Shortages - Resellers fed up with ongoing Apple shortages

As Steve Jobs takes over the reigns full-time at Apple and the vendor prepares the next Mac operating system, UK VARs and distributors are still experiencing ongoing product supply problems.

As Steve Jobs takes over the reigns full-time at Apple and the vendor prepares the next Mac operating system, UK VARs and distributors are still experiencing ongoing product supply problems.

Speaking at MacWorld in San Francisco last week, Jobs demonstrated third-party Mac products, including the next version of the latest Mac OS, which is due out at the end of this year.

The final beta version of Mac OS X will go to developers in the spring and, by January next year, Apple will begin pre-loading it onto Mac machines.

But one issue that continues to haunt Jobs is fulfilment problems in the UK. Despite earlier supply problems (PC Dealer, 10 November 1999), VARs contacted by CRN said they are still experiencing delays across the product range.

Nigel Lomas, marketing manager at VAR Trams, said: "Product supply has been tight. It has been extremely frustrating, as supply from Apple has been up and down. In a way, we have suffered because of healthy demand."

Ron Collins, sales director at reseller CallSaver, said he was "fed up" with the vendor. He insisted Apple has "starved England of products and destroyed the credibility of several dealers".

But distributor Ingram Micro claimed supply problems were gradually being resolved. Greg Finney, director of marketing at Ingram, said that the only remaining issue was the supply of the new iMac DVD machines. "There is still a large backlog but we have been nibbling at it. We expect to have free stock of the DVDs by the beginning of February," he said.

Finney added that during the supply problems, Ingram had seen an increase in non-Apple products being moved through Apple's channel.

Elliott Shepherd, Apple general manager at Computer 2000, said: "There is a supply problem, but since the end of the quarter, there has been better availability. It's a shame Apple has not been up-front and given us reasons."