One Laptop per Child: Distribution Problems

Given both the hype of OLPC and our discussion of said hype in class, I thought this article in the Boston Globe was particularly interesting.  OLPC ran a promotion in November and December called “Give One Get One” where Americans had the chance to purchase two laptops for $400.  The customer would receive one of the laptops for personal use.  The other would be donated and shipped overseas.

The only problem?  OLPC doesn’t have the laptops.

Thousands of customers in the United States are still waiting to receive their laptops in the mail.  The Globe article says as many as 20% still haven’t received the laptop.  OLPC claims this was because of too much of a good thing–that is, they received more orders than they expected.  OLPC told the Globe last week that one reason the U.S. customers haven’t received their laptops yet is because they’ve been shipping so many out of the country that they don’t have any  leftover.  (Though, as the Globe points out, the laptops for different countries are unique, using different keyboard set-ups and keys).

The OLPC made a mistake (and admits it) by promising the delayed orders would be sent out by January 15.  That didn’t happen.  Furthermore, many customers have other complaints about the quality of OLPC’s customer service–including one guy mentioned in the article who has had to call multiple times to reconfirm his address.

The bottom line is that OLPC is not Dell.  They are not “just in time” logistics specialists, nor have they perfected the art of customer service.  They make cheap laptops.  That’s what they do best.

Sometimes you get what you pay for.