By Paul Kunert
12 September 2008
Acer has become the second vendor to confirm that it will raise
product prices from Monday in response to exchange rate pressures.
Yesterday HP confirmed PC
and server prices will rise by 5 to 10% on 15 September following a rallying of
the US
currency versus the pound, which has moved on the spot market in one month from
$1.55 to $1.39.
David Drummond, UK
managing director at Acer said LCDs would not be impacted for the time being
but distributors would see a 5% increase on notebooks from Monday, impacting
dealers late in September.
“We have a good pipeline of LCD shipments in containers on the sea and in
distributors’ warehouses so there will be more of a delay to price rises but
laptop prices will go up next week,” he told Microscope.
“All components are priced in dollars and the pound has moved on the [high
street rate] from $1.96 to $1.76 and clearly that is difficult for anyone to
absorb,” Drummond added.
If the dollar continues to strengthen Acer will raise prices another 5% in
October but he felt rises were easier for the channel to manage than
reductions, “they tend to make existing inventories more saleable.”
Drummond said when prices fell, customers tended to hold off buying to see
if the cost of kit would fall further but when prices rose he said it
ironically made customers keener to make a purchase.
