Dell's new retail strategy seems to be paying off rather well, if fourth quarter sales are anything to go by.

According to IDC, Dell did great in Q4, with a 17.1 percent increase in global PC shipments. It sold a total of 11.3 million units, grabbing 14.6 percent of the global PC market. Hewlett Packard, its biggest rival, faced slowing growth in the same period, although it's still going strong and staying ahead of Dell.

In the U.S., Dell sold 15.2 percent more units than in Q4 2006, well above the overall U.S. growth, which was 8.8 percent.

Dell's recent comeback is attributed to a change in retail tactics, retail expansion, cost cutting and certain acquisitions made since founder Michael Dell returned to the helm.

However, the company was impacted by Acer's expansion in the U.S. and its acquisition of Gateway.

More here.