Cyberage PC: A blow to reseller business

GOA: The fears of Goan resellers have come true. With the commencement of the delivery of the government subsidized Cyberage PCs to the 12th standard science students in the state, the already dull business is expected to go down the hill. While 1,500 PCs are expected to be supplied by January 26, 2003, 3,000 of these would reach student homes by March 31.



Each student has to pay only Rs 1,000 to the government, which would then supply a Celeron 900 PC with a color monitor and an UPS costing totally Rs 21,500. Local resellers had hoped that the government would give the contract of supplying these PCs to them boosting their business. But nothing of the sort has happened.


Only three companies have been given the initial contract of supplying 500 each PCs. Of these, Digicom and Machado Computers reportedly come from the state while the third, Ace Computers, hails from Pune. The supply of the first lot of 300 PCs began on December 19, 2002.


The main worry of local resellers is that students' receiving these PCs could resell it in the local market. This loopholes needs to be plugged to curb resale.


"With the onset of Cyberage PCs, resellers will see the demand from the home segment totally drying up," pointed out FS Gomes of GE Marketing and Secretary of the Goan IT Business Association (GITBA).


With the GITBA elections due next month, Gomes is of the opinion that the newly elected representatives of the association should join hands with Goa Chamber of Commerce to effectively communicate with the Government on policy matters to ensure local resellers do not miss out on business opportunities.