Context results

Market research firm Context has compiled the results of its resellers and hardware questionnaire, which appeared in PC Dealer, 25 February.

In this month's panel - comprising 97 resellers - almost half saidlers and hardware questionnaire, which appeared in PC Dealer, 25 February. they will avoid Windows CE-based products, while nearly three quarters said they are already selling Office 98. One third of respondents chose to avoid telephony, thin client and e-commerce, and resellers mentioned adopting DVD as a technology. Almost one-third of the respondents are selling human interface products and as many plan to adopt them, while the remainder of the respondents said they will avoid them.

Magazines are the prime source of information and are cited as being used 20 per cent more for information than the Web. It is interesting to note that among other sources, trade fairs, faxes and mailshots are a popular source of information. Respondents may get more information from distributors than vendors, which could explain why this is in third place.

However, information offered by vendors features strongly in the channel.

 Which area of new technology do you think will be the most profitable?
 Most profitable technology
 Windows 98                                    19%
 E-commerce                                    16%
 Office 98                                     16%
 Telephony                                     12%
 Multifunction printers                        11%
 Human interface products                      10%
 Thin client                                   10%
 Windows CE-based                               6%

Windows 98 is the technology believed to become the most profitable in the future, while Office 98 and e-commerce are close behind.

Windows CE-based products are regarded as least profitable, which is perhaps why respondents plan to avoid this technology in the future.