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PC War Looms, Harvey Norman Struggle,As Lenovo + HP Get Set To Launch Sub $500 Touch Screen Win PC

By David Richards| 30 Nov 2014


	We have also been told that a low cost PC war is set to break out with both Lenovo and Hewlett Packard set to launch sub $500 Windows based PC’s that come with a touch screen. Recently Harvey Norman and JB Hi Fi were appointed as the exclusive sellers of the new Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro with both Companies being given extensive marketing budgets for the 3 in one device. More than 17,000 units were shipped to the two retailers. However Harvey Norman is struggling to shift the Lenovo PC with sub $900 PC’s making up the bulk of the market according to GFK data. We have also been told by sources at two major PC vendors that Harvey Norman has told PC manufacturers that they will not meet their forecast PC targets running into the peak buying period. A Toshiba source said “Dick Smith is the retailer who is growing their PC business. They are delivering marketing that consumers are noticing. We have been advised that Harvey Norman will not meet their PC targets and that they are struggling to shift some 8,000 Lenovo PC’s which they believed would move off shelves quicker that they are currently selling”. CN understands that brands affected by the Harvey Norman downturn in PC sales include Toshiba, Asus, Hewlett Packard and Acer. Another PC vendor said “We have been told by Harvey Norman that both HP and Lenovo are set to launch a sub $500 Windows based PC that comes with a touchscreen. This will prove popular with parents buying a PC for their children and business executives. It is a brilliant price that will strip sales away from vendors who don’t have a similar model”. Neither Dick Smith, nor Harvey Norman executives were available to comment for this story.

About Post Author

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media company and prior to that the third largest PR company that became the foundation company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.