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Lenovo expands PC sales
Laptops, desktops produced by Chinese firm will be sold both at Best Buy's business stores and via the Web.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The computer maker Lenovo announced a deal with the electronics retailer Best Buy Tuesday, in an effort to court small- and medium-sized business owners. The China-based firm, which acquired IBM's (down $0.25 to $80.91, Research) personal computer division last year, said it would sell its ThinkPad laptops as well as the ThinkCentre and recently-released 3000 line of Lenovo-branded desktop computers via Best Buy for Business. Currently, about 135 Best Buy stores have Best Buy for Business kiosks, which are geared to businesses and have their own specially trained salespeople.
"We're trying to address those small business needs; in the U.S. it's an area Lenovo is going after very aggressively," said Ty Yelich, sales manager for Lenovo. "Best Buy for Business is laser-focused; they have a structure in place which meets and exceeds those needs." Tuesday's announcement marks another major partnership by Lenovo with a U.S. retail chain, as the company inked a deal with Office Depot in November to sell its line of ThinkPad machines. In February, the company rolled out its line of Lenovo 3000 desktops Lenovo-branded computers in an effort to steal customers from larger rivals such as Dell (up $0.09 to $29.75, Research) and Hewlett-Packard (down $0.10 to $32.44, Research). The company still has not targeted consumers, but has focused on small- and medium-sized businesses, breaking from IBM's corporate client target strategy. Best Buy (up $0.10 to $56.70, Research), the largest electronics retailer in the United States, said it will sell the Lenovo notebooks and desktops through its "Best Buy for Business" locations and through its online store. ___________
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