle
Vendor launches new EMEA offensive in PC and notebook space
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has redrawn its battle lines with Dell and launched a new EMEA offensive in the PC and notebook space.
The vendor is offering customer savings of up to 24 per cent on selected products and is also including notebooks in its Top Config scheme.
Top Config, launched two years ago, allows VARs to configure a machine via a distributor's web site, with the completed product sent either to the reseller or direct to the end-user. "We are taking an offensive approach," said Alberto Bozzo, vice-president EMEA of commercial products at HP's Personal Systems Group.
"We can offer a unique value proposition to customers through our channel that Dell cannot," he said, adding that the firm intends to deliver competitive products and pricing across its whole supply chain.
"In the past, our pricing strategy has been more high price/high discount, but now we have moved to a more upfront pricing strategy it means we can deliver the right margin for both HP and our partners," he said.
Bozzo said that the scheme is the first of a "crescendo of initiatives" from HP across EMEA.
Paul Barlow, managing director at VAR Equanet, welcomed the initiative. "This gives us the edge to compete more directly with Dell. I hope it will help us to beat Dell," he said.
Dell was unavailable for comment.