nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com
<<<
Japan's PC Retailers See Big Sales Rise in 4th Week of April May 26, 1998 (TOKYO) -- According to survey results compiled by GfK Japan Ltd., unit sales of personal computers at discount shops in the fourth week of April (from April 27 to May 3, 1998) increased 25.5 percent from the previous week. Sales by value rose 23.5 percent, according to GfK Japan, an information service company that provides point of sales (POS) data.
The sales for the fourth week of April surpassed the results for the same week in the preceding year (from April 28 to May 4, 1997) by 15.2 percent in the number of PCs and by 2.7 percent in terms of value. (See table )
This was the fifth straight week in which weekly sales of PCs surpassed the year-earlier sales level. However, PCs also sold at a brisk pace in the fourth week of April and the first week of May last year because that period comprises the "Golden Week" holiday season in Japan. Weekly sales of PCs this year showed a small growth from the preceding year both in number and value.
On the other hand, the average PC price declined from 226,015 yen (US$1,660) to 222,361 yen (US$1,630).
Average retail prices of PCs continued declining from the fourth week of March. The average for notebook PCs fell 5,448 yen (US$40) from the mean of the previous week in the fourth week of April. The average for desktop PCs fell 1,570 yen (US$10) from the preceding week. The main price range of PCs has fallen below 210,000 yen (US$1,540). However, a further decline in prices is not expected because PC makers are scheduled to introduce new models in late May.
The data that GfK Japan releases comes from about 2,000 outlets of 41 firms. GfK Japan selected the 41 in 1996, and it has been releasing their data since then.
GfK Japan covers a great number of outlets with combined unit sales accounting for about 10 percent of total domestic PC shipments and about 25 percent of total retail sales. >>>> |
