iMac retailers can't choose colors

Apple is requiring some computer retailers to buy equal numbers of the new iMac's five lollipop colors. While some retailers already have the new computers in stock, others are eagerly waiting for them to arrive. But shipments, when they do arrive, may be more than the stores bargained for.

With batches of the iMac shipping at the same time, some retailers are concerned that those in less-popular colors may stack up in warehouses or stores with limited storage space. The new iMacs are available in blueberry, grape, lime, strawberry and tangerine.

Geoff Westerfield, ComputerWare vice president of merchandising, said that for the first 60 to 90 days from the iMac's introduction at this month's Macworld Expo, Apple will require them to purchase a minimum of 40 iMacs at a time. The iMacs ship in sets of five pallets that contain eight boxes of each of the new colors, he said. Divided equally

San Francisco-based ComputerWare is an all-Mac retailer with 10 stores in California. "Our stores are selling all five colors of the iMac at about the same rate," Westerfield said. "At the Expo, people seemed to favor the blueberry and grape colors," he said. "Now it appears that some kids prefer the lime, strawberry and tangerine iMacs and are pushing their parents to buy those colors."

Westerfield said ComputerWare has not received information yet about what Apple will do after the initial two- to three-month period ends. He said he believes the ordering requirements may change after Apple has had time to track which of the five colors are selling best. "We've heard that smaller distributors already have different arrangements for ordering iMacs," Westerfield said.

A representative for CompuTown, another San Francisco chain with five stores in the Bay Area, declined to comment on the chain's iMac buying arrangements. However, he said that blueberry- and strawberry-colored iMacs are selling best in the San Francisco store.

Lots of five Spokeswoman Suzanne Shelton for Dallas-based CompUSA declined to provide details of the retailer chain's buying arrangements with Apple. However, a customer service representative at the chain's store in San Bruno, California, said initial orders of iMacs will be shipped there in lots of five. After monitoring which of the colors sell best, the store will then be able to order as many as it wants in specific colors, he said.

The new iMacs have not arrived yet at the San Bruno location, the representative said. He also said although CompUSA employees receive only a small discount when they purchase products, he is planning to buy a grape iMac. The San Bruno CompUSA store also plans to have demo days like the ones they hosted during the original iMac's debut last fall. Apple is recruiting volunteers and paid staffers to demonstrate its products during the weekends of Jan. 23-24, Jan. 30-31 and Feb. 6-7.

Demos of Apple's full G3 product lines will be held at CompUSA and Fry's Electronics stores as well as J&R Electronics in New York. Minneapolis-based Best Buy, a national retailer, will feature the iMac, Apple said in a Jan. 11 bulletin to user groups.