The year 2015 was one of the worst recorded years in terms of PC shipments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), according to International Data Corporation (IDC).
For the third consecutive year, the PC market contracted double-digit units reaching a volume of 13,7-million in 2015, posting a 26,2% decline year-on-year.
The year 2015 was also one of the most difficult for PC manufacturers in the CEE region. The vendors were unable to leap over obstacles to turn the PC market around. PC shipments in 2014 were boosted by Microsoft’s Bing promotion attracting price-sensitive end users and thus creating a challenging YoY comparison especially in the consumer space.
High channel stock levels through 2015, caused by the large volumes of Bing inventories at the end of 2014, prevented new shipments.
The overall PC consumer segment recorded an annual decline of 27,6% compared to 2014. The PC demand in the commercial space contracted by 23,9% YoY to a lesser extend then the consumer space, inhibited by the previous year renewals wave of Windows XP end of life-support in 2014, in addition to low IT investments due to squeezed budgets.
The unpredictable currencies fluctuation coupled with the low oil prices created additional economic uncertainties across the Eastern sub-region with Russia and CIS countries putting heavy weight to low regional PC shipments. Together with high inflation all this resulted in lower consumer purchasing power and commercial IT budget cuts all factors that caused the sharp PC market decline in the sub-region.
“The year 2016 is expected to soften up in terms of average annual decline,” says Nikolina Jurisic, programme manager for IDC CEMA. “Current economic outlook for the Eastern sub-region will remain an inhibitor in the near future, but better inventory levels and a more stable economic outlook in the Central part of the region will somewhat offset the decline.
“The volume of PC shipments is expected to reach the lower level compared to 2015 in the first half on the year, showing signs of stabilisation in the second-half of 2016.”
The top three vendors strengthened their market position YoY, accounting for 56,5% of market share in 2015 versus 51,9% in 2014.
Lenovo retained the top spot in 2015 performing better than the market in both consumer and commercial segments. HP remained second on total PC market and first in commercial segment, while Asus retained third position in 2015.
