Gateway Says Others Will Match Its Free Win 98 Offer

[Mitch Stone <mstone@vc.net>]

The OEMs will play ball, as if there was ever any doubt.

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http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB19980406S0003 

Gateway Says Others Will Match Its Free Win 98 Offer 

(04/06/98; 12:06 p.m. EST) 
By Business Desk, Computer Retail Week  

Gateway 2000's offer to provide free Windows 98 upgrades to consumers who 
buy Gateway PCs between April 1 and the software's official launch June 
25 is likely to be matched by other build-to-order companies. But 
original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offering boxed products in retail 
stores still had not responded at week's end. 

The company clarified Thursday that customers who use the Win 98 coupon 
included in Gateway 2000 systems sold through June 25 will receive a 
"Gateway-ized" version of Win 98 with built-in links to Gateway's 
Internet site for service, support, and sales contacts."We will be 
integrating something to help customers come to Gateway for support," 
said Jim Von Holle, director of software at Gateway, in North Sioux City, 
S.D. "All OEMs will be putting these coupons in with their systems." 
Gateway is providing for free shipment of the upgrade as well. 

Although Von Holle may be proven right about the plans of other OEMs, 
IBM, Compaq, Acer America, Hewlett-Packard, and Packard Bell NEC have yet 
to confirm their plans in that regard. NEC's build-to-order Directions 
line announced late Friday that it will offer a similar upgrade. The 
Directions line is available through NEC's NEC Now direct marketing 
division. 

Von Holle said Gateway is making the offer in conjunction with Microsoft 
"so [the pending upgrade] doesn't stall current PC purchases." There is 
widespread concern in the industry that Win 98 will fail to boost PC 
sales after its launch and may actually slow sales during the period of 
increasing hype leading up to it. The Gateway program is typical of what 
all PC OEMs are expected to be offering their customers.