THREAD ----News
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research News
PC purchases slow during traditionally busy week
ByÿAaron Ricadela
Arlington, Va.
During the busiest retail week of the year, consumers curtailed their PC purchases and few said they plan to buy a computer anytime soon.
According to the most recent weekly survey gauging home-computer demand conducted on behalf of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association and Computer Retail Week, 0.41 percent of the 2,448 households polled in a random telephone survey reported buying a PC in the past 30 days. The survey for the week ended Nov. 28 was conducted by The Verity Group, Fullerton, Calif.
During the prior week, 0.53 percent of households reported a computer purchase. Purchasing for the past eight weeks, representing a sample of 17,501 households, is 0.59 percent. Over the 41 weeks of the survey, the purchasing average is 0.8 percent.
First-time PC buyers accounted for half of computer purchases reported last week, the survey found. Over the past eight weeks, first-time buyers have accounted for 39.89 percent of demand, compared with a 41-week average of 36.3 percent. Replacement-PC buyers and households reporting the purchase of an additional PC each accounted for 20 percent of purchases last week. Over the past eight weeks, replacement buyers have accounted for 27.21 percent of demand, compared with 31.2 percent over 41 weeks. Additional PC purchases over the past eight weeks represented just over 27 percent, compared with a 41-week average of 29.9 percent.
Consumers' PC purchasing plans last week fell to 1.55 percent of households reporting they were very likely to buy in the next six months. For the week ended Nov. 21, 1.68 percent of respondents said they were very likely to buy in that period. Over the most recent eight weeks of the survey, 1.46 percent of households said they were very likely to purchase, compared with a 41-week average of 1.8 percent.
Michael Warner, director of purchasing at Datel Computer Center, San Diego, said slower-than-expected sales last week followed a "terrible" October. "More and more in this industry, there's a small window of opportunity," Warner said. Other retailers also reported slow October sales.
Household-PC penetration declined to 43 percent last week, though the eight-week average stood at 42.25 percent. Average penetration over the 27 weeks CEMA and CRW have measured the statistic is 41.1 percent .
Meanwhile, demand for color TVs and VCRs moved ahead during the Thanksgiving week, while camcorder purchasing declined. Households reporting a color TV purchase during the past 30 days increased to 1.35 percent. Fewer households said they were very likely to buy a color TV in the next six months, however. VCR purchases last week increased from 0.61 percent to 1.10 percent. Purchase plans for VCRs were lower, though. And camcorder purchases fell from 0.2 percent of households reporting a purchase, to 0.12 percent. Plans to buy camcorders also fell.
ÿBEST WISHES
BILL |
