March PC sales #s:
IBM Outsells Packard Bell NEC
(04/28/98; 3:28 p.m. ET)
By Roger C. Lanctot, Computer Retail Week
Retail-PC sales auditor Intelect ASW Marketing Services reported
Tuesday that IBM captured the third-largest share of retail PC sales in
March, with a 222 percent increase in unit sales compared with March
1997.
That sales gain helped propel the company ahead of Packard Bell
NEC, formerly the retail-market leader, which fell into fourth place as
a result of a 46 percent decline in retail unit volume compared with last
year.
Overall, unit PC sales at retail, including computer superstores,
increased 33 percent in March compared with March 1997, and added
4 percent compared with February 1998, Intelect ASW reported. The
auditor's data is based on and projected from audited sales from chains
and computer dealers representing 4,900 locations.
Packard Bell said it was hoping to get a boost this spring from sales of
new low-end and midrange PC systems introduced in March. While
Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM waited to refresh their low-end
retail offerings, Packard Bell sought to gain ground in the run-up to the
launch of Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system upgrade, which
is set for June 25.
But retailers contacted by CRWi said the new systems have not
stimulated Packard Bell's sales, despite heavy advertising and
promotion. "It just didn't happen," said one merchandising manager,
who asked not to be named.
The Intelect ASW findings corroborated PC Data's results, released
last week, which also ranked IBM in third place and Packard Bell in
fourth. The company's strong Advanced Micro Devices K6-based E
Series PC sales spurred IBM's advance to third place. Market leader
Compaq has also benefited from strong sales of non-Intel PCs.
Houston-based Compaq nearly doubled its sales rate in March 1998,
with a 94 percent increase over March of last year.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett-Packard achieved the biggest gain.
The company's March sales increased 374 percent compared with
March 1997. Toshiba America, based in New York, was down 26
percent in fifth place. San Jose, Calif.-based Acer added 73 percent to
finish sixth. Apple, in Cupertino, Calif., experienced a 3 percent
decline in seventh place. |
