Lexmark expands superstore offerings
April 13, 2009 by Steve HannafordPosted in: Dealers & Channel, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views
Lexmark announced that it would dramatically expand its line of printers and printer multifunctionals sold though office superstores Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot.
The company will triple the number of models available off the shelves in the stores. According to reports, Lexmark plans to offer a more expensive range of both laser and ink jet models, aimed at the small office user. The company will also roll out a sales-education campaign to help make superstore salespeople more aware of the Lexmark product line.
Lexmark has been most successful selling low-cost ink jets through mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart and Target, where it has sold its least expensive ink jet machines. Lexmark plans to offer higher-end products in these stores as well.
The demise of Circuit City, which did prominently feature Lexmark models, was a blow to the company. As one as one online source puts it:
“With most of the brand’s exposure confined to Circuit City, the loss of the electronics giant meant a significant drop in the number of Lexmark printer models that consumers can get to.”
According to an article on the Lexington Herald Leader (“Lexmark to pursue superstore customers”), Lexmark will not be getting into one key superstore:
“The company has not yet been able to get back into Best Buy after the chain took its printers off the shelves last year and decided to sell them only on BestBuy.com. {A Lexmark spokesman} noted that Best Buy has reduced the space it allots in stores for printers after the economy contributed to a decline in sales for the category.”
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Tags: Home Depot, Lexmark, OfficeMax, Staples, superstores
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August 21st, 2009 at 4:45 am
Lexmark continues to expand their market by offering some promos and even discounts to eventually increase their sales. I guess this is one of the most effective marketing strategies they have so far.