In a move expected to shake up the Australian markets a bit, Dell has announced it will be getting a new partner in Australian retail. Now the game is hurry up and wait as Dell prolongs the announcement of the actual name another day.

The announcement of a retail partner in Australia follows the trend of the last year, as Dell has steadily left behind its focus on direct to customer sales for more lucrative deal in the United States. It allowed distributors like Wal-Mart and Best Buy to start selling its computers and peripherals there, and the move made huge inroads on the business of competitors like Hewlett Packard.

Will the announcement of a retail partner for Dell in Australia have the same impact? There is little doubt that is will. It has also impacted its business in the United Kingdom (where it partnered with Tesco) and China (where it partnered with Gome). As the company creates a retail presence around the globe, the question becomes “Is Dell creating a recession proof retail and customer direct combined strategy?”

Consumers have embraced the new strategy. Being able to test drive a computer before buying it is a selling point for many people, so Dell’s move into retail around the globe has done wonders for its word of mouth. Those people that bought customer direct due to brand loyalty can still do so, so Dell hasn’t lost any customers as a direct result of adding retail. It will be interesting to follow the impact of the retail partnership on Australian markets.

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