Assemblers rule the PC market

BANGALORE: IDC research indicates that local

assemblers continue to control a significant share of the overall PC market.

Contrary to trends witnessed in the year 2000 when MNC vendors made rapid gains,

year 2001 saw local assemblers regaining lost ground for reasons of Price

advantage, personal touch and better reach.

According to the research, the market for PC’s in 2001

crossed the two million mark to total at 2,079,572 units for Rs 8,820 crore.

Within these numbers, local assemblers accounted a lion’s share of 64.7 per

cent of the overall market. The share of MNC vendors stood at 20.3 per cent of

overall units in 2001. Indian brands such as HCL, Wipro, Zenith and Vintron,

accounted for 15 per cent of the overall market.

In terms of segments, local assemblers continued to dominate

the home, small business and the small office with 78.2 per cent, 79.1 per cent

and 81.3 per cent share respectively.

The study also reveals that MNC brands have made major

inroads into the home market with the help of bundling, road shows and

innovative schemes for much of the year. For instance Compaq Presario accounted

for 8.1 per cent of total home market shipments. Indian brands continued their

strong hold on the government and the education segment.

The market in 2001, earmarked a period of stabilization for

local assemblers, confirms the study. No major shortfall of components coupled

with an increase in activity at the entry level for reasons of slow down in the

economy did well to spur volumes for assemblers. IDC research indicates that the

assembler market will continue to have a strong hold on the Indian PC market.