Gartner: PC shipments fell 30% during first quarter

Market analysis firm Gartner says shipments of new PCs plummeted during the first quarter of 2023, with brand owners offering steep discounts to clear out inventory. An analyst estimates prices will rise moderately through this year, however. 

The data provides electronics resale companies with a snapshot of computer market demand, which affects both their incoming supply of used electronics and their secondary market selling prices.

Gartner on April 11 reported that the number of PCs shipped out for sale worldwide during the first quarter was down 30% year over year. It was the second quarter in a row of “historic year-over-year decline,” according to a press release. 

In the U.S., specifically, PC shipments declined 25.8% in the first quarter, compared with the first quarter of 2022. 

The analysis cited robust inventories but low demand because of economic uncertainties and “lack of purchase motivation.” 

“PC pricing pressures intensified during the quarter as vendors offered considerable discounts to clear inventory,” Mikako Kitagawa, director analyst at Gartner, stated in the release. 

The lower average selling prices were temporary, however, Kitagawa noted. Average selling prices for “new PCs shipping into the channels remained elevated due to inflation-driven supply chain cost increases.” She predicted that average prices will increase moderately this year. 

There are some warning signs for ITAD companies, which rely on clients’ IT replacement projects for their supply. Kitagawa said business PC purchases were particularly slow for small and mid-sized companies. 

“PCs are often the first area to face budget cuts as the product life can be extended,” she noted. “In contrast, spending in other technology segments such as software and IT services is expected to grow in 2023.”