Big retailer makes space for iMac

By Adam Gifford

After a three year absence Apple's computer products are back in mass market retail outlets - now selling in Harvey Norman's chain stores.

Renaissance Apple division head Paul Johnston said the three Harvey Norman stores in New Zealand won't carry Apple's professional range, but it will sell other consumer products when they are released.

Apple is promising a portable consumer computer device early next year, with latest rumours coming out of Silicon Valley suggesting it will be a curvy translucent plastic laptop called the Web Mate costing between $US1000 to $1500.

Mr Johnston said promoting iMac through Harvey Norman will reinforce the product in the mind of consumers, a market Apple has neglected in recent years. He said it will complement traditional channels, as the large retailers attract a different range of customers to the specialist vendors.

In the past Apple has suffered in consumer stores, with staff, unfamiliar with the technology, encouraging customers to buy traditional PCs.

Mr Johnston said that won't happen this time.

"They're looking at it from a long-term position and they're very excited about iMac as a product," he said.

Harvey Norman's engineers and sales staff have received training so the firm can offer the service and technical support expected, and each store will carry at least 100 Apple software titles.

The iMac sells for about $2900 plus gst, depending on how much RAM users decide to put in, and it comes with a big dollop of bundled software.

While it may look expensive against a low-specced PC from a suburban dealer, it is a similar price to many of the Pentium II based machines from the larger manufacturers.

Harvey Norman is also pursuing USB (universal serial bus) devices such as printers, scanners, cameras, mice, joysticks which can be plugged into both iMacs and PCs.

While Apple wouldn't give figures for iMac sales, Mr Johnston said Renaissance is "very happy with the amount we are selling". Extra stock has been brought in for Christmas.

In Australia, Apple took more than 10 per cent of the Australian PC market in September, the first month the iMac was available, Apple Australia managing director Diana Ryall said last week.

IDC put Apple's share in Australia for the third quarter ended September 3 at almost 6 per cent, compared with 3.6 per cent in the previous quarter.

Mr Johnston said Apple was also enjoying strong sales into schools, both with iMacs and the last of the 5500 series. More than 100 schools have bought an iMac lab package which includes 15 iMacs and a G3 server.

Pictured: The general manager of Apple, Paul Johnston (left), and the manager of the Harvey Norman Wairau Park store, Dean Curlew, with a new Apple iMac. HERALD PICTURE / MARTIN SYKES