Japan's PC Sales Up in 4th Week of July Due to Window 98
August 24, 1998 (TOKYO) -- Owing to the impact of Microsoft Corp.'s release of Windows 98, sales have been brisk of personal computers at Japan's large retailers of electronic products.
According to the tabulation by GfK Japan, Ltd., an information service company that handles POS data for large retailers of electric appliances, sales of personal computers in the fourth week of July (July 27 - August 2, 1998) increased 14.5 percent in number of units sold, and by 19.5 percent in sales amount, compared to the preceding week (See table).
If a comparison is made with the same week in the previous year (July 28 - August 3, 1997), the results represent an increase of 77.8 percent in number of units and 70.2 percent in sales amount year-on-year. While the results fall short of those for the third and fourth weeks of March 1997 -- immediately before the implementation of the higher consumption tax on April 1, 1997, the results recorded the third highest level since the start of the survey.
In particular, sales of notebook personal computers are especially brisk both in units sold and value, with sales reaching new record high levels. Demand for mini-tower type and space-saving type personal computers has been growing as well, and sales of desktop and tower-type personal computers also increased.
The average sales price of personal computers (for both desktops and notebooks combined) increased by 9,876 yen (US$70) from the previous week's price of 226,545 yen (US$1,580) to 236,421 yen (US$1,650).
The average price for a desktop type increased by 7,818 yen (US$55), and that of the notebook type increased by 10,854 yen (US$76) from the previous week. This appears to indicate a consumer psychology along the lines of "as long as I'm buying a new PC, I might as well buy a good one." And this apparently led to brisk sales.
The data GfK Japan releases are from about 2,000 outlets of 41 firms.
GfK Japan initially picked the 41 firms in 1996 and it has been releasing their data since then.
GfK Japan covers a far greater number of outlets with combined unit-based sales accounting for about 10 percent of Japan's PC shipments and about 25 percent of total retail sales.
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