Video Game Empire

Just when Jamie's store sold two ABC-1 computers in one go, they were also doing business in downtown San Francisco in the Bay Area, where there was a large computer park direct-sale store.

The entire direct-sale store has a business area of ​​nearly 1,000 square meters, with a wide variety of computer products from various brands. In addition to the same microcomputer products sold by other franchise stores, the directly-operated store here also sells various minicomputers, and even displays a reduced-scale model of IBM's System/370 mainframe.

Of course, if there are customers who really want to buy large computers through the computer garden, the reception tasks will eventually be taken over by professionals from IBM, but the computer garden company will get a huge profit share. It's a pity that the store has never received such a big business since it opened for business.

Johnson and another friend co-founded a small accounting firm specializing in the reporting of personal property accounts. Originally, he was going to buy one to handle all kinds of complicated information and data in the office after Apple's Apple III computer was launched.

But yesterday, he saw a large-page advertisement in the "San Francisco Chronicle" about an Ikon company launching a minicomputer for small companies' office use. The advertisement said that this personal computer for business office is equipped with word processing software, form processing software and database management software with excellent functions, which can greatly facilitate the computerized and data-based office of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Most importantly, its price is only $2,899, which is lower than the $4,500 price of the Apple III computer that Apple accepts for pre-order. This made Johnson, who had just started his career, and his funds were somewhat stretched, instantly moved. So he came over early this morning to see with his own eyes whether its performance was as good as advertised.

"Good afternoon sir, what can I do for you!" Johnson just opened the glass door of the store and was immediately warmly received.

"I want to see the new ABC-2 computer from Ikon, do you have a prototype here?" Johnson asked directly.

"Of course, sir!" The shopping guide nodded and said enthusiastically, "What are you going to use it for?"

"Company office!"

"Oh, okay, that's really suitable! Sir, please, our professional technicians will show you the process of using the ABC-2 computer. You can ask any questions at any time!" The shopping guide politely took Johnson Take it behind a desk with a white computer.

The shopping guide asked Johnson to wait for a while, and soon called an Asian technician. The technician smiled politely at him, then exchanged a few words with him, and then turned on the computer.

Taking advantage of the interval between startup of the computer, the technician asked him again, "Mr. Johnson, have you used other office software before?"

Johnson nodded, and the technician started to operate the computer and explained to him with a smile: "Then let me show you the East-Word software on the ABC-2 computer first! Let you feel it and other words. The software is different, this is a very good office software, the biggest advantage is that it is easy to operate and has the functions of what you see is what you get..."

About an hour later, Johnson willingly wrote a check, in addition to an ABC-2 computer, he also bought an ABC-1 computer on the recommendation of the shopping guide. The shopping guide in the computer field guaranteed that the two computers would be returned to his company in the afternoon. As for Apple's Apple III, Johnson had already forgotten all about it.

"Li Sheng, the sales statistics from the computer field have been sent over. In the past week, they sold a total of 477 ABC-1 computers and 329 ABC-2 computers! Among them, the sales of ABC-1 and ABC-2 in the US market. 402 and 271 respectively!"

Li Xuan had just arrived at the company, and his assistant Zhuang Erjing was full of joy and reported to him with a smile.

"Oh? Not bad!" Li Xuan smiled, "How about Apple's Apple II sales?"

"168 units!" Zhuang Erjing glanced at the statistics and said immediately.

According to the data collected by Dongfang Electronics, the current personal computer market is a market that is not yet mature, but is growing rapidly. Take the Apple company that Li Xuan is most concerned about as an example. In the whole year of 1979, Apple sold a total of 55,000 Apple II computers of various models, and the market share of the same type was about 15%.

In the first six months of this year alone, Apple sold 68,000 Apple II computers. However, the market share has only increased to about 20%, which is far higher than the sales growth rate, which means that the entire personal computer market is rapidly expanding.

The PC market can be divided into low-end, mid-range and high-end markets. In the low-end market, all types of computers are priced below $300. The best seller is Comodo's VIC-20, a $300 computer that sells 9,000 a day.

Of course, the configuration of these computers is very simple. For example, there is a ZX-80 computer with a lower price of only 200 US dollars. It uses a Z80 processor and only has 1K RAM and 4K ROM. These computers are all about low prices to attract consumers, and their actual effectiveness is very limited.

The price of mid-range machines is generally above 1,000 US dollars, and the most famous product is naturally Apple's Apple II computer. In addition, the products that compete fiercely with it include the PET computer of Kemodo and the TRS-80 computer of Tandy.

As for Apple's upcoming Apple III computer, which will be launched in September, Apple said that it sells to small businesses to help them handle various office operations. The price is as high as $4,500, which can be regarded as a representative of high-end computers.

Aikang's basic ABC-1 computer is aimed at the mid-end market. Apple's Apple II computer is definitely its main competitor. Before the ABC computer was put on the shelves, the 180 branches of Computer Garden Company sold more than 500 Apple II computers every week.

In the past week, this number has rapidly shrunk to 168 units, but the newly launched ABC-1 computer sold 477 units in one go. Although the computer field is the natural home of ABC Computer, all the direct sales stores and franchise stores, under the intentional guidance and interest stimulation of the upper level, put the original Xiangmo Mo Apple II aside~www.readwn.com~ and began to fully promote ABC computers. But ABC Computer can achieve such a proud sales performance, its own solid internal strength, but it is an important foundation for success.

In addition to its own computer garden company, ABC computers also appeared on the counters of other large and small computer sales stores in the United States. According to the conservative estimate of the company's marketing department, the total sales volume of ABC-1 computers in the United States in August can reach more than 5,000 units, with a market share of about 10%.

Although this sales volume is less than half of Apple's monthly sales, Aikang Computer, as a new company to join the competition, can achieve this result in the first month of listing, which is already very strong.

Han Peng, the executive president of Dongfang Electronics' regular executive meeting, just flew to the UK yesterday, so Li Xuanlai presided over this regular meeting.

According to news from the BBC, the partner of Dongfang Electronics, in order to promote the level of computer education in British schools, Downing Street intends to implement a policy in the near future to provide financial subsidies for schools to purchase computer equipment.

It is rumored that the subsidy rate is as high as 50%, and the premise of obtaining this subsidy policy is that the school must purchase computer products in the government-designated list. The British government spends huge amounts of money to cover computer education in schools. Naturally, it is impossible for this piece of fat to fall into the mouths of companies outside the UK.

At this time, the benefits of Aikang's skin were revealed. Although he was wholly-owned by Li Xuan, he was still a British company in name. This gave Dongfang Electronics room to operate and put ABC computers into the designated list.

PS: I'm about to be squeezed out of the category recommendation list. I'm desperate for recommendation tickets!