In 3Q24, HP Inc held a 29 per cent share of the PC market, controlling both the commercial and consumer segments with shares of 34.3 per cent and 24.8 per cent, respectively. There was an 8.1 per cent decrease in the desktop category compared to the previous year, while the notebook and workstation categories saw slight increases of 2.8 per cent and 2.4 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

The high-end notebook market, with a price tag of over USD 1,000, experienced a notable 7.6 percent year-over-year increase, fueled by online holiday season promotions. Despite vendors offering aggressive discounts on e-commerce platforms, there was a 2.9 per cent YoY decline in the consumer segment.

Unlike the excess inventory seen in 2023, the demand in the third quarter of 2024 was more natural. According to the report, vendors avoided excessive stocking, resulting in a slight decrease. Positive growth was seen in the commercial and enterprise sectors, with year-over-year increases of 4.4 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively.

"The e-tail sales, which typically commence in the second week of October, started in late September this year, driving a surge in PC shipments," said Bharath Shenoy, Research Manager, IDC India and South Asia.

"Brands leveraged e-tail sales by offering steep discounts, cashbacks, and bundled accessories. Many extended similar pricing to their brand stores and offline channels, such as Larger Format Retail stores (LFRs), resulting in the second-biggest consumer quarter in history. These strategies enabled vendors to penetrate various market tiers, ultimately boosting consumer PC sales," he added.