Black Friday sales of Windows notebooks down 10%, Apple's MacBooks stay flat
Retail sales of Apple notebooks on Black Friday were flat year over year as overall consumer electronics sales declined nearly 6 percent, while sales of Windows-based notebooks plummeted 10 percent despite the launch of Windows 8.
The NPD Group announced on Tuesday that U.S. consumer electronics retail sales for Black Friday declined 5.6 percent, which was a steeper than anticipated drop. NPD's tracking of consumer electronics excludes Apple's iPad, as well as Kindle products, Microsoft Surface, mobile phones and video games.
Retail sales data from Nov. 18 through 24 found that sales of Windows-based notebooks were down 10 percent. Sales of Apple notebooks, meanwhile, were flat with 2011.
The decline in Windows notebook sales came despite the fact that Microsoft recently launched its new Windows 8 platform. Devices running Windows 8 represented 89 percent of notebook sales with an average selling price of $368, while touchscreens accounted for 3 percent of sales with an average selling price of $668.
Most of Apple's MacBook lineup was refreshed this summer, but the company did launch its 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display in October. That machine carries a $500 premium over the legacy non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, which Apple continues to offer.
Though overall notebook sales were down 10 percent year over year for the 2012 Black Friday shopping holiday, revenue was only down 5 percent. That's because the average selling price of notebooks increased from $437 in 2011 to $460 in 2012.
Beyond notebook computers, sales of Android-based tablets were up 177 percent year over year. Revenue was up about half as much, as the average selling price of Android tablets plummeted from $219 to $151.
Sales of flat panel TVs were also up slightly, earning a 4 percent increase from 2011. But 2012 revenue on flat panel TVs for Black Friday was down 6 percent, as the average selling price dropped from $367 a year ago to $333 this year.
MP3 players saw a steep drop this year, as sales fell 24 percent. And Black Friday sales of point-and-shoot cameras plummeted 36 percent this year as consumers rely largely on other devices, like their smartphone, for photo taking.
"This slow start is merely a continuation of the challenges seen in the consumer electronics business throughout 2012," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. "In an unbalanced market, where just a few categories deliver significant dollars, and even fewer offer any growth, the ability to deliver positive results will remain difficult for companies exposed to the entire consumer electronics marketplace."
The NPD Group announced on Tuesday that U.S. consumer electronics retail sales for Black Friday declined 5.6 percent, which was a steeper than anticipated drop. NPD's tracking of consumer electronics excludes Apple's iPad, as well as Kindle products, Microsoft Surface, mobile phones and video games.
Retail sales data from Nov. 18 through 24 found that sales of Windows-based notebooks were down 10 percent. Sales of Apple notebooks, meanwhile, were flat with 2011.
The decline in Windows notebook sales came despite the fact that Microsoft recently launched its new Windows 8 platform. Devices running Windows 8 represented 89 percent of notebook sales with an average selling price of $368, while touchscreens accounted for 3 percent of sales with an average selling price of $668.
Most of Apple's MacBook lineup was refreshed this summer, but the company did launch its 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display in October. That machine carries a $500 premium over the legacy non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, which Apple continues to offer.
Though overall notebook sales were down 10 percent year over year for the 2012 Black Friday shopping holiday, revenue was only down 5 percent. That's because the average selling price of notebooks increased from $437 in 2011 to $460 in 2012.
Beyond notebook computers, sales of Android-based tablets were up 177 percent year over year. Revenue was up about half as much, as the average selling price of Android tablets plummeted from $219 to $151.
Sales of flat panel TVs were also up slightly, earning a 4 percent increase from 2011. But 2012 revenue on flat panel TVs for Black Friday was down 6 percent, as the average selling price dropped from $367 a year ago to $333 this year.
MP3 players saw a steep drop this year, as sales fell 24 percent. And Black Friday sales of point-and-shoot cameras plummeted 36 percent this year as consumers rely largely on other devices, like their smartphone, for photo taking.
"This slow start is merely a continuation of the challenges seen in the consumer electronics business throughout 2012," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD. "In an unbalanced market, where just a few categories deliver significant dollars, and even fewer offer any growth, the ability to deliver positive results will remain difficult for companies exposed to the entire consumer electronics marketplace."
Comments
See here and read Meeker's slide deck
http://venturebeat.com/2012/12/03/mary-meeker-releases-stunning-data-on-the-state-of-the-internet/
Just bought my Mrs a 13" MacBook Pro was holding out with faint hope that Apple would release a 13" MacBook, any 13" MacBook that did not come with just the crud Intel only graphics. Had it not been for the integrated graphics Apple would have easily upsold me to the retina model.
"while sales of Windows-based notebooks plummeted 10 percent because of the launch of Windows 8."
Just thought I'd fix the article.
