PC World (retailer)
Encyclopedia
PC World is OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT one of the WHER MA MEMORY STICK ?!?!??! United Kingdom's largest chains of mass-market computer superstores. It is part of Dixons Retail plc. PC World operates under the brand name PC City
in Spain
, Italy
and Sweden
.
. When Dixons Group plc (now Dixons Retail plc) purchased the chain in 1993, there were four PC World stores in existence. There followed a period of expansion as more stores were opened across the country. This expansion was partly driven by a series of acquisitions beginning with DN Computer Services pl in 1996, followed by Byte Computer Superstores Ltd in 1998 and, more recently, MicroWarehouse
in June 2004.
PC World Business was launched in September 1997 in the UK. Since March 2001, PC World Business has been based in Bury
, Greater Manchester
and has its own management team.
. Sales in 2004/2005 (including PC World Business) were £1,695 million.
The stores offer ranges of consumer-oriented PC
s, laptop
s and peripherals, including DSG stores' own-brand Advent and PC Line. Stores also have a "KnowHow desk", which offers advice and services. Some stores also have a "Component Centre" area, which contains more basic PC components such as motherboards, hard drives and cases.
In September 2006, PC World UK assumed management control of its French subsidiary. PC World in the UK was also due to undergo a style change at the beginning of 2008, including a new logo
, staff uniforms and store layouts as part of its image re-branding programme. The changes have been trialled at the Brentford, Colchester, Portsmouth and the brand new Bournemouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Enfield, Burnley and relocated North Shields branches. However current advertisements suggest that the proposed logo had been dropped and replaced with another new logo.
In late 2006, PC World launched "The Connected Home", selling PC based home entertainment systems and installation services.
During Easter 2007, PC World launched a magazine advertising many of its services and products. It is called "Magazine" and published by futureplus. The magazine is free to collect from any PC World store, and comes out every quarter.
On 13 December 2007 it was announced that PC World will be selling Dell
PCs in their stores. This one of many moves Dell are making to sell their desktops and laptops to a wider market. This also includes Dell selling their XPS systems in many HMV stores across the UK.
PC World was nominated for Best Retailer in the What Laptop Mobile Computing Awards 2008.
PC World opened their first 2-in-1 megastore with Currys
at Wandsworth Bridge, Fulham, on 29 October 2009 followed by Merry Hill Shopping Centre
(West Midlands
), Aintree (Merseyside) Teesside Park (Stockton-On-Tees) and Bridge of Dee (Aberdeen) in June and July 2010. The newest megastore opened in Poole on 8 July 2010 and boasts a range of products and services, including a Bose
shop, Phones4U shop and live demonstrations on the newest products. It is the largest store in the south of the United Kingdom.
Similar criticisms have been aimed at other retailers in the Dixons Retail plc (including Dixons and Currys
).
In 2005, a Which? survey ranked PC World joint last for customer satisfaction.
In 2006 PC World attempted to get away from its reputation for having sales staff on up to 20% commission who would therefore use high pressure sales tactics with its "One Team" marketing campaign. This involved adverts in major newspapers claiming staff no longer received commission, however this claim is misleading. Staff now receive a bonus based on the performance of the entire store as a whole (up to £200 ), meaning that pay is still linked to performance. The bonus is also based on other non-monetary metrics, such as customer satisfaction. To compensate the 275 highest earners under the old scheme for reduced bonuses, their basic pay was raised by 16% from around £11,000 to around £13,000 per year.
In response to the perception that PC World staff are often young and lacking in knowledge and communications skills, in 2007 a set of e-learning courses called "The Power of Knowledge" were completed by 6,000 staff and the results were incorporated into their Christmas bonuses as an incentive for staff to improve their knowledge.
In January 2008 a survey for Which?
revealed that PC World was ranked in the bottom ten retailers in the UK.
took his PC into a branch of PC World in Bristol
for repair, where child pornography
was found by staff. PC World informed the police and Glitter was subsequently charged and convicted of possession of child pornography.
In 2005, after 56 complaints from TV viewers, PC World was forced to remove an advert that gave misinformation about wireless networking. There have also been numerous other complaints over ads, particularly regarding goods advertised but not actually available in the stores
.
