With Holidays Approaching, Dell Adds More Payment Options For Consumers

EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, Nov 30, 1998

Direct PC marketer Dell Computer Corp. is offering several new payment options to woo consumers into buying more PCs during the upcoming holiday season. The options include a new Dell Platinum Visa credit card, a Gift Certificate program and expanded personal leasing options.

The Visa card is being offered by Dell in association with leading credit card issuer First USA. It enables customers to buy Dell PCs with no payment or interest for 120 days on the initial purchase. After that, card holders pay a 9.99 percent fixed rate on their purchase. Credit card purchasers also earn Dell Dollars which they can use to buy future Dell systems.

The gift certificates, which can be purchased online, come in increments of $100, are personalized and can be sent directly to recipients.

Dell's personal leasing program, available through Dell Financial Services, is slashing rates by as much as 10 percent for leases beginning in the month of December. For example, those who lease the popular Dell Dimension XPS R450 system can save more than $300 over the life of a 24-month lease.

Also during December, consumers who lease any Dell system from Dell Financial Services make no payment for 60 days. The lease program, introduced in August 1997, offers lease terms of 24 or 36 months with no payment for 30 days, no upfront cost and the ability to upgrade to newer technology when the lease term ends.