Back to School - Notebooks in, Desktops Out

A new study from research firm NPD Group shows back to school spending on consumer technology was up this year; driven by notebooks and LCD televisions.

The buying time frame covered in the study spans from the first week of July through the Labor day weekend. Spending for consumer technology, which includes IT, imaging, audio, video, and consumables, increased 6.4 percent in dollar volume over the same period last year.

Notebooks Help Lead the Charge

Notebook computers had a great showing for the back-to-school season. Unit sales increased 50 percent. Dollar volume increased about 18 percent and average prices continued to drop from about $1,081 in 2005 to $849 in 2006.

Desktop computers took a backseat with revenue down almost 17 percent and unit sales off about 3.5 percent.

"Notebook computers have been making a move in the PC market," said Stephen Baker, vice president, industry analysis, The NPD Group. "For back-to-school, especially for high school and college students, it's more practical to purchase a notebook to take to class and to the library," said Baker.

This is a trend that will surely continue. It takes nothing more than a glance at our most popular notebooks list to see that it's dominated by value machines, including the Toshiba Satellite A105, which offers configurations under $600.

 

As laptop prices continue to drop, they will only continue to gain popularity. Especially if their performance continues to increase as well.

I sure wish my first laptop was that cheap. I paid through the nose for that one in '99.

 

Brian, where can I find the study from NPD Group? Any link? Need it to write a paper. Thanks.

 

Here's a link about the initiative to provide every student with a laptop. Not sure about the NPD group

BusinessWeek, A Laptop at Every Desk

 

You generally have to spend several thousand dollars to buy their reports

You better just use us as a reference.

 

I'd love to use NBR as reference. Only problem is that references quoted from forums are not allowed for my paper. The source has to be from business journals, academic publications etc. Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll try to google for it then. The NPD study probably would be mentioned in some business journals.