The overall market characteristics of desktop computer in China
1. The market capacity of brand desktop computers reduced and the market share of assembled computer increased
According to retail monitoring data of 153 cities by GFK (China), in the first half of the year, the retail quantity of the overall desktop computer has fell by 6%, where the market about assembled desktop computer kept flat with the same time in 2011 and 2010, while brand desktop computer had 10% decrease, share of the assembled computer in the desktop computer market had increased 4%.
The reasons of above are as follows:
First, as the main driving force to pull the overall desktop market development, integrated computer increased slowly in the first half of 2011, however there was 7% increasing, comparing with the average 126% in 2011, the increasing speed clearly slowed down. In the case of lack of driving force for innovative products in desktop computer market, there is no doubt that the slow development of integrated computer will accelerate the shrinking of the market of brand desktop computer.
Second, the price of assembled computer is a most advantage to attract consumers.
Finally, arbitrary assembling makes the assembled computer can meet the various needs of consumers. Unlike brand desktop computers, assembled desktop computers are fully oriented at the customers, and customers can choose according to their own demands at random, more conducive to the upgrading of the hardware.
2. Adjust about national policy expected to expand sales channel, the increasing in low level cities had stagnation
For desktop computer, a high mature market, expecting the change of product form, deep expansion of channel has been an important method of market competition.
The ratio of retail sales of non-traditional IT channels ranged from 19% in the first season of the year to 24% in the fourth season, and the absolute year-on-year growth rate of the retail sales has been maintained at above 20%, mainly due to the changes of consumer spending habits and the motivation from the input into non-traditional IT channels by the manufacturers. But since 2012, with the ending of “TM” policy, the price advantage of non-traditional IT channels is not obvious, especially the share of retail sales decreasing by 4% in the first season. However, under the driven by May Day in the second season, the share had a certain increase, but this not meant the pick of non-traditional IT channels. Without no motive policy or no effective marketing strategy, non- traditional IT channels will be in low ebb for a sustained period.
3. Product configuration continue to increase steadily
In the aspect of processor, the mature of second-generation Core intelligent processor based on Sandy Bridge micro framework, meaning that the processor had walked to an integration way. With the advantages of stronger performance, lower power consumption and so on, the sales of second-generation Core intelligent processor is increasing steadily. According to retail monitoring data of 153 cities by GFK (China), in assembled computer market, the ratio of products with Core intelligent processors has reached up to 45%, while in the market of brand desktop computers, the ratio has up to 37%.
In the aspect of screen size, with the increasing popularity of high-definition movies and 3D games, large-screen display can give users a more smooth and comfortable visual experience. In the first half of the year, the market of brand desktop computers, the share of screen with 20 inches stayed steadily, and has up to 50%, having 5% increase comparing with the same time last year; at the same time, the share of screen with 23 inches also increasing by 5%.
In other aspects, 2GB memory is still the mainstream of the market, sharing above 75%, a slight decrease comparing with the same time in 2011. However, the share of 4GB memory is gradually increasing, having a double more than the same time in 2011, over 20% now.
The future of the overall market of desktop computer
Because of more promotional activity in the second half of the year, there will be an increase of sales quantity in desktop computer, compared with the first half of the year. However, as a mature product market, consumer demand has been gradually released completely, with the end of “TM” policy and appliances to the countryside project into a stable phase, market capacity is difficult to be a significant growth, and will be the same scale as the year before.
For the future of desktop computer, there are opportunities and challenges.
As a mature market, the challenges is that, there will be a continued competition compress to desktop computer from emerging product market, notebooks still keeping a relative higher increasing speed, flourishing PAD, accompanied with the emerging of new products, more stronger feature configuration and software applications, providing more rich choice for customer.
From the sales channel, after the end of “TM” policy, we need future observation whether the promotional activity is a positive way to increasing the sales.
In addition, the available of Intel’s third generation of Ivy Bridge platform and the release of Windows 8 operating system will make the configuration of desktop computers a further enhance, at the same time, Windows 8 is also the first Windows operating system which can support low cost ARM microprocessor platform; this characteristic will lead to a new desktop computer with more affordable price, and can promote the market at a certain degree.
Oriented with demand Focus to low level market
Future desktop computer will face a multiple pressure from emerging markets, so the manufacturers always need to put the users’ needs at the first orientation, developing more positive coping strategies, to face the increasingly fierce market competition.
First, focus the development of low level market. In addition to continue to layout in a mature market, the manufacturers have to consider that the potential demand of the market in town and countryside is still huge. With the development of the overall economic in low-level market, the huge user base can still be able to support its steady development. With this opportunity, the manufacturers should grasp the consumer exactly, create differentiated products, permeate suitable products to market of this level effectively, and will enhance its overall market share.
Second, in business field, desktop computer still has a broad development space. It is difficult for this field to suffer the impact of the notebook or PAD market. Many companies in the field of medic, traffic, energy and public utilities have the plan of changing or buying new computers. For the manufacturers, they need to work more on meeting the need of this kind of agents, providing more perfect personalized products and services.
Over all, although the development of the market of desktop computer is slow, facing the huge market demand in China, especially the low-level market, consumer demand-oriented and respond to the change of market positively, there will be a stable increase of the market of desktop computer in the future.
2010-2015年中国台式电脑市场战略及投资分析
