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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihwpt!knudsen
From: knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari
Subject: Re: Bad Atari marketing
Message-ID: <631@ihwpt.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Jan-86 14:13:30 EST
Article-I.D.: ihwpt.631
Posted: Fri Jan 10 14:13:30 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Jan-86 02:59:01 EST
References: <653@ihlpm.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 39

> Unfortunately, its worse than ST's being sold in K-MART stores. They
> are being sold by JS&A mail order. These are the people that also
> sell ionizers and other such nonsense. Price for the CPU with mouse is
> 299. Color monitor 399 mono monitor 199 disk drive 199. I saw the ad
> in the Jan 13 Newsweek. I think that this is an absoulutely stupid
> marketing move on Atari's part. I had faith in Mr T., but now I think
> the 5 year old down the block has more marketing sense than he does.
> I don't know how any future machines ( including the 32 bit work stations
> announced in the Electronic Engineering times) will get any respect
> at all. If I was the head of Commadore I couldn't ask for a better
> break at this time. Time will tell what impact this has on us ST owners.
> 
> 							R.T Bradstrum

On the contrary, I think that Mr T's "error" is not in undercutting
the computer stores by going to KMart and mailorder,
but in bothering with the computer stores in the first place.
Computer stores are essentially useless institutions whose salespeople
know what we'd learn in an hour of pushing the mouse and reading
the manuals (horrors!).
I'd rather read Netnews, see a demo at a club meeting or a friend's
house, then buy the pieces of the system in sealed boxes from
Toys R Us or thru the mail.  Really.

However, Mr Bradstrum does hint at a valid point: the IMAGE,
or "respect" that a machine acquires.  This WOULD be helped by
the potted-palm computer stores.  We netnews sophisticates
must remember that the unwashed masses respond strongly to
image.  The Atari 800 and Radio Shack COlor COmputer were
hurt just by their brand names, while a dull 8088 PC was sold
by 3 little letters.  On the other hand, I don't think the C64
got hurt by moving from computer stores to toy stores.
Politicians would rather have votes than respect, and Mr T
will gladly trade respect for lots more sales.
So should software developers (think about it...).
	mike k
	
PS: JS & A's monitor prices are $50 higher than my
guesstimates in yesterday's posting!