The computer industry hits its stride around August and September when countless students are going back to school with their brand new laptops, and then again at the end of the year during the holiday season. The months in between these two peaks, though, tend to be some of the driest for computer sales.
Consumers traditionally hold off on large technology purchases during this “off-season” for a number of reasons. Some people understand that new models are about to be announced and they are hesitant to purchase “last year’s” laptops. Other consumers are saving their money for all the holiday gifts they know they will have to buy in just a couple months. In order to offset these slow months, some computer manufactures are pushing their computer discounts and laptop deals on their websites.
In the United States, many consumers are waiting for the traditional Black Friday shopping spree to try and secure a discounted laptop or PC, but many are finding that they do not have to wait that long. As increasing numbers of manufacturers create more deals to encourage spending during this lull in the industry, consumers are able to find the kinds of discounts that match their budget.
Consumers outside the United States are also finding these kinds of discounts particularly useful, since many of them don’t have the same kind of holiday shopping season inauguration that Black Friday represents in the States. For example, in 2010, Google Trends indicates that people in Netherlands increase their searches for “laptop aanbiedingen” (Dutch for “Laptop Deals”) on Google.nl within the month of October. Suppliers offering these special deals are making it possible for consumers to find the computer systems they need without waiting on a special deal that is only delivered on a single day.
Between back-to-school shopping and the holidays, there is always going to be a something of a lull in the technology industry. These types of items are not something that shoppers will buy on an impulse. They will take their time and do their research to discover the laptops or PCs that fit their needs and their budgets. As these manufacturers are making their systems more accessible to bargain-hunting shoppers, they are starting to minimize the traditional downturn while they still prepare for the intense holiday season.
This change in tactics is creating a lot of opportunities for customers to find great deals on their computers, even if they missed some of the early fall specials and can’t wait for the upcoming holiday deals.