美国PC市场分析报告（英文版）

TheconsumerPCmarketintheUnitedStatesAreportpreparedfortheOfficeofFairTradingbyCompetaITbv&KnowledgeOxideLtd.December2002OFT610bAuthorsofthisreportCompetaITbv&KnowledgeOxideLtdZeeStraat552518AA,DenHaagTheNetherlandsTel:[phone]Contact:AndyHaxbyFurthercopiesFurthercopiesofthispapercanbedownloaded-anditscompanionvolumes(listedbelow)-fromourwebsiteat(referenceoft610)TheconsumerPCmarketinEurope(referenceoft610a)OFTpublicationsorderlineOFTinformationleafletscanbeorderedfreeofchargeon08706060321.InformationontheinternetYoucanalsoorderOFTpublicationsonlineandfindadviceandinformationonconsumerrightsandontheworkoftheOFTat©Crowncopyright2002Thismaterialmaybefreelyreproduced,exceptforsaleoradvertisingpurposes.CONTENTSChapterPage1Executivesummary1Marketstructure1Marketdirection1MeetingtheinformationandserviceneedsofPCconsumers2Sourcesofconsumercomplaintanddissatisfaction3Initiatives32ThestructureanddirectionoftheconsumerPCmarketintheUnitedStates4TheUSPCmarket:prolongedweakness4Marketsaturation5LongerPClifecycles6ThePCascommodity7EmergingtrendsintheconsumerPCmarket83MeetingtheinformationalandserviceneedsofPCconsumersintheUnitedStates19Pre-salesinformation19Pointofpurchaseinformation20Aftersalesinformationandservice21Sourcesofconsumercomplaintanddissatisfaction224Initiatives:addressingsourcesofconsumerdissatisfactionandcomplaint27Lemonlaws27Replacementwarranties30Consumeradviceguide315Conclusion32AnnexePageAReferences33FigurePage2.1HomePCsinuseworldwide,2001and2007(inmillions)42.2HomePCpenetration,1995-2002(aspercent(%)ofhouseholdswithatleastonePC)62.3Manufacturers'shareofPCsalesatleadingPCretailstoresintheUS,April200292.4Manufacturers'averageshareofshelfspaceatleadingPCretailersintheUS92.5RetailITrevenuesintheUSbycomputerproductcategory,2001122.6USinkjetprintermarketshare,200115Table2.7Top50PCretailersintheUnitedStates163.1DecliningqualityofhomePCtechnicalsupport233.2ReliabilityofhomePCs24OfficeofFairTrading11EXECUTIVESUMMARY1.1ThisreportinvestigatesthestructureanddirectionoftheconsumerPCmarketintheUnitedStatesandtheextenttowhichtheinformationandserviceneedsofconsumersarebeingmetwithinit.Marketstructure1.2ThereisoverwhelmingevidencethattheUSconsumerPCmarketissaturated.1.3OwnershavebeenincreasinglyreluctanttoreplacetheirexistingPCs,resultinginlongerproductlifecyclesinboththeconsumerandbusinessmarkets.1.4Aslowdowninthepaceofrecentinnovationhasimpacteduponconsumers'perceptionsofthePC.PCsareincreasinglyperceivedtobemainstreamconsumerelectronicsproductsratherthanhightechnologyitems.Marketdirection1.5DecliningdemandandlowermarginshaveledtosignificantconsolidationamongstPCmanufacturersservingtheconsumermarket.TherearesixmanufacturerswhonowdominateconsumerPCsales.1.6AsPCconsumershavebecomemoreexperienced,theappealofspecialistretailersandmanufacturershasgrown.Thisisespeciallytrueofmanufacturerssellingdirectand/oronline.1.7Asaconsequenceofmarketsaturation,lowermarginsonPCsalesandconsolidationamongstmanufacturers,theconsumerPCmarkethasbeendrivenalmostexclusivelybyaggressivepricingformorethan18months.Specialpromotions,rebatesandupgradeshavebecomethekeywayforretailersandmanufacturerstodifferentiatethemselvesamongstconsumers.1.8InviewoffallingrevenuesfromconsumerPCsales,USretailersandmanufacturershaveshiftedtheirattentiontowardsalternativesourcesofrevenuegrowth–mostespeciallyfromnewperipheralproductcategoriessuchasLCDmonitors,personaldigitalassistantsandrecordableCD-drives.However,thesinglelargestproportionofretailITrevenue–morethan29percent-isnowgeneratedfromsalesofprintingconsumablessuchasinkcartridges,lasertonersandspecialistprintingpapers.2TheconsumerPCmarketintheUnitedStatesDecember20021.9RetailersandmanufacturershaveaggressivelytargetedUSconsumersinrecentyearsinpursuitofthegreaterrevenuesaffordedbyprintingconsumables.Strategiesincludeaggressivepricingonprinterhardwareandthetargetingofdigitalimagingtechnologiesatthemassmarket.MeetingtheinformationandserviceneedsofPCconsumers1.10USconsumersrelyheavilyonpre-salesadviceandinformationfromsalesstaffinlargeelectronicsstores.Moreover,productadvertisingremainsakeysourceofbothgeneralandpricinginformationforUSconsumers.However,onlinesourceshavealsobecomeakeypointofreferenceforUSconsumersseekingproductinformationandanincreasinglyimportanttoolwithwhichtofind(comparative)pricinginformation.1.11Thekeyadvantageofretailstores–theaddedvalueofface-to-facesalesadvice,particularlyforinexperiencedconsumers-hasdeclinedinrelevanceasincreasingnumbersofconsumershavebecomeexperiencedinthepurchaseofhomePCsandmoreconfidentinusingdirectchannelstomakethosepurchases.1.12Facedwithdecliningmargins,manufacturershaveinrecentyearsaggressivelytargetedthecost-baseoftheiraftersalesrepairandtechnicalsupportoperations.Aprimarymeansofcuttingsupportcostshasbeentoshiftfront-linetechnicalsupportawayfromcallcentreoperationstotheinternet.1.13USconsumersareofferedarangeofenh