Sell Naked PCs (PC without Operating System), or risk losing customer …

An interesting article on ZDNet UK, about Microsoft urging PC sellers not to sell Naked PC. A naked PC is a PC without operating system.

Their arguments that PC seller is losing opportunity to make more money on software on the sales is reasonable and true, but had forgotten one important cruel fact of business, PC sellers who do not want to sell naked PC might just simply lose the sales altogether. Which is worse? Not earning a penny or earning less per sale?

The cartoon in the Microsoft article strongly suggests that "naked PC" will lead to software piracy. But none of the top four reasons Microsoft says is the reason customers request for naked PC implies that selling a naked PC means the buyer is very likely to commit piracy or indeed any other crime later.

In fact, the fourth reason "To take advantage of a volume licensing agreement" suggests that they already hold a valid Windows Operating System license for the new PC. How can Microsoft now justify that they pay twice for the operating system on that PC?

Moreover, the four reasons stated suggest that customers that request "Naked PC" are competant customers who knows about PC sufficiently to do the stuff suggested in the reasons. These customers are less likely to be sway by anything PC sellers can throw at them, unless, of course, the PC seller sweethen the deal considerably.

When they say selling naked PC is "a risk to your customer and a risk to your business", I take it as a veiled threat. Does this means they are going to harrass PC sellers and customers who buys Naked PC?

Although Microsoft UK says that they are not going to be paricipating in "customer visits", i.e., dispatching operatives into the premises of customers who attempted to buy a naked PC, the mere suggestion of this is a cause of alarm. It looks like a hard sell technique, possibly with veiled threats. Nobody like a hard sell. The next time any service providers pays me a visit, I really have to check the credential of everyone to ensure I do not have anyone sneaking into the premise. If I were a customer who my PC seller trys to bring someone outside the company for the "hard sell", I will, in no uncertain terms, tell him that I am not happy about the disclosure of my purchasing intention to a third party. Of course I will phrase it diplomatically, something on the line that I thought my initial enquiry are private communication with their company. I am surprise that they brought a third party in and I thought we have developed a trust over the conversation. The fact that they feel necessary to bring a third party violate the trust. I may have to reevaluate our relationship. The last line is of course an attempt to get a better deal from him.

Microsoft UK confirm in the ZDNet article that it is concerned that the sales of naked PC may be linked to the use of counterfeit software. While this is true, it has nothing to do with PC sellers and it is a solely Microsoft problem. There are a lot of legitimate use for Naked PC and the PC Sellers are NOT even participating in illegal activity with the sale. Microsoft will have to use legitimate means to stop piracy of their software, harassing PC sellers and their customers is unethical if not illegal.

Let the market decides whether is there a place for Naked PC Sales. May be there is no place for it but I doubt it. If any, the existance of the article is a piece of evident for such a market.