Dell to Test Kiosks in Malls in 20 Cities

Dell Computer Corp., the world’s biggest direct seller of personal computers, is putting kiosks in shopping centers in 20 U.S. cities to demonstrate PCs as the company seeks to boost sales to consumers.

The kiosks will have about five samples of Dell computers and accessories such as printers and scanners, spokesman Bob Kaufman said.

Dell, which doesn’t sell in stores, is testing the kiosks to see whether they can increase sales, particularly in the back-to-school and the holiday seasons, he said.

The company, which gets about 85% of its business from corporations, schools and governments, has increased sales to consumers even as other PC makers stumble. The Austin, Texas-based company has used advertisements featuring a young pitchman named Steven and promoted products on the QVC home shopping channel. Consumer sales rose 26% in the first quarter from a year earlier.