In 2007, a customer alleged that when he returned a laptop under warranty with a faulty hinge, PC World refused to honour their warranty because he had installed the Linux
operating system on the laptop, even though the fault was a hardware matter and would not have been affected by the operating system installed.
In Italy the retailer is called PC City. In Sweden it operates as an online only retailer.
34 Stores in Spain also operated under the brand PC City, As of the 7th June 2011 out of the previous 34 stores only 1 store operates, This store is also due to close however dates are not confirmed as of yet. The reasons for the store closures are due to Dixons Retail PLC deciding to withdraw from the Spanish market due to financial reasons.
PC City
PC City is a chain of computer superstores that operates in Spain and Italy. It is owned and operated by Dixons Retail plc, and is equivalent to the PC World brand which operates in the United Kingdom and Ireland. PC City has the same logo as PC World except it reads "PC City" instead of "PC World"...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
History
In November 1991, Vision Technology Group Ltd opened the first PC World store in CroydonCroydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. When Dixons Group plc (now Dixons Retail plc) purchased the chain in 1993, there were four PC World stores in existence. There followed a period of expansion as more stores were opened across the country. This expansion was partly driven by a series of acquisitions beginning with DN Computer Services pl in 1996, followed by Byte Computer Superstores Ltd in 1998 and, more recently, MicroWarehouse
MicroWarehouse
MicroWarehouse is one of the UK's largest and longest established direct resellers of branded IT products and services to business. At the height of their industry dominance Micro Warehouse had 3500 employees in 13 different countries. By 2000 Micro Warehouse was the leading direct marketer and...
in June 2004.
PC World Business was launched in September 1997 in the UK. Since March 2001, PC World Business has been based in Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
and has its own management team.
PC World today
, there are 163 PC World stores in the United Kingdom and IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Sales in 2004/2005 (including PC World Business) were £1,695 million.
The stores offer ranges of consumer-oriented PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s, laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
s and peripherals, including DSG stores' own-brand Advent and PC Line. Stores also have a "KnowHow desk", which offers advice and services. Some stores also have a "Component Centre" area, which contains more basic PC components such as motherboards, hard drives and cases.
In September 2006, PC World UK assumed management control of its French subsidiary. PC World in the UK was also due to undergo a style change at the beginning of 2008, including a new logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
, staff uniforms and store layouts as part of its image re-branding programme. The changes have been trialled at the Brentford, Colchester, Portsmouth and the brand new Bournemouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Enfield, Burnley and relocated North Shields branches. However current advertisements suggest that the proposed logo had been dropped and replaced with another new logo.
In late 2006, PC World launched "The Connected Home", selling PC based home entertainment systems and installation services.
During Easter 2007, PC World launched a magazine advertising many of its services and products. It is called "Magazine" and published by futureplus. The magazine is free to collect from any PC World store, and comes out every quarter.
On 13 December 2007 it was announced that PC World will be selling Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
PCs in their stores. This one of many moves Dell are making to sell their desktops and laptops to a wider market. This also includes Dell selling their XPS systems in many HMV stores across the UK.
PC World was nominated for Best Retailer in the What Laptop Mobile Computing Awards 2008.
PC World opened their first 2-in-1 megastore with Currys
Currys
Currys is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland and is owned by Dixons Retail plc. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores...
at Wandsworth Bridge, Fulham, on 29 October 2009 followed by Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
(West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
), Aintree (Merseyside) Teesside Park (Stockton-On-Tees) and Bridge of Dee (Aberdeen) in June and July 2010. The newest megastore opened in Poole on 8 July 2010 and boasts a range of products and services, including a Bose
Bose
Bose may refer to:* Amar Gopal Bose, the chairman and founder of Bose Corporation* Baise City, or Bose, a prefecture-level city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China* Bose Corporation, an audio company* Bose , a lunar crater...
shop, Phones4U shop and live demonstrations on the newest products. It is the largest store in the south of the United Kingdom.
