Gateway stops selling PCs direct

Gateway, one of the early PC makers that sold their wares direct, said Friday it will sell its systems completely through channel partners and retailers.

The company, now a part of Acer, said shifting to a channel-based distribution model will simplify its business and cut costs.

In a statement, Mark Hill, Acer's U.S. general manager said:

“We are shifting Gateway’s distribution method to better align with Acer’s successful global strategy, which was built upon an indirect model."

That's where the cost savings come in. Gateway will simply piggyback on Acer's existing channel relationships. But for those of us that remember Dell and Gateway as direct selling champions the news is still a bit shocking. Bottom line: Don't go to Gateway.com if you want a system. You'll find Gateways at outlets like Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Costco, Office Depot, OfficeMax, and Wal-Mart.