VARs are being advised to stockpile PCs ahead of an expected hike in prices next quarter.

Fujitsu, HP and Sony VAIO were among the A-brands to confirm last week that trade price increases are all but inevitable as they battle against a weakening pound and a spike in memory costs.

The majority of tier-one manufacturers are set to hoist their entry-level notebook trade prices by as much as 10-15 per cent in Q2, according to insiders.

Fujitsu channel director Darren Neath said its price increases will filter into the channel in four to eight weeks. He added there is a “short-term buying opportunity” for VARs with spare cash.

“If they can pull their pipelines in over the next eight weeks it will benefit them and their customers,” he said.

Wayne Cockerill, managing director of VAR Aindale and chairman of Network Buying Group, said VARs that do not plan ahead risk being battered on price by the big
e-tailers next quarter.

“There is a clear indication coming from a number of tier-one manufacturers that there will be price rises, especially in the laptop market,” he said.

“Resellers should seriously consider taking a calculated risk on this to ensure they remain competitive in Q2 against people carrying heavy stock.”

The pound fell to a nine-month low against the dollar last week. Sony confirmed it “may” raise trade pricing for its VAIO range towards the end of its fiscal first quarter beginning April, while HP admitted currency fluctuations would have an impact on its pricing.

Neil Bramley, B2B UK sales director at Toshiba, revealed the notebook vendor is also close to completing a review of its pricing.

“If people are confident of pipeline business, they may well be prudent to take stock at the current price points,” he advised.