India witnessed a historic surge in PC shipments, hitting a record 4.5 million units in the July-September quarter of 2023, marking a 14% year-on-year increase, per IDC data. This unexpected growth stemmed from brands ramping up supplies ahead of festive season sales and a brief government import ban in August, swiftly reversed thereafter.
Traditional PC segments—desktops, notebooks, and workstations—experienced varying growth rates. Notebooks rose by 13.1%, while desktops surged by 19.3%. Despite a stable commercial sector, the consumer segment notably spiked by 26.3% compared to the previous year.
The surge was attributed to anticipatory measures taken by vendors in response to the government’s announcement of a mandatory import license for PCs starting October 30, subsequently put on hold. This proactive approach aimed to prevent supply shortages or price hikes, especially during the festival season.
Specific sectors, like education driven by projects like the Gujarat education initiative, experienced remarkable growth of 117.5%. E-commerce platforms also rebounded with a 26.4% increase in online retail sales.
While there’s a notable channel push in the consumer and SME segments, concerns linger regarding a decline in enterprise orders, projected to drop by over 20% in 2023, according to Navkendar Singh, IDC India’s associate vice president for Devices Research.
HP Inc. held the largest market share at 29.4%, credited to an aggressive inventory strategy that led to the company’s most substantial consumer quarter on record.
Lenovo secured the second spot with a 17% market share, although its shipments fell by 8.8% year-on-year. Dell Technologies, with a 14.6% share, saw modest growth while maintaining a healthy channel inventory.
ASUS surpassed Acer to claim the fourth position with a 12.5% share, achieving its most significant consumer quarter by surpassing 500,000 units sold. Acer, despite recording robust growth, slipped to fifth place, emphasizing its focus on online sales channels.
