英國PC市場

Abstract

About this report

The UK retail market for PCs and laptops remains extremely competitive as rapid product development and intense competition at all levels of the market continue to drive prices down. In many cases retailers are running just to stand still and relying heavily on peripherals and accessories for any margin.

Under siege from all sides – manufacturers expanding B2C sales channels, non-specialists increasing their PC and laptop offer, growth of a new breed of online specialists – we examine the opportunities that remain for the beleaguered PC and laptop specialist.

Key issues

• How are changing UK consumer demographics likely to impact the market for PCs and laptops?
• Is the growing trend towards product convergence an opportunity or a threat?
• What factors affect the choice of where to buy a computer?
• How are the leading players coping with the threat of the online specialists?
• What does the future hold for the market and the specialists?
• Can services provide PC retailers with a way to differentiate themselves and grow sales even in a competitive market?

Table of Contents

• Issues in the Market
• Key issues
• Definitions
• Abbreviations
• Market in Brief
• 2009 to be a difficult year for PC and laptop retailers
• Mintel forecasts a slow recovery
• PC World continues to dominate the specialists sector...
• However, Best Buy' s entry set to shake up the market
• Specialists need to be about more than low prices
• Internal Market Environment
• Key points
• The impact of online
• Direct sales
• Store-based retailers moving online
• Non-specialist competition
• Product convergence
• Smartphones
• Video game consoles
• Price deflation
  • Figure 1: UK: Information processing equipment, Consumer Price Index, 1996-2008
• Netbooks
• Broader Market Environment
• Key points
• Mixed impact of changing demographics
  • Figure 2: Implications of changing demographics of the UK population for PC market, 2009-14
• The economy
  • Figure 3: UK: GDP real growth, 1999-Q1 2009
• 2008 -- consumer confidence fell but retail sales were robust
  • Figure 4: Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index, Jan 2007-May 2009
• 2009 -- confidence and spending take a rollercoaster ride
  • Figure 5: UK: Retail sales value growth, 2007-09 (May)
• Implications for PC retailing
• Competitive Context
• Key points
• Computer spending growth lags other home and recreational categories
  • Figure 6: UK: Consumer spending on selected home and recreational categories, 2004-08
  • Figure 7: UK: Consumer spending on selected categories including computer goods, 2004-08
• Computing versus audio-visual
  • Figure 8: UK: Computing vs audio visual spending: Quarterly spending comparisons, 2006-09
• Computing versus household appliances
  • Figure 9: UK: Computing vs household appliances spending: Quarterly spending comparisons, 2006-09
• Consumer prices
  • Figure 10: UK: Consumer price index on select categories including computer goods, 1996-2008
• The bigger picture
  • Figure 11: UK: Things the recession has prevented consumers doing or buying over the next six months, February 2009
• Strengths and Weaknesses in the Market
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Market Size and Forecast
• Key points
• Economic and consumer outlook
• Market and retail forecasts
• Technical notes
• Short-term outlook for retailing is poor
• Computer spending will lose retail market share
  • Figure 12: UK: Computer market size and retail sales, 2004-14
• Outlook for computer retailers
• Low consumer confidence will hit computer sales in the short term
• Price-sensitive consumers
• Are specialists more vulnerable in the short term?
• New kids on the block
• Can manufacturers create new opportunities?
• ... and what about netbooks?
• Past trends
  • Figure 13: UK: Retail sales of information processing equipment sold through specialist retail outlets*, 2000-07
• Channels of Distribution
• Specialist computer retailers
• Manufacturers
• Generalist electrical retailers
• Mixed goods retailers
• Grocers
• Distributors/resellers
• Specialists dominate the market
  • Figure 14: UK: Retailer used for buying last main home computer, June 2009
• Retail Competitor Analysis
• Key points
• PC World dominates the specialists sector
• Poles apart
• Dell is the top product brand
• Online specialists
• Fierce challenges
  • Figure 15: UK: Leading retailers of PCs, 2007 and 2008
• Market shares
  • Figure 16: UK: Leading retailers of PCs, market shares, 2007 and 2008
• Evaluation
  • Figure 17: PC retailing specialists, evaluation
• Retail Advertising and Promotion
• Key points
• UK advertising expenditure
• PC specialists
  • Figure 18: Main media advertising spend on hardware, by PC specialists, 2004-09
  • Figure 19: Main media advertising spend on hardware as % of sales, by PC specialists, 2004-08
  • Figure 20: Main media advertising spend on hardware of PC specialists, by media type, 2008
  • Figure 21: Main media advertising spend on hardware, by PC specialists, by media type, 2008
• Non-specialist retailers
  • Figure 22: Main media advertising spend on computer hardware, by leading non-specialist retailers, 2006-09
  • Figure 23: Leading non-specailists' main media advertising spend on computer hardware, by media type, 2008
• Figure 24: Main media advertising spend on hardware, by leading non-specialist retailers, by media type, 2008
• Product brands
  • Figure 25: Main media advertising spend on compuer hardware, by product brands, 2006-09
