HP Replaces Gateway At OfficeMax
By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 5/21/2001
NEW YORK — OfficeMax reported that Hewlett-Packard will displace Gateway as the chain's exclusive PC supplier.
Under the plan OfficeMax will not stock any HP computers, instead HP will place configure-to-order kiosks in more than 1,000 OfficeMax locations. HP will train OfficeMax's sales associates to operate the kiosks. While this arrangement is similar to what OfficeMax had in place with Gateway, the office superstore hopes to also capture peripheral product sales.
"Over the past year OfficeMax has been pleased with the results from its single-brand provider computer model. As an added benefit, OfficeMax will capture peripheral and printer sales made to computer purchasers in its stores instead of some sales going to the computer manufacturer, as was the case under the Gateway agreement," OfficeMax CEO Michael Feuer said.
No time frame was announced for the switch to HP to be completed.
