Google Chromebooks Now at Walmart, Staples
Retail giant Walmart will carry the latest Acer Chromebook, and Staples will stock Chromebooks from Acer, Hewlett-Packard and Samsung as Google said it will expand the number of retail outlets selling the cloud-based laptops by 3X to more than 6,600 stores nationwide.
Retail giant Walmart (WMT) will carry the latest Acer Chromebook, and Staples (SPLS) will stock Chromebooks from Acer, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Samsung as Google (GOOG) said it will expand the number of retail outlets selling the cloud-based laptops by 3X to more than 6,600 stores nationwide.
Adding retailers and office supply chains to the Chromebook retail lineup aggressively expands the Chromebook network beyond Best Buy and Amazon.
“So in case you’re on the hunt for a laptop in addition to pens, paper, and stylish new outfits, your search just got a whole lot easier,” wrote David Shapiro, Google Chromebook marketing director, in a blog post. “Chromebooks—a fast, simple, secure laptop that won't break the bank—will now be carried in over 3 times more stores than before, or more than 6,600 stores around the world,” he said.
Walmart will begin an immediate rollout of the Acer Chromebook, priced at $199, in 2,800 stores in the United States, and, in the next few days, Staples will follow suit in 1,500 outlets nationwide, Shapiro said. Staples also will offer Chromebooks online to consumers and to businesses through the Staples Advantage B2B program.
In the next few months, Chromebook distribution will expand to include Office Depot, OfficeMax (OMX) and regional chains Fry’s and TigerDirect locations, Shapiro said.
Google also is expanding its retail lineup in the 10 other markets worldwide besides the United States where Chromebook is offered. According to Shapiro, Chromebooks are now available in 116 Tesco stores in the United Kingdom in addition to Dixon’s, and Mediamarket and Saturn stores in the Netherlands, FNAC stores in France and Elgiganten stores in Sweden. And in Australia, the JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman stores will be carrying Chromebooks.
“We’re working hard to bring Chromebooks to even more countries later this year,” wrote Shapiro. “Chromebooks make great computers for everyone in the family—and now you shouldn’t have to look very far to find one.”
