Jan 13, 2003/ FW/ --- Dell today formally introduced a standards-based Point-of-Sale (POS) offering, enabling medium to large retailers to more economically manage their businesses.

Coming to a store near you: Dell introduced a point-of-sale checkout system for retailers today at the National Retail Federation's 92nd Convention and Expo in New York

A provider of technology and services to 19 of the top 20 U.S. retailers, Dell also announced today that it has successfully installed and upgraded the POS hardware, software and peripherals of more than 1,100 systems in 588 stores nationwide for The Wet Seal, Inc. (Nasdaq: WTSLA), a specialty retailer of fashionable and contemporary apparel and accessory items.

Dell's retail program matches industry-leading Dell^TM desktops, servers, storage and networking products and services with leading peripherals appropriate for each customer.

A typical Dell POS configuration includes a Dell Optiplex^TM desktop, a flat panel or CRT display with standard or touch screen, keyboard with programmable keys, barcode scanner, thermal receipt printer and cash drawer. Pricing for a Dell POS configuration starts at $1,794. ¹

Dell has developed alliances with independent software vendors Retek, AutoGas, GERS and MSS Global to provide software that, when powered by Dell's infrastructure technologies, automates store operations including customer sales transactions, inventory management, payments, accounting, customer data and corporate communications. This streamlined approach, from the point-of-sale register to the back office to the data center, enables retailers to more effectively manage store operations.

"Dell worked with us to identify the best register and peripherals for our needs and pricing qualifications, and together we achieved a nearly flawless success rate on first time installations," said Ron Hunt, operations manager, management information systems, The Wet Seal, Inc.

"This was particularly important to Wet Seal as each system had to be up and running when the store opened the following day."

A leader in entering mature, technology-driven markets with open standards to drive costs down and efficiencies up, Dell's retail systems provide an alternative to proprietary technology, which typically costs more to acquire and support, and limits operational flexibility. With standards-based equipment, retailers can efficiently implement and integrate POS, networking, server and storage systems throughout all aspects of their business at low costs.

"We're following our retail customers' requests to bring their stores the same high performance and low cost of ownership we've already brought to their corporate office and datacenters," said Joe Marengi, senior vice president, Dell Americas. "Dell's POS offering is an illustration of how Dell's direct model, which provides customers with customized products and services, works well in retail, a market that requires a seamless integration of technology, software and services across multiple locations."

Dell will debut its POS offering from the exhibition floor of the National Retail Federation's 92^nd Convention and Expo, which runs through January 15 in New York.

For more information about Dell's retail business, visit www.dell.com/retail.