HP loses PC channel share as field widens
Advent of netbook has shaken up balance of power in European PC market, according to Context
Advent of netbook has shaken up balance of power in European PC market, according to Context
The spread of players in the UK and European PC channel has widened significantly since the start of the netbook era, with HP emerging as the big loser.
According to market watcher Context, seven vendors were responsible for 80 per cent of distributor revenue in the third quarter of 2010, compared with five vendors in early 2008.
Two and a half years ago HP was utterly dominant in the channel, accounting for 43.9 per cent walletshare of UK and European distributors tracked by Context in Q1 2008.
In the most recent quarter, its share plunged to 32.6 per cent. During the same period, smaller vendors such as Asus and Samsung have risen from relative obscurity to command 7.4 and 4.4 per cent share last quarter, respectively. Apple and Lenovo are among the other big gainers.
Marie-Christine Pygott, senior PC analyst at Context, said: “We have seen an increase in the number of vendor participants. The netbook phenomenon has certainly helped. Asus was not that well known before and it has been able to leverage brand awareness in the netbook segment into other segments.”
Distributors tracked by Context saw PC revenue rise by 22.2 per cent year on year in Q3 to £2.52bn. Some 34 per cent of all PCs shipped by vendors travelled through distribution during the quarter, up from 29.9 per cent a year ago.
Average selling prices (ASPs) have defied traditional market trends this year by rising steadily, with ASPs in Q3 up 4.6 per cent to £399 on last year.
Pygott attributed this partly to the acceptance of notebooks featuring Intel’s new iCore technology, but also the dynamics of the components market and the weakening of the euro.
“The devaluation of the euro against the dollar [in the first half of 2010] led to quite strong price increases from vendors to compensate for the decrease,” she said.
“The first half also saw an increase in component costs. When the crisis hit last year some component manufacturers reduced production by too much and the shortages drove up prices.”