MacBook sales are flat and that means Apple is doomed like a shark that can't survive unless swimming forward. I sense another Apple downgrade coming as it loses market share to Samsung and Android. Wall Street's attitude is that if you're not number one in market share, you're just another failing company. We well know that Apple doesn't have what it takes to be number one in market share in a world of dirt-cheap Android smartphones and tablets. Only market leaders are given high P/Es and Apple's P/E is that of a third-string tech company. Wall Street really doesn't like to count tablets because it might indicate that Apple could be worth something as a company. The whole computer industry game is to devalue Apple as much as possible by scaring investors away. The Android platform could be considered one of the worst financial models around, but Wall Street will give it credence because of those high market share numbers. When millions of Android devices are activated daily it must be a good thing for somebody, at least in theory.
"Revenue was up about half as much, as the average selling price of Android tablets plummeted from $219 to $151."
I am not sure what tablets sold to make that average, so does that mean the bulk of the android tablets are kindle fires, Nook and Kobo? That would mean the Nexus tablets are not doing well at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mvigod
Why don't they take into account tablets? It is known well that tablets are cannibalizing laptop/desktop sales rapidly. Apple's model is to disrupt others as well as its existing product lines.
See here and read Meeker's slide deck
http://venturebeat.com/2012/12/03/mary-meeker-releases-stunning-data-on-the-state-of-the-internet/
What is the purpose of lumping it together? The more atomicity in the data, the better. Just ignore the headlines or simpleton conclusions.
Are you kidding? Nothing would push Windows users to buy a Mac faster than Microsoft OEMs abandoning Windows.
The fact that there is no mention of iPad or iPhone numbers, I find rather concerning.
Originally Posted by isaidso
The fact that there is no mention of iPad or iPhone numbers, I find rather concerning.
In an article about… traditional computers…
"Oh, no! From this manifest of fishing off the Grand Banks, I can't see how many toasters were sold by LG! They must not have sold very well…"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Are you kidding? Nothing would push Windows users to buy a Mac faster than Microsoft OEMs abandoning Windows.
This does not contradict what I pointed out : OEM will gradually abandon Windows, but at the same time Windows users will also look at alternatives, the Mac being one of them, but not the only one (especially for low end notebooks, where saving the cost of Microsoft royalty can be a way to cut costs).
Black Friday sales of Windows notebooks down 10%
Microsoft is doomed.
The PC reigns supreme for back to school season when kids have to buy or upgrade them. So let's worry about the lack of sales then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Constable Odo
MacBook sales are flat and that means Apple is doomed like a shark that can't survive unless swimming forward. I sense another Apple downgrade coming as it loses market share to Samsung and Android. Wall Street's attitude is that if you're not number one in market share, you're just another failing company. We well know that Apple doesn't have what it takes to be number one in market share in a world of dirt-cheap Android smartphones and tablets. Only market leaders are given high P/Es and Apple's P/E is that of a third-string tech company. Wall Street really doesn't like to count tablets because it might indicate that Apple could be worth something as a company. The whole computer industry game is to devalue Apple as much as possible by scaring investors away. The Android platform could be considered one of the worst financial models around, but Wall Street will give it credence because of those high market share numbers. When millions of Android devices are activated daily it must be a good thing for somebody, at least in theory.
otoh, hand, flat sales when the tide is sinking for eveyone else means that iPad tablet sales are impacting PC sales more than Mac sales. Apple has never been number 1 in phones, or PCs, and Wall Street. I'm arguing halo effect (the iPad sold last year is now buying a new iPad and in some cases a MacBook Pro).
And Apple's Long Game has never been about hardware sales... it's about eyeballs and retention (walled garden). That's why Apple has such a poor valuation, in that Wall Street doesn't give it the P/E Multiple on the 435Million credit cards it has on file, as much as it gives Amazon or Google (for just eyeballs, much fewer Credit Cards), or FaceBook, or Linked In. The shark is still swimming, just moving into fresh water (Content.).
Understanding that the long game is the 'Store' is the key. Google and Samsung are two angles of the triangle (navigation and discount HW) Apple is trying to get away from... Content is their game and getting 30% of everything from Movies, to concert tickets, classroom material, etc.
I still think Apple should take their money and become an offshore bank, and issue their own credit card, purely for reducing the transaction charges.
Or it means that the folks already got their new computer earlier in the year. Or that they are waiting for the kiddo to graduate in the spring and be able to get the student discount. Or they got an iMac instead. Etc.
There are tons of possible factors as to why sales are 'flat'. But flat is still better than down.
And in the end yes perhaps many of those folks got an iPad. But it is still money going to Apple and not someone else. So when the dollars come out we could find that Apple is doing fine. Perhaps not the analysts pulled from an orifice and typically at least double of a 'reasonable' estimate but still way ahead of the pack
That would be because the article was about sales of notebook style computers. Even Apple doesn't call the iPhone and iPad 'computers' in the traditional sense so they themselves would probably rather have them counted separately
More interesting is that Apple stayed flat with barely any discounts but many Windows machines were knocked way down and sales were less.