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back to article Acer CEO: No more 'cheap and unprofitable' products

Acer is plotting a return to profits that partly rests on the success of the ultrabook after revealing it is close to completing its operational and management overhaul. The Taiwanese giant posted losses for the past two consecutive quarters as it dealt with an inventory crisis caused by a consumer spending freeze made worse …

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  1. jai

    crossed lines?

    So, if Gartner reckon that ultrabooks are over priced and the prices must be reduced, how are Acer going to return to profit? They will again be chasing a market were the profit margins get smaller and smaller. Won't they just be in the same position in two years time, but instead of stacks on unshiftable notebooks, the piles will be a bit smaller because they'll be stacks of unshiftable skinny ultrabooks?

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  2. James 51

    Does that mean no more netbooks?

    See title.

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  3. Tom 38

    Hah

    If I was going to buy a premium, high margin product like an ultrabook, I wouldn't be buying it from Acer if it is the same price as the equivalent Dell/MBA.

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  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Music to my ears...

    Quote: "But accordion to reports..."

    You brought a smile to my face with that one.

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  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So rather than making cheap crap that falls apart, they're making expensive crap that falls apart!?

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  6. Alex Walsh

    I've read tons about the massive overstock and have yet to see much in the way of bargains as Acer clear the stock out. Bah humbug :(

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Yeah..

      I've been waiting for that too. Bout time to kit up again, but I haven't been seeing shedloads of cheap Acer gear, as promised.

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      acerdirect.co.uk

      well worth a look (note: not affiliated with them in any way)

      Also, seems to me that one reason Acer may have for their inventory problems is the number of different models they produce - had a look on their website after reading the laptop review elsewhere on the Reg and was gobsmacked by the endless scroll bar of different models.

      Can't agree with the "cheap build quality" haters elsewhere on this thread - I've had several recent Acers and they're plasticky sure but build quality is not an issue. Wonder if that makes me a fanboi.

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  7. DrXym

    Nice of Acer to admit

    That ultrabooks are so stupidly priced. I suspect they're priced at a point to catch spill over from MacBook Air, from people who won't pay ridiculous prices for an ultrabook but still pay a substantial markup.

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  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Taiwan

    Wanker!

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  9. All names Taken

    Danger alert?

    Year ends in 2011 need to be assessed properly otherwise there may be a strong fear of doing the wrong thing.

    The big north atlantic recession and consequences do not automatically mean that Acer had an offkey product range

    All that might have happened is that the market dried up.

    Besides, if the UK is any indicator the stack em high, sell em cheap stores are doing loads of business while the high markup, leading brandnames stores seem, well, deserted really.

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  10. bep

    Don't think so

    Now watch closely while I stuff this genie back into this bottle!

    I'm afraid he's dreaming, my Acer Aspire One was a nice bit of gear at a price I'm now used to and if this chap thinks I'm going to suddenly get used to double or triple the price for not much more utility then I'm afraid he is whistling in the wind.

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  11. JeffyPooh

    NEWS FLASH!

    NEWS FLASH! Hardware has to be unique to include significant profit. Otherwise it's just a commodity.

    I recommend that Acer engage brain and see if they can originate a new and unique form factor (like tablets, but new).

    Good luck!!

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  12. Antoine Dubuc

    Game Over.

    Time to sell your Acer stock.

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  13. P. Lee

    No-one else has a Mac Air

    but at last someone is tryng.

    I'd pay a premium for thin & light & pretty.

    If Acer can do a robust unibody aluminuim ultrabook with a good screen and trackpad at a reasonable price, then great. However, I have a sneaky suspicion that while Apple's margins are high for the computer industry, there isn't scope for a significant price cut which would prompt me to buy an acer over a MBA. Currently the screen doesn't match up.

    It would need a better screen / battery life while maintaining performance and aesthetics (thin/light/robust/pretty *and a decent sized trackpad*).

    Things that might swing the balance are: detachable/foldback touchscreen with android & hide-away keyboard. Full linux support.

    And if someone happens to discover a way to stick OSX on it, then, well, that would be nice too. :)

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  14. Tom 13

    Granted it has been a while since I worked at a screwdriver shop

    but when I did Acer made decent kit at a bit below brandname (including Dell) equivalents.

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