Hewlett-Packard Co is adding to its direct sales resources by launching e-commerce-based direct sales and service in Europe, and by forming a wholly-owned subsidiary, HPdirect Inc, in the US. The new subsidiary will carry out business under the name HP Shopping Village, from the www.hpshopping.com site. HP says its direct e-commerce business to consumers has successfully evolved in the US, and that the formation of a subsidiary is the next obvious stage. It will enable it to move more quickly and be more aggressively competitive against other internet companies, said the company.
HP will begin a European phased launch in the United Kingdom in June and in Sweden in the third quarter. Initially, the pilots will include more than 70 products from HP’s consumer product lines. More products, such as calculators, will be added at a later date. Other European countries will follow in the year 2000.
In the US, the e-commerce subsidiary will offer online auctions beginning in the summer and configure-to-order HP Pavilion PCs in the fall. LaserJets and printing supplies will also be sold from the site, along with all-in-one devices, hand-held devices, digital cameras, scanners, supplies and accessories.
