New York - Despite a statement by CEO Michael Dell made at International CES in January that Dell has no intention of going into the retail channel, the PC giant launched a trial program with Sears.

The test has a Dell kiosk in a Sears location in Austin, Texas. Dell has used kiosks as stand-alone facilities staffed by a Dell employee in shopping malls for the past year, but this is the first time the PC maker has placed them inside a store. Michael Dell said the mall kiosks were intended as a temporary measure when first instituted, but proved so popular it was decided to keep them and possibly expand the program into airports.