PC shipments have been struggling in the wake of severe inflationary pressure because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up reducing the amount of spare cash that consumers might have on hand. In the third quarter of 2022, global PC shipments fell to 71.1 million units which represents a 15.5% decline year over year. This continues the downward trend that was noted in the second quarter of 2022, and it does not bode well for the next fiscal year as far as PC sales are concerned.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the resolution of shipment issues pertaining to PC components has not done much to assuage the concerns of OEMs who continue to have a conservative outlook for the fourth quarter of this year. These OEMs have engaged in significant promotional activities to try to drive sales, but in spite of the fact that this is the case they have not seen any momentum that could be generated let alone maintained.
The back to school season is supposed to be a time of increased sales for the PC industry, but this year seems to be an outlier that suggests that sales will be lower than might have been the case otherwise. Apple is among the only OEMs that have reported an increase in shipments, with Apple specifically reporting a 7% uptick in global shipments for its personal computer products with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Meanwhile, Dell has experienced a 20% decline in sales, Lenovo has seen its sales plummet by 16%, and while Asus has fared somewhat better it too has seen a 9% decline in global PC shipments. All of this suggests a muted rate of growth for the PC industry in the next year, and it will be interested to see if a reduction in inflation will make any difference. Economic forecasts are still quite bleak, so the PC industry might see an extended period of stagnation that might upend the paradigm of the industry.
Read next: In light of the ongoing economic crisis, half of the US workforce wants to work overtime to earn more
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the resolution of shipment issues pertaining to PC components has not done much to assuage the concerns of OEMs who continue to have a conservative outlook for the fourth quarter of this year. These OEMs have engaged in significant promotional activities to try to drive sales, but in spite of the fact that this is the case they have not seen any momentum that could be generated let alone maintained.
The back to school season is supposed to be a time of increased sales for the PC industry, but this year seems to be an outlier that suggests that sales will be lower than might have been the case otherwise. Apple is among the only OEMs that have reported an increase in shipments, with Apple specifically reporting a 7% uptick in global shipments for its personal computer products with all things having been considered and taken into account.
Meanwhile, Dell has experienced a 20% decline in sales, Lenovo has seen its sales plummet by 16%, and while Asus has fared somewhat better it too has seen a 9% decline in global PC shipments. All of this suggests a muted rate of growth for the PC industry in the next year, and it will be interested to see if a reduction in inflation will make any difference. Economic forecasts are still quite bleak, so the PC industry might see an extended period of stagnation that might upend the paradigm of the industry.
Read next: In light of the ongoing economic crisis, half of the US workforce wants to work overtime to earn more