  • Figure 26: Total product brands' main media advertising spend, by media type, 2008
  • Figure 27: Main media advertising spend, by leading product brands, by media type, 2008
• Where They Buy PCs and Laptops
• Key points
• Where people buy personal computers
  • Figure 38: Retailers/channels used for buying last home computer, June 2009
• DSGi need better integration of channels
• Tesco making inroads
• Mobile phone stores muscle in too
  • Figure 39: Retailers/channels used for buying last home computer in-store, June 2009
• Other computer specialists
• Other source
  • Figure 40: Retailers/channels used for buying last home computer online, June 2009
• Who buys where
  • Figure 41: PC world and other source, usage by age, June 2009
  • Figure 42: Retailer used for buying last home computer, by socio-economic group, June 2009
  • Figure 43: Retailer shopped at for last main computer by gender, age, working status and socio-economic group, June 2009
• Which PC or Laptop They Buy and How Much They Spend
• Key points
• Last purchase equally split between laptops and desktops
  • Figure 44: Type of computer bought, June 2009
• More young people buy higher-priced laptops
  • Figure 45: Last bought a laptop, by price band and age, June 2009
  • Figure 46: Spend on laptop purchase, by gender, age, working status and socio-economic group, June 2009
• Men in the market for higher-priced desktops
  • Figure 47: Last bought a desktop, by price band and gender, June 2009
  • Figure 48: Spend on desktop purchase, by gender, age, working status and socio-economic group, June 2009
• General ownership of laptops versus desktops differs
  • Figure 49: Last bought a laptop or desktop, by age, June 2009
  • Figure 50: Last bought a laptop or desktop, by socio-economic group, June 2009
  • Figure 51: Last bought a laptop or desktop, by selected working status breaks, June 2009
• Amount spent against place of purchase
  • Figure 52: Spend on laptop/desktop purchase, by retailer used to get the main computer, June 2009
• Apple Retail UK
• Strategic evaluation
• History
• Financial performance
  • Figure 59: Apple Retail UK: Estimated financial performance, 2004-08
• Store portfolio
  • Figure 60: Apple Retail UK: Outlet data, 2004-08
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands and product offer
• Advertising and marketing
• e-commerce
• Dabs.com
• History
• Financial performance
  • Figure 61: Dabs.com: Group financial performance, 2004/05-2008/09
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands
• Product offer
• Pricing
• e-commerce and home shopping
• Dell (Global Consumer)
• Strategic evaluation
• History
• Financial performance
  • Figure 62: Dell: Financial performance, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 63: Dell: Consumer sales in USA and EMEA, 2006/07-2008/09
• Store portfolio
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Product offer
  • Figure 64: Dell: Global product breakdown, % share of group sales, 2008/09
• Pricing
• Advertising and marketing
• e-commerce and home shopping
• DSG International (PC World/PC City)
• Strategic evaluation
• Recent history
• Financial performance
  • Figure 65: DSG International: Group financial performance and outlet data, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 66: DSG International: Computing division financial performance and outlet data, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 67: DSGi UK Computing: Sales and operating profit, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 68: PC City: Financial performance, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 69: Currys and UniEuro: Financial performance, 2004/05-2008/09
• Store portfolio
  • Figure 70: PC World: Outlet data, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 71: PC City: Stores and sales area, 2004/05-2008/09
  • Figure 72: Currys and UniEuro: Outlet data, 2004/05-2008/09
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands
• Product offer
• Pricing
• Operational issues
• Kesa Electricals
• Strategic evaluation
• History
• Financial performance
  • Figure 73: Kesa Electricals: Group financial performance, 2006/07-2008/09
• Store portfolio
  • Figure 74: Kesa Electricals: Outlet data, 2006-09
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands
• Product offer
• Pricing
• Customer services
• Advertising and marketing
• e-commerce and home shopping
  • Figure 75: Kesa electricals: Websites, 2009
• Micro Anvika
• Financial performance
  • Figure 76: Micro Anvika: Group financial performance, 2003/04-2007/08
• Store portfolio
  • Figure 77: Micro Anvika : Outlet data, 2003/04-2007/08
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands
• Product offer
• Pricing
• Advertising and marketing
• e-commerce and home shopping
• Misco
• History
• Financial performance
  • Figure 78: Systemax: Group financial performance, 2004-08
• Store portfolio
• Retail offering
• Market positioning
• Brands and product offer
• Advertising and marketing
• Appendix -- Where They Buy PCs and Laptops
  • Figure 79: Main computer bought online or in-store, by demographics, June 2009
  • Figure 80: Retailer shopped at to get the main computer, by demographics, June 2009
• Appendix -- Which PC or Laptop They Bought and How Much They Spent
  • Figure 81: Type of computer bought and spend, by demographics, June 2009
  • Figure 82: Spend on laptop purchase, by demographics, June 2009
  • Figure 83: Spend on desktop purchase, by demographics, June 2009
  • Figure 84: Any spend on laptop or desktop, by demographics, June 2009