Sales of Romanian PCs to drop in 2009

Altex, the largest local household appliance and IT&C product retailer, is estimating to sell 25 percent less of its own brand computers in 2009 than in 2008. Flamingo, the third-largest player on the retail market foresees a 7.7 percent drop. Proca, one of the top ten players on the distribution market, which was recently acquired by RHS Company, expects to sell 25 percent less of its own brand PCs than initially estimated.

“Local PC assemblers sold some 325,000 units in the first 11 months of 2008, four percent less year-on-year,” Diana Preda, Analyst with International Data Corporation (IDC), told standard.ro.

According to IDC, the total own brand PC market could maintain its level in 2009 because of the “One computer for every pupil” project, which means that the consortium formed by Altex, Siveco, and Romtelecom will deliver 445,000 desktop PCs worth €176 million.