Melançon Enterprises  Publish > Academic > Computer Ordering Online > HP-Compaq

HP and Compaq

www.hp.com

3 to 5 clicks to start the buying process.

Selection / Customization process

Product Clarity: Low.  The components are listed pretty clearly.

Price Clarity: Good.  Components were all ‘priced,’ relative to the default option.

Speed: Slow.  Very large pages loaded slowly.  The browser seemed to think about it for a few seconds before downloading.

Range / Power: Moderate.  Typical limited array of choices, though better than most in range of hard drives.

Notes

Typing in www.compaq.com inexplicably brings one to the Hewlitt-Packard servers site (as of 2003 Feb 24).

The HP main page fills up most of it’s space with an ad.  The site in general wasted space especially on the internal computer information pages.  For instance, by having the “HP invent” logo followed by the word “desktops” surrounded by lots of white space.  The site did not shrink to fit smaller browser windows.

I believe the typical bifurcated approach, exagerated in HP, is a bad approach, in that it makes it harder rather than easier for the customer to find what they want— and to be confident that they have done so.

In one of the ways of approaching buying PCs at HP, a list on the left side of the page in effect asks customers to classify themselves based on who they are or where they will use Hewlitt-Packard products: “home & home office,” “small & medium businesses,” “enterprise,” “government & education,” or “partners & developers.”

In the other approach, a list on the bottom of the page in effect asks customers what type of HP product they want: “desktops & workstations”, “notebooks & tablet PCs”, “handheld devices”, “printing & multifunction”, “digital imaging”, “supplies & accessories”, “servers”, “storage”, “networking”, “software”, and “services”.

Thus, the average home user interested in a desktop is faced with two choices (and perhaps a nagging question about what “small businesses” or “enterprises” are being offered that they aren’t).  If the customer chooses the home & home office route, he or she may find the small link to PCs.  The first choice on this page is desktop PCs, and from there the choice is between HP desktops and Compaq desktops

I guess my real problem here is that the customer doesn’t know what he or she may be missing in selecting one of the options from the ‘home, business,’ etc. menu.  And in choosing between HP and Compaq the customer knows he or she must be missing something.  It is effort-consuming to go back and find out – and try to compare – what’s offered the home user versus the office user or what is available as a Compaq as opposed to an HP.

If the user takes the “who you are, where will you use the computer” route he or she must “click” at least five times to start the buying or customization process.

As for computer descriptions, HP and Compaq have always been bad but have become worse than ever.  Following the “desktops & workstations” route from the home page, under “for home & home office” the site describes two series: the hp pavilion, “Perfect for digital imaging needs,” and the Compaq Presario, “Advanced home and wireless networking capabilities.”  Or, following the “home & home office” route, under “desktops” one receives these illuminating descriptions: for HP desktops, “HP PCs to help you discover, create and enjoy multimedia experiences at work and play,” and for Compaq desktops, “Compaq PCs with advanced technology and great value to enhance your productivity.”  (Sarcasm: oh, yeah, NOW I know which one I want!)  The technical specifications, however, are fairly complete:

Memory1.0GB PC2100 DDR SDRAM, 2 DIMM
Hard Disk Drive120 GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
CD/DVD DriveDVD+RW/+R / CDRW combo drive
CD/DVD Drive for Second BayNone
Graphics Card128MB NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4200
MonitorCompaq FP5017C 15'' Flat Panel
Sound CardSound Blaster Live! 5.1 card
Keyboard and MouseOptical Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard..
Operating SystemWindows XP Professional
Digital CameraNone
PrinterNone
ALL-IN-ONENone
Software ApplicationMS Works/Money/Encarta
SpeakersKLIPSCH ProMedia 2.1 Speakers
AccessoriesPrinter Cable (parallel)
Printer Cable (USB)
Detto Migration Kit - parallel
hp DVD Recordable DVD+R disks
Warranty Upgrade3Yr Accident Damage Wty Upg

In the customization process HP provided “prices” for all the parts (in the this will raise/lower your price format).

Problems

Good Features

Created 2003 January 23 ,,, Updated 2003 March 14