Product Type: Market Research Report
Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.
Published: December 2007
Product Code: R560-3092Description As personal computers became more and more affordable in recent years, they were adopted by an increasingly large audience. Currently, over three-quarters of US households own a PC and with average PC prices well under $1000, the sector is fairly mature and well-saturated. In this report, Mintel delves into the home computer sector, analyzing key market drivers, trends, manufacturers and consumer attitudes. To offer recommendations on how industry players can succeed in this highly competitive, commoditized market, Mintel analyzes:
- How broadband Internet access and advancements in computer technology have influenced home computer sales
- The effect of an uncertain economy on the home computer market
- Why industry leaders continue to shift despite the relative maturity of the home computer sector
- How Americans research their home computer purchases, and what role the traditional brick-and-mortar store plays in the final decision
- What consumers look for in a new home computer and how they use their computers at home
- How industry players can adapt their product and marketing strategies to remain competitive in coming years
This Mintel report discusses sales of personal computers. The focus of the report is on the two largest segments of this industry, notebooks and desktops. The report builds upon Mintel’s previous study on home computers, Home Computers—US, October 2006
Table of Contents - SCOPE AND THEMES
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Terms
- Target audience segmentation
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Falling prices result in limited growth
- PCs learn to play
- Changing platforms
- Notebooks take the lead
- Tough competition
- The in-store experience as a research tool
- PC specialists in trouble
- Different apps for different folks
- Carefully considered buying decisions
- Service matters
- MARKET DRIVERS
- Summary of market drivers
- The tail wagging the dog: Internet driving PC sales
- Figure 1: U.S. households with home broadband and dial-up access, 2003-07
- Wi-Fi growth important to laptop sales
- The PC as a communications platform
- Growth of entertainment and content creation applications
- Figure 2: U.S. penetration of PC-related media technologies, 2005 and 2007
- Continued price declines
- Ad-supported applications to de-marginalize Linux OS
- OS issues and the resurgence of Apple
- Figure 3: Minimum System requirements for Major Operating Systems
- Figure 4: Operating systems used, August 2007
- Limited LCD supplies
- Increased use of PCs for educational purposes
- An uncertain economy
- Recommendations
- MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS
- Figure 5: U.S. supplier sales of home computers, 2002-07
- Figure 6: U.S. Unit sales and average price per unit, 2002-07
- MARKET SEGMENTATION
- Introduction
- Figure 7: Sales of personal computers, by segment, 2005 and 2007
- Notebook PCs
- Figure 8: U.S. notebook PC sales, 2002-07
- Figure 9: Average manufacturer’s sales price for laptops, 2002-07
- Desktop PCs
- Figure 10: U.S. desktop PC sales, 2002-07
- Figure 11: U.S. desktop PC unit sales and pricing, 2002-06
- SUPPLY STRUCTURE
- Overview
- Figure 12: PC unit shipments for business and CE, by supplier, 2004-07
- Figure 13: Intent to purchase PCs, by brand, 2005 and 2007
- Industry developments and trends
- Battle of the titans
- Marketing matters
- Increased foreign competition
- ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
- Introduction
- Figure 14: U.S. media spending, by PC manufacturers and related brands, 2006
- Print advertising and direct marketing
- Television advertising
- Apple
- Figure 15: Television spot: Mac vs. PC, 2007
- Dell
- Figure 16: Television spot: Dell XPS M1330, 2007
- HP
- Figure 17: Television spot: HP pavilion DV-6000 notebook, 2007
- Online advertising
- Store promotions and discounts
- RETAIL DISTRIBUTION
- Overview
- Figure 18: Stores where most recent PC purchase was made, 2003 and 2007
- Changing channels
- Figure 19: Leading PC sellers through non-store channels, 2005 and 2006
- Computer stores hurting
- Service sells
- Niche players
- PC OWNERSHIP, INTENT TO PURCHASE AND PRIMARY OS
- Summary
- PC ownership
- Figure 20: PC ownership, by age, income, race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Laptops vs. desktops
- Figure 21: Desktop and laptop PC ownership, 2003-07
- Figure 22: Desktop and laptop PC ownership, by household income, 2007
- Figure 23: Desktop and laptop PC ownership, by race/ethnicity, 2007
- Multiple PC ownership
- Figure 24: Number of PCs Owned, 2003 and 2007
- Date of most recent purchase
- Figure 25: Date of most recent PC purchase, 2003-07
- Buying used
- Intent to purchase
- Figure 26: Intent to purchase a PC, by age, income, race/ethnicity and household size, May 2006-June 2007
- OS platforms
- Figure 27: Primary operating system used on notebook PC, by age, August 2007
- Figure 28: Primary operating system used on desktop PC, by age, August 2007
- HOW HOME PCS ARE USED
- Summary
- Use of Internet, gaming, digital photography, and telecommuting in non-Internet sampling
- Figure 29: PC application usage by non-Internet sample, 2005 and 2007
- Figure 30: Application usage by non-Internet sample, by age, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 31: Application usage by non-Internet sample, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
- Figure 32: Application usage by non-Internet sample, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
- Comparison of usage between online and offline respondents
- Figure 33: PC application usage, Internet and non-Internet samples, May 2006-June 2007 and August 2007
- Usage: Internet vs. productivity vs. entertainment
- Figure 34: Internet vs. productivity vs. entertainment, by age and income, August 2007
- Multimedia application usage
- Figure 35: Usage of multimedia applications on PCs, by age, August 2007
- Figure 36: Usage of multimedia applications on PCs, by race/ethnicity, August 2007
- Usage for productivity, communications, and Web content creation
- Figure 37: Usage of various applications on PCs, by age, August 2007
- Figure 38: Usage of various applications on PCs, by income, August 2007
- THE PURCHASING PROCESS
- Summary
- Involvement in decision-making process for notebook purchase
- Figure 39: Involvement in notebook PC purchasing decision, by gender and race/ethnicity, August 2007
- The research process
- Figure 40: Research conducted for laptop purchase, by gender, August 2007
- Figure 41: Research conducted for laptop purchase, by income, August 2007
- Factors considered in purchasing
- Figure 42: PC purchasing factors, laptops and desktops, August 2007
- Figure 43: PC purchasing factors for laptops, by age, August 2007
- Figure 44: PC purchasing factors for laptops, by household income, August 2007
- Purchase price
- Figure 45: Average PC purchase price, 2003-07
- Figure 46: Average PC purchase price, age, income, race/ethnicity and household size, May 2006-June 2007
- Service and warranty
- Figure 47: Service and warranty issues impacting PC purchase, by age, income and race/ethnicity, August 2007 60
- FUTURE TRENDS AND FORECAST
- The living room desktop and satellite laptops
- Figure 48: Size and type of most recently purchased owned, 2002-06
- PCs as lifestyle products
- The PC as a cost-saving device
- Continued price declines
- It’s all about service
- Non-PC PCs to compete with PCs
- Breaking the size barrier
- Growth of niche market PCs
- MARKET FORECAST
- Home computers
- Figure 49: Forecast of total U.S. supplier sales of home computers, at current and constant prices, 2007-11
- Notebook home computers
- Figure 50: Forecast of U.S. supplier sales of notebook home computers, at current and constant prices, 2007-1165
- Desktop home computers
- Figure 51: Forecast of U.S. supplier sales of desktop home computers, at current and constant prices, 2007-11
- Forecast factors
- APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
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