HP goes B2B against Dell online

By Steve Malone

Posted on 10 Oct 2002 at 10:23

In a bid to challenge Dell as the undisputed champion in direct sales over the internet, HP has launched its "Business to Business" web site.

The company claims that the new site offers an end-to-end purchase, delivery and billing system that will make it easier for companies to manage their IT budgets.

The site, confusingly at customeradvantage.compaq.com, is currently aimed at businesses only. Once registered (which oddly requires you to be phoned by a sales rep), companies can personalise their member area, track the status of purchases, including purchase history from both pre-merged HP and Compaq, browse catalogues and participate on message boards.

The service is currently only available in the US, but HP says that it will be rolled out in Europe in "early 2003".

At the time of writing no one from HP was available for comment.