Dell tripped up by new-fangled currency

It was easier when it was blocks of salt and cartwheels...

By Pia Heikkila, 10 January 2002 14:45

NEWS A blunder in converting the euro saw computer giant Dell put items up for sale for next to nothing. Dell's monthly advertising campaign, launched in Finland on Tuesday, consisted of a colourful leaflet with prices in euros for its computer accessories, such as digital cameras, keyboards and printers. These products were offered at a fraction of the price intended because the new currency was calculated wrongly. For instance digital cameras were advertised at E24 (£14), when its real price should have been E324 (£194). The blunder occurred when the leaflets were left unchecked once they arrived from the printers, according to Göran Linblad, marketing manager of Dell Finland. "It was purely human error," he said. "We have changed the procedures so that all advertisement copy gets checked by the local offices." Finnish law states that Dell does not have to sell the products at the price displayed, despite many hopeful Finns calling Dell's sales line.

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