Dell Inc. said on Thursday it is experimenting with new ways to sell computers， a first step that analysts say is needed if Dell wants to better compete with Hewlett-Packard Co. and Apple Inc.

　　Dell， while stopping short of saying it planned to open full-fledged stores， or sell through retailers， said it would do what it takes to reach consumers， who generate 15 percent of the personal computer maker's revenue.

　　Dell spokesman Dwayne Cox said the company remains committed to its 23-year policy of selling directly to customers， but is open to “experimentation”.

　　“What we're really interested in is the most direct path to the customer and the relationship that develops by taking the most direct path，” Cox said. “Clearly， we're going to do the experimentation necessary to determine what that path is for customers in existing and emerging markets”.

　　“They have to either open their own stores or start working with the CompUSAs and the Circuit City's of the world，” said Shaw Wu， an analyst at American Technology Research， Dell “needs to adapt to consumers' tastes”.

　　Higher retail sales of PCs to consumers helped Hewlett- Packard post better-than-expected results on Tuesday. Dell， however， has struggled with slowing growth for two years as prices declined across the industry， reducing the price advantage afforded by Dell's direct-sales strategy.

　　戴爾公司上周四表示正在拓展電腦的銷售新途徑。分析師認為，如果戴爾希望能與惠普和

　　戴爾表示為了將產品送達消費者手中，公司將采取任何可行的方法。但戴爾沒有提及開設專賣店或是通過零售商銷售的計劃。在戴爾的總收入中，有15%來自于電腦銷售。

　　戴爾發言人Dwayne Cox表示，公司仍將繼續遵循已執行了23年之久的直銷策略，但也不排除會采取“新的銷售方法”。

　　“我們真正感興趣的是以最直接的方式將電腦銷售給客戶，以及通過這種最直接銷售方式所建立起來的客戶關系�！盋ox表示，“說白了，我們要進行必要的嘗試，從而決定對于現有和新興市場消費者合適的銷售方式�！�

　　“戴爾必須開設他們自己的專賣店，或者開始尋求與電子產品零售商CompUSAs和Circuit City的合作�！泵绹鳷echnology Research分析師Shaw Wu稱，戴爾“需要迎合消費者的心理做出調整”。

　　得益處于表現良好的PC銷售，惠普在上周二公布的業績要好于預期。相比之下，戴爾這兩年的成長速度則放緩，因為電腦行業普遍出現價格下滑，削弱了戴爾直銷策略所帶來的價格優勢。