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Abstract
Over the last 3 years, upstart direct marketer Dell Computer has rocketed from 8th to the country's largest PC supplier. Dell continues growing at 50% a year, 2 to 3 times faster than competitors. At the current rate, Dell's FY 1998 sales will hit $11 billion, up from $360 million in 1990. Much of Dell's success comes from continued innovation and improvement of its direct marketing formula. The company's secret is world-class electronic commerce using the World Wide Web and build-to-order manufacturing. Chairman Michael Dell wants 50% of the company's sales to arrive via the Internet by the year 2000. In October 1997, Dell announced peak daily Web sales of $3 million. Dell's electronic commerce really started taking off in June 1997 after it introduced customized Web pages to big business and public sector customers. These Premier Pages let companies get product information, configure, order, track shipments and get online or live technical support for 6,500 hardware and software products.