Criticisms
PC World has attracted criticism in a number of areas. Common complaints include:- Failure to honour statutory responsibilities under the Sale of Goods Act (see controversies below)
- Promotion of goods with misleading or incorrect information (see false advertising below)
- Promotion of extended warrantiesExtended warrantyAn extended warranty, sometimes called a service agreement, a service contract, or a maintenance agreement, is a prolonged warranty offered to consumers. The extended warranty may be offered by the warranty administrator, the retailer or the manufacturer. Extended warranties cost extra and for a...
(also known as insurance and support packages) - Customers are required to use out-sourced, local rate telephone support for hardware issues or premium rate telephone lines (£1/minute, except for set-up which is 75p/minute) for software issues, unless an extended warranty has been purchased
- Disparity in pricing between PC World stores, the PC World website and other shops owned by the Dixons group
- Overcharging for repairs and lack of technical competence among technicians from seven sampled stores
Similar criticisms have been aimed at other retailers in the Dixons Retail plc (including Dixons and Currys
Currys
Currys is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland and is owned by Dixons Retail plc. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores...
).
In 2005, a Which? survey ranked PC World joint last for customer satisfaction.
In 2006 PC World attempted to get away from its reputation for having sales staff on up to 20% commission who would therefore use high pressure sales tactics with its "One Team" marketing campaign. This involved adverts in major newspapers claiming staff no longer received commission, however this claim is misleading. Staff now receive a bonus based on the performance of the entire store as a whole (up to £200 ), meaning that pay is still linked to performance. The bonus is also based on other non-monetary metrics, such as customer satisfaction. To compensate the 275 highest earners under the old scheme for reduced bonuses, their basic pay was raised by 16% from around £11,000 to around £13,000 per year.
In response to the perception that PC World staff are often young and lacking in knowledge and communications skills, in 2007 a set of e-learning courses called "The Power of Knowledge" were completed by 6,000 staff and the results were incorporated into their Christmas bonuses as an incentive for staff to improve their knowledge.
In January 2008 a survey for Which?
Which?
Which? is a product-testing and consumer campaigning charity with a magazine, website and various other services run by Which? Ltd ....
revealed that PC World was ranked in the bottom ten retailers in the UK.
Controversies
In 1997 Gary GlitterGary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
took his PC into a branch of PC World in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
for repair, where child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
was found by staff. PC World informed the police and Glitter was subsequently charged and convicted of possession of child pornography.
In 2005, after 56 complaints from TV viewers, PC World was forced to remove an advert that gave misinformation about wireless networking. There have also been numerous other complaints over ads, particularly regarding goods advertised but not actually available in the stores
Bait and switch
Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud, most commonly used in retail sales but also applicable to other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by advertising for a product or service at a low price; second, the customers discover that the advertised good is not available and are "switched" to a...
.
In 2007, a customer alleged that when he returned a laptop under warranty with a faulty hinge, PC World refused to honour their warranty because he had installed the Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
operating system on the laptop, even though the fault was a hardware matter and would not have been affected by the operating system installed.
Countries with PC World stores
- UK
- Ireland
- Italy
In Italy the retailer is called PC City. In Sweden it operates as an online only retailer.
34 Stores in Spain also operated under the brand PC City, As of the 7th June 2011 out of the previous 34 stores only 1 store operates, This store is also due to close however dates are not confirmed as of yet. The reasons for the store closures are due to Dixons Retail PLC deciding to withdraw from the Spanish market due to financial reasons.
See also
- Dixons Retail plc
- Coverplan
- Micro Anvika Ltd
- CurrysCurrysCurrys is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland and is owned by Dixons Retail plc. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores...
- Currys.digitalCurrys.digitalCurrys Digital is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom, that is owned by DSG International plc.With its origins in a photographic shop opened by Charles Kalms, the chain now has a store in most towns and cities across the UK and Ireland...
- Dixons
- The LinkThe Link (retailer)The Link was an internet-based mobile phone and communications retailer in the United Kingdom. It is owned by Dixons Retail , the UK's largest consumer electronics retail group, and traded online through a dedicated retail website, which in addition to mobile phones also offered satellite...
- PC CityPC CityPC City is a chain of computer superstores that operates in Spain and Italy. It is owned and operated by Dixons Retail plc, and is equivalent to the PC World brand which operates in the United Kingdom and Ireland. PC City has the same logo as PC World except it reads "PC City" instead of "PC World"...