Concurrently, PC makers lock in sales for hundreds of thousands of units without the heavy marketing expenses that would otherwise be required to reach so many consumers. Today's deal follows a similar agreement Gateway recently inked with international cosmetics company Avon. Last month, Avon called on the direct PC seller to provide as many as 500,000 U.S. sales representatives with free PCs. The deal could be expanded to offer PCs to more than 2.5 million employees worldwide, the companies said. Companies such as American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Ford and Intel already offer similar PC programs for their employees.
Most programs offer a PC and Internet access for free or for a nominal charge.
Brooks Gray, an analyst at Technology Business Research, said the industry will see more such employer PC deals in the near future, as hardware makers continue to look for additional ways to sell equipment and build longer-term relationships with their customers. The deal is subject to regulatory approval, the companies said. The market share battle What is Microsoft. Inc. All rights reserved.