In the US, IBM Corp is reviewing all previously-overlooked possibilities for generating extra cash, and it reckons that superseded gear that it might have scrapped will be worth real money to someone. On Saturday the IBM Personal Computer Co was due to open the IBM Factory Outlet in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, two miles from the Research Triangle Park high-tech centre. The new outlet will sell discontinued, withdrawn, reconditioned and returned personal computers and other equipment. Most of the machines were returned to the company within its 30-day money-back guarantee period and will sell at discounts of 10% to 40% off the original retail prices. It will sell ValuePoint, PS/1 and PS/2 personal computers, the ThinkPad and other machines. We happen to have some amount of excess inventory but I would characterise that as an issue all of us have, a spokesman told Reuter. The IBM outlet will join many other discount stores at Raleigh-Durham’s Triangle Factory Shops, a shopping centre in which all stores offer discounts of up to 75%. The equipment will come with a 15-day money-back guarantee but warranties will vary by product. IBM says that it has no plans for any other such stores.
