California-based Gateway has sales operations throughout the Americas, and Asia.

Sales and Marketing

Gateway sells its PCs and other products through retail stores (Best Buy, Costco, Office Depot), online retailers (Amazon.com, Newegg.com, TigerDirect.com) and through distributors.

Financial Performance

While Acer doesn't break out Gateway's financial performance, the company in 2012 slashed the book worth of its PC brands (including Gateway, Packard Bell, eMachines, and e-Ten) by some $120 million, wiping out its profit for the year. Apparently, Acer's purchase of Gateway (in 2007) for $710 million is foundering amid intense competition and the dramatic downturn in PC sales.

Strategy

Gateway and rival PC makers are struggling with the downturn in PC sales, as consumer preference has migrated to notebooks, tablet computers, and other mobile devices. Falling demand from China, a big market for PCs, is also impacting Gateway's and parent Acer's sales.

To keep pace with advancing technology, Gateway in 2013 launched a new back-to-school line of notebooks, desktops and displays designed to deliver performance at an affordable price. In 2011 the company restyled its desktop and laptop, as it did the previous year, while adding improved CPU's and graphics processors.