To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (43945 ) 3/19/2001 9:28:27 AM From: Proud_Infidel Respond to of 70976 PC Sales in Fourth Week of February Fall Below Year-Ago Level in Volume, Value March 19, 2001 (TOKYO) -- Japan's PC sales in volume and value during the fourth week of February decreased again to less than the level recorded in the same week of 2000. According to a survey by GfK Japan Ltd., an information service dealing with POS data collected from 3,200 volume retailers of household electric appliances, PC sales in the fourth week of February (Feb. 19-25, 2001) decreased by 5.9 percent in volume and 5.0 percent in values over the previous week. In comparison with the same week last year (Feb. 21-27, 2000), PC sales decreased by 9.6 percent in volume and decreased by 14.3 percent in value. The average retail price rose from the previous week's 190,142 yen to 191,932 yen (121.88 yen = US$1). Notebook PC sales in volume rose by a scant 2.4 percent, while desktop PC sales decreased by 20.7 percent, showing a notable difference from that of the previous year. Following the over-the-counter appearance of new models in rapid succession, the average retail price rose to a higher level after quite some time, resulting in 173,899 yen for desktops, which is the next highest price ever recorded since the price was at the highest 174,637 yen in the fourth week of November 1999. The notebook PC price rose to 207,180 yen, which is also a second highest next to 212,383 yen in the first week of September 2000. B>Table: PC Sales in the Fhird Week of Feb. 2001 (GfK Japan survey) Comparison with the same week a year ago (Feb. 21-27, 2000) Total Desktop PC Notebook PC Week-on-week comparison Year-before weekly comparison Week-on-week comparison Year-before weekly comparison Week-on-week comparison Year-before weekly comparison Volume -5.9% -9.6% -4.9% -20.7% -6.7% +2.4% Value -5.0% -14.3% -3.8% -19.0% -5.8% -10.7% Previous report: PC Sales in Japan Rise Y-O-Y on Holiday Shopping (Nikkei Market Access)