Dell to open its first retail stores

The company has always insisted that retail stores would be loss making, but Apple's success in generating over $1bn worth of sales in a single quarter through its network of more than 100 stores appears to have presaged a change of heart.

However Dell won't be changing its tried-and-trusted policy of building every machine to order. Visitors to the new stores will be able to view and tryout products but they will not be able to buy and take away.