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Research from GfK claims that 44% of computing devices sold to consumers in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region in the first quarter of 2013 were tablets – up from 23% a year earlier. According to GfK, unit sales in the MEA computing market – comprising desktops, notebooks and tablets – hit 2.88 million units in the first quarter of 2013, up 37.5% year-on-year. GfK is a Content Provider for this month’s DISTREE Middle East retail channel event in Abu Dhabi.
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Middle East e-tail two years behind Western Europe
Research house GfK reckons that Middle East e-tailing of ICT and consumer electronics (CE) products is currently two years behind Western Europe in terms of market development. A number of e-tailers are emerging in the Middle East retail channel, attempting to capitalise on the projected growth in online sales. The leading Middle East e-tailers will join senior executives from vendors, distributors and retailers at annual channel event DISTREE Middle East later this month.
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DISTREE Middle East to focus on key topics for retail channel
DISTREE Middle East will take place from May 21st to 23rd at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The region’s leading annual ICT and consumer electronics (CE) retail event will play host to 600 senior channel executives, providing a powerful opportunity to discuss topical issues impacting the market. Key subjects up for discussion include the role of special sales events, pricing, promotions and sustainable margins.
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GfK channel insights at DISTREE Middle East
Research powerhouse GfK will participate as an official Content Provider at this month’s DISTREE Middle East event, which takes place in Abu Dhabi from May 21st to 23rd. GfK will utilise the wealth of channel data at its disposal to deliver retail channel insight to hundreds of attending executives from across the region. GfK Middle East’s David Lewis will moderate a workshop session looking at the impact of price and product promotions on the regional market for ICT and consumer electronics (CE) products.
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Tablets take bite out of PC pie in MEA
Fast-growing tablet sales in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region are eating into the PC market. PC shipments in MEA for the first quarter of 2013 hit 5.3 million units, according to IDC. This represented a 14.1% year-on-year decline as the shift towards tablets gathered speed. Desktop sales in the first quarter slipped 18.4% year-on-year to 2 million units with notebook shipments sliding 11.2% to 3.3 million units. Tablet sales are booming with IDC claiming that some power retailers are now selling more tablets that notebook PCs.
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Spiky sales patterns impact UAE retail channel
The UAE retail channel for ICT and consumer electronics (CE) products is witnessing increasingly spiky sales patterns, experiencing major peaks and troughs from one month to the next, as the impact of specific sales events exacerbates market volatility. The UAE retail channel has already experienced Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and Abu Dhabi Electronics Shopper in 2013, and the inaugural Gitex Shopper Spring – dubbed mini-Gitex by some vendors – is currently taking place in Dubai.
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Russian market exceeds US$40 billion
Research house GfK’s latest analysis of the ICT, telecoms and consumer electronics market in Russia indicates that the total market value grew 9.1% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2012 to hit US$12.68 billion. This took the annual market value for calendar 2012 to US$42.3 billion dollars in Russia – a 10.4% increase over 2011. Consumer electronics, telecoms products including smartphones and small domestic appliances played a significant role in driving overall market growth.
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Egyptian market value exceeds US$4 billion
Research house GfK’s latest analysis of the ICT, telecoms and consumer electronics market in Egypt indicates that the total market value grew 7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2012 to hit US$1.03 billion. This took the annual market value for calendar 2012 to US$4.2 billion dollars in Egypt – a 7.1% increase over 2011.
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Sales boost for Middle East retail channel
Retailers, distributors and vendors were upbeat about Middle East ICT and consumer electronics (CE) sales volumes during working month January 2013, according to the latest Monthly Monitor Report (MMR), published by the Middle East Retail Academy (MERA). The overall MMR Sales Index rose for the second month in a row, hitting 6.88 (scored out of 10.00) compared to 6.30 a month earlier. The MMR Sales Index is now at its highest level since January 2012 – exactly a year ago – when it reached 6.97.
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CONTEXT emerging markets summit at DISTREE EMEA
This year’s DISTREE EMEA event in Monaco begins today with an Emerging Markets Summit hosted by channel tracking experts CONTEXT, taking place from 13:45-15:45. The session will include exclusive results from CONTEXT’s EMEA-wide ChannelWatch survey, which canvassed the opinions of thousands of resellers and retailers across the region